“Eat your vegetables. Drink water. Put that cake down and first eat an apple.” Some of you have probably heard these statements over and over during this holiday. And you have sulked because it seems as though your parents don’t care about your happiness. Otherwise they would let you substitute those ‘tasteless’ meals for pizza and fries and chicken. The truth is that you will thank them later because they are doing what is right for you. They are protecting you. They are protecting your right to grow. Article 10 of Rwanda’s law relating to the rights and protection of the child states: “Every child shall have the right to be provided with special protection by his/her family, the Rwandan community and the Government for his/her physical, mental, spiritual, moral, psychological and social growth according to the human dignity.” Needless to say, while those vegetables do not leave a tantalising taste in your mouth, they are exactly what you need for your physical and mental growth. It would be a violation of your rights to let you feed on something that is likely to stagnate or interfere with your growth. Article 10 also applies if your parents get you off the television and ask you to go outside for a walk or to play. And in case you are wondering why your parents take you to places of worship, refer to article 10. Spiritual growth is within your rights. If your parents won’t let you dress a certain way, go to certain places or hang out with certain people, refer to article 10. It is likely that they are protecting your right to moral growth. Refer to article 10 again if your parents won’t let you watch certain movies or tv programs or read certain books or listen to certain songs. Protection of your psychological growth? Yes, that’s what they are trying to do. And if your parents are in the habit of taking you to visit family friends or relatives or taking you to social gatherings for people in your age group, then they are protecting your right to social growth. As you may have noticed, most of the measures regarding the right to grow are not entirely pleasant. But as they say, not everything that is good for you is easy or pleasant.
