Filicide refers to an act of killing one own’s child. This is something unfathomable crime which has a variety of factors influencing such behavior. In India, the gradual increase of this crime is something that requires a limelight. Being a parent is something a matter of responsibility and pride. However how this situation is turning itself upside down? This blog shall discuss some important issues and ramifications in the context of filicides. 

Was it a practice in history? 

Although no such concrete proof of filicide can be gathered from pages of history however we can infer that this practice was apparent. Especially in the case of a woman who used to become a mother without marriage. They either used to kill their child or leave anywhere to get the child in the hands of luck. In cases of severe war where there was an apprehension of getting brutally murdered by enemies, then parents tend to kill their children. Some instances are also recorded during the partition of India where communal riots also led to some filicides. For the sake of ‘family honor’ especially females were killed. However, these are some recorded situational factors of history. Although the political makeup of this society has gradually changed fillicide remains apparent. The psychological context here is something complex in nature. 

Types of filicides 

While describing the reasons for such actions, files have been classified by American psychiatrist Phillip Resnick based on motives here 

Altruistic filicide:-

Where parents kill their child for the “ best interest of the child”. When they see death as something in their best interest especially in war zones or any other reason they tend to kill their child. 

Psychotic filicide:-

Where the parent kills the child without any severe reason because of some psychotic experiences. 

Unwanted filicide:-

Here the parent tends to kill their child when they see their child as a hindrance to their social benefit. 

Accidental filicide:-

Where a parent kills their child as a result of some neglect. 

Spouse revenge filicide:

Where with the motive of taking revenge on one’s spouse one tends to kill one’s child. 

They found jealousy, unemployment poor literacy, substance abuse, etc. Some of the vital factors influencing this filicide. Sometimes very high degree of neuroticism tends to affect this filicide.  

Case of filicides 

One of the founders of an AI startup has been allegedly involved in filicide action.

Total cases of filicides have been recorded as 0.6 to 2.1 percent out of 100000 children below 15 years of age in India. 

“The burden of childcare often falls on the mother. The expectations from her are huge from her own family and society, without looking or addressing her own physical and mental health,” said Prof Prabha S Chandra, Psychiatry 

However, filicide is undoubtedly a violation of human and child rights in the country. This becomes apparent that psychotic issues are something that is significantly ignored in society. The legal measures althoigh can maintain order in society however it is not possible to eradicate this kind of unfathomable problem out of the box without addressing the root cause here.  

Kota deaths: a mental filicide? 

Mental filicide is in a sense what the Supreme Court in its words quoted by stating wrong the blame games on coaching institutions. It rather blamed the higher expectations of Parents which are forcing children to push themselves towards death beds. A home is a place where that child has to feel comfortable. It is the responsibility of a civilized nation to at least provide a comfortable place to survive. However, the cases in Kota are something which is in contrast to the expectations. If a 14-15 year child is struggling in Kota with a known fact that the abundance of fees has been spent on her with no mental support the annual deaths at Kota seems to be expected. A total number of students entered there, everybody couldn’t return, making the place a war zone for seats. 

Solutions and way ahead: It is possible to stop 

1. To stop such killings it is very important and a national responsibility of the government to hire the mental health specialist wherever needed 
2. Legal process must be made stringent in case of violation of child rights. Children must be aware of the apprehensions regarding their security and the preventive measures. 
3. Schools must be strict towards parental training to avoid accidental filicide 
4. The indirect causes like literacy rate, poverty, and crimes involved must be scrutinized by authorities 
5. There must be protection for those children whose parents are undergoing some divorce-related issues. 

Thus in a nutshell we shall conclude that this is a concept that generally remains in vain in society. Thus to make society a civilized nation to live in we must provide adequate parental guidance and children’s protection. The human rights violation contains filicide as an essential component in it. 

 References

Times of India

Indian Express

Freepik images

Wikipedia

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In the canvas of life, a child is comparable to a kite in the sky, dancing and floating over limitless space, creating intense feelings of wonder and imagery. Like flight by a kite, childhood is about exploration, freedom, and growth as it is led into by the gentle streams of innocence and imagination.

Innocence and curiosity are what all children start their lives with just like kites. Right from birth, they spread out their feathers and go on to explore things in this world. As kites catch wind children embrace every journey with awe and enthusiasm which they view these new experiences through fresh eyes with great excitement. In essence we can argue that every moment becomes an opportunity for exploration and discovery ranging from little joys like playing around the park to moments when we witness nature’s miracles unfold around us. The air vibrates with their laughter like the tail flutters of kites – pure joy of existence being experienced once again.

However, just as winds guide kites so do external factors influence what children become in life. Family, friends culture and society are there invisible helpers who decide what kid will grow up into pushing them on their way toward maturing.The gentle breeze of positive influences makes the child rise higher; it also builds resilience, fosters empathy and creates a sense of belonging. Turbulent winds are negative influences that anchor the child back or divert him in another direction. Hence, children’s environment must be such that it provides them with the care they need to thrive and challenges them to reach great heights. Like artwork on a kite’s surface, childhood’s impacts direct how a child lives, thus having permanent effects on his character and identity.

Children as kites have an element of freedom and constraint which enables them to balance their activities perfectly. Just as a tether helps keep a kite up in the air, children flourish under structured guidance. Nevertheless, when the tether is too tight there is no freedom for air spaces in order for the kite to fly up in the sky just as much as when control is excessive it may hinder natural exploration and self-expression of children. Striking this precarious balance amid giving liberty and controlling urges is important because it gives room for growth towards independent autonomy which allows their wings span wide into unchartered territories but still giving that support that is needed so as not to lose focus or cause harm for some mistakes committed along life paths.Childhood like a rolling kite between freedom and restraint; every experience contributing to the growth of children in their own way.

One of the most fascinating things about growing up is how it involves being an explorer. The world is a young child’s playground as they perceive the whole universe with unlimited imagination. They can make anything happen, everyday events are a chance for inventiveness and self-expression from building castles in sand on the beach, to creating strange worlds within play which they do. By playing children develop important abilities by implementing problem solving, working together and managing their emotions well that forms a basis for lifelong education and progress. With this, their imagination ascends to loftier heights than kites caught in a sudden breeze.

However, childhood like any other journey has its own squalls and tempests. This means that just like kites, children must face life’s storms and winds. Adversity is necessary for resilience to keep them flying even when life gets tough starting from simple cuts during childhood to more serious problems of teenage years and beyond.Children who can take hits and learn from them, will come back stronger as a consequence. They go on with determination and courage. They are buoyant like kites in an ocean of stormy clouds; they stay strong and unyielding when faced with life’s challenges.

In essence, the analogy of children to kites denotes an infinite potential that lies within every human being. Similarly, children have endless possibilities just like a kite which can fly up to the sky. With proper assistance, encouragement and resources, children can surpass their own expectations both academically and socially. It is in nurturing this potential that we provide an opportunity for each kite to touch the highest part of the sky ever possible where they meet their destiny leaving a permanent change behind in this world. Children too have this capacity just like kites flying so high above buildings tops that they seem to be reaching out for heaven; thereby making beautiful dreams brighten up the entire sky.

Conclusion 

Finally, likening a child to a kite serves as a powerful perspective through which childhood may be explained.Like kites, children fly through life’s skies with grace, wonder, and limitless potential, from the innocence of infancy to the resiliency of adolescence. We make sure that every kite has the chance to soar to the highest reaches of the sky and leave behind a legacy of hope, inspiration, and possibility by embracing the essence of childhood—curiosity, imagination, and freedom—and by offering the supportive environment in which kids can flourish. Children enrich the world with their special talents and contributions, leaving a legacy of wonder and possibility similar to the color trail left by a kite against the canvas of the sky.

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When your parents come to you to have a video editing on their mobile. When your grandparents ask to to teach them how to use the smart TV. When you have a liberal mindset in contrast to that of your parents. When you are okay to marry a person from another caste or another religion but your parents aren’t. When you know a variety of career options but are only presented with options to be an engineer or doctor. When you are okay to sleep late till morning but your parents aren’t. All these are the characteristics of the generation gap in society. 

The generation gap is a natural phenomenon. It will be very obvious that the next generation will be ahead of its prior generation in many terms. This is because the next generation has got all the fruits of toils of thousands of years by birth. For instance, every generation doesn’t learn to produce fire through friction. When the matchbox was developed, every generation started to use this device and thereafter the lighter.

Genz and Gen Alpha are the latest generations enjoying this advanced era of artificial intelligence and robots. Thus when intelligentsia in the society becomes dominant, the communal boundaries start to get spoiled. Similarly due to such drastic changes in society nowadays bridging this gap seems to be very difficult. 

Is it a problem or a phenomenon? 

The generation gap can be categorized as a phenomenon. Problems may arise because of this gap. The thing is, if humans tend to produce offspring, then having the generation gap is very natural. The difference is in the way of dealing with it. The problem arises when adamancy of the behaviors is there.

Individuals dealing with the phenomenon must understand that is not necessary that their counter-generation will hold the same view that they are holding. Differences may exist in viewpoints, on the way of handling the situations. Because time is moving forward, the social context will not remain fixed. Thus the root cause of the problems arising in the phenomena is our inability to respect the differences. 

Why do your words matter? 

As a parent or as a child your words matter a lot. Words are here the messengers that carry your messages to someone you want. Thus it becomes very necessary specifically for the parents of teenagers to use their words very precisely. What children need is just an appreciation for whatever efforts they are putting in

. They must be protected from any kind of physical violence and should get the equal respect that everyone gets. One of the psychological research here proves that if children need to get educated, just the positive and negative reinforcement will suffice. There is no need for punishment as this will tend to increase the revolt in teenager’s minds.  

Thus while dictating anything to Genz and Gen Alpha it must have a goal to impart some value to them. It is very necessary to teach them how to question rather than to answer their questions. It is a unanimously accepted fact that parenting is successful when parents provide questions to their children to search out rather than answer their questions.  

Children who are brought up with equal respect will respect everyone else too. Their habit of questioning and then searching for their answers will provide them with a scientific mindset. Thus parents to trespass this gap parents must be friends of their children for the holistic development of their children. 

Deliberation: a way forward. 

Psychologists claim that discussion and deliberation are the best way to solve any of the problems. Thus problems arise because the generation gap has its solutions in deliberations. Parents must not have any communication gaps with their children. They must have regular conversations with them.

Parents must be aware of what is happening in their children’s life and this can only be possible through deliberations. The only way to bridge this gap is the proper transfer of information from one generation to another. A successful parent is the one whose children feel free to share their life incidents with them. Love language is universal no matter what the generation is thus it is the only instrument that can bridge his gap 

Are you a good parent? 

The descriptions of a good parent may differ according to context. But generally, parents who can freely converse with their children, who can pay equal respect to them, can reinforce them towards the ethical direction must fall within this category. You must be very tolerant if you are a parent of a teenager. The rollercoaster of their emotions can only be managed by you. If you can form an emotional bond with your child where your child need not hide their tears from you, congratulations you have cracked it! 

Are you a good ward? 

Here also being good has a variety of meanings according to context. But as a ward please understand the fact that your generation is too much different. It has been revolutionized through technology. The variety of ideologies that exist today is just the result of changes in the past 10 years. Thus please respect the differences that exist. If your parents believe that touching the feet of elders is a symbol of respect for them, here the concept of dignity must not be included. Remember it is not the sole responsibility of your parents to form that emotional bond with you. You are equally responsible for how far you are tolerant of the viewpoints that are against you. 

Thus in a nutshell we can say that the generation gap is a natural phenomenon. Problems are just the part of it that can easily be solved through deliberations. Differences demonstrate different shades of life and we must respect it.  

References

Image credit – freepik  images

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