THE EDITOR, Sir:THERE IS an urgent need for a national campaign on rebuilding the family unit. This campaign, which could be called the "Bring the Family Back", would rely heavily on the island's churches, schools and mass media to spread the warning that without the family unit the society is hurtling at great speed to decay in every form.
The campaign would, more importantly, seek to awaken the conscience of persons who procreate to the fact that they have a God-given responsibility to care for their children. It would also seek to discourage persons who are unable to undertake this responsibility from having children until they can afford to do so.
Parents (preferably in a monogamous relationship) would be encouraged to create an atmosphere of love where each child would be taught about his or her intrinsic value as a human being and where sensible disciplining techniques would be applied to the rearing of our children.
PARENTING ROLES
Since realistically all parents will not be wedded, then those who do not reside with their children should be encouraged and allowed by the other parent to play as full a parenting role as possible. An important area of emphasis would be that of the critical role of fathers, not only as financial providers but as solid emotional support structures for their offspring.
Once parents are convinced of their responsibility then the broader society, including the other agencies of socialisation - church, school, media and government - could help to equip the parents by teaching skills and emphasising values/attitudes.
Our country's escalating crime and numerous social ills should have convinced us by now that values and attitudes cannot be taught in a vacuum and that the appropriate context for that lesson is the home. Furthermore, there is a fundamental role to be played by the family which cannot be played by any other agency of society.
The spin-off from this campaign would be tremendous. I predict that we would evolve into a more genteel society, a more productive society and that crime would decrease.
I am, etc.,
CHARMIN STEWART-WILLIAMS
Duke Street, Kingston
