Kids’ Day Out

As the chilling breeze blew with the speakers blaring with conventional love songs which has lost its air of romance because of its loudness beyond necessity, with very young children causing splashes on the flowing water of the pool, I am suddenly struck with the question, “Wait, why are there children here?” Are they not supposed to be…? Oh, I guess recent regulations have granted permission for children to go out of domestic quarantine on given times of a day and on given days. I’m trying to crack this puzzle. Sometimes, I would hear a voice blasting from a loud speaker on a van going around the city streets, that petitions the citizens to restrain from going out of residences for non-essential matters. I suppose that appeal continues to stand today. So, help me out here. Is children playing in a pool in resort considered “essential”? I’m giving this the benefit of doubt. Maybe, children could have some essential extra-domestic affairs. I suppose what is essential for children is school which as far as I know, by order of the President, has been restrained from the conduct of face to face classes. What else could be essential? I suppose a medical check-up would count as one. But then again, i suppose a visit to the doctor or the dentist would be rare. Furthermore, barangay health centers could fulfil that need. One could argue that children’s attendance in church is essential. We can’t contend with that; but I presume there are alternatives for the practice of faith within the domicile. With that out of the way, what business could the young ones be essentially engaging in outside their houses?

Another question that nags me is ”does the virus operate like sunburn or petty crime that it loses its prevalence at a time of the day or on some days of a week? The way I understand it is crowds could increase the rate of infection at any time of the day or on any day of the week.

After some contemplation, I perceive that the party that stands to benefit in the authorization for children to step out of domestic confinement are business establishments on leisure and recreation. Now, don’t get me wrong, leisure and recreational establishments are an important part of the economy, not to mention their contribution to the psychosocial health of a community. But is it not interesting that go-ahead for children to splash on the swimming pool came without the same for at least a few hours of classes in school? Would that fairly imply the ranking of priorities for the welfare of the children? Maybe the more precise perception is the heavier weight of commerce opposite to more meaningful development. But on the other hand, it could be argued that the promotion of commerce would consequently promote the well-being of children who depend on the adults who gain in their employment in these institutions. But then would not adults provide the necessary clientele? Maybe the presence of children would encourage more spending; thus, greater income. I guess that’s how it makes sense.

A few weeks ago, parents with cars all got stirred with the implementation of the Car Seat Law. Yeah, okay, I get it, my nephew in Virginia along with other kids around the world won’t get to ride in my sister’s car without his car seat. Yes, yes, safety is paramount. Wait a minute, why did we go through all that ruckus when the kids are not supposed to go anywhere anyway? There were rants about the high price of car seats, the shortage of supply of car seats, the lack of preparation of the implementation of the car seat, the untimeliness of the car seat. Yes the child’s car seat is really untimely because the children are not supposed to be going around out of their houses anyway; because we want to protect them from contracting Covid. So, let the law take effect, children aren’t supposed to go out anyway. Now, that hullabaloo just laid bare naked the common practice of taking children who are supposed to be inside their houses, out in the open in Covid country for most probably non-essential engagements. It just laid bare the common practice of violation of health protocols for personal whims and caprices. Now, we should not wonder why in case you have been already numbed out, the numbers of Covid cases steadily refuse to slow down, but keep swelling.

Since it’s okay for us to let the kids out, now, why don’t we send them to socialize in school?

“Lift your hands to him for the lives of your children.”

Lamentations 2:19