Today is the International Day of the Boy Child; the 16th day of May which marks the Boy’s Day as approved and ratified by the United Nations. Today’s celebration marking the 2025 International Boys Day is themed “Promotion of Positive Male Role Models”.
Over the years, attention had been focused on the Girl Child with so much sensation to pamper her. We have the International Day of the Girl Child which is celebrated with so much funfair; and that has taken a journey from some other internationally recognized female celebrations, including the Mother’s Day that is celebrated severally in one calendar year. The disparity is often visible and has continued until lately.
While challenges affecting the female child are on the front burner of societal discussions, that of the male child is often overlooked. In view of this, the International Day of the Boy Child was founded.
May 16th is International Day of the Boy Child. It was founded in 2018 by Dr. Jerome Teelucksingh, a university lecturer from the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It focuses on boys and their well-being, their needs to feel happy, healthy, and valued within family and community. In a letter to government leaders and NGOs, Teelucksingh says, “On the media, there are regular incidents in which young, misguided boys and teenagers are involved in crime and violence. If a boy child is neglected or fed a diet of hate and violence, it is obvious he will develop into a teenager who is misguided and confused. There is an urgent need to focus on the home and school in order to save the boy child.”
As we celebrate the Boy Child today, let’s not be carried away that he is a man and can always help himself. These days, the Boy Child needs more attention than the Girl Child. A lot of them are derailing for lack of parental and societal attention. While parents see them as men and heads of the family, the society sees them as future leaders and warlords
Oftentimes, their emotions are overlooked. The boy child is taught to be a man in all circumstances of life; to be strong and have a mentality of a conqueror. His emotions therefore, are hidden inside his macho belief of being a strong boy. This is the beginning of bullying which later in life translates into domestic violence and all other vices that give the society a challenge.
This is the time to trace the root causes of our unstable society usually manned by men. If the beginning of the boy child is not well fashioned, the ending may be disastrous, especially when he is found as head of a home, decision maker in leadership positions or as king over a community or emperor over an empire. This is the time to help the boy child who becomes a man tomorrow, to take positive responsibility of his personality for the good of society.
As simple as it sounds, the boy must be taught how to do house chores, cook and love. He must be taught moral values, obedience and responsible team playing. He must be friendly; how he relates with his sisters lovingly will prove how he will love his wife in future.
In a nutshell, the boy child is an important being in the creation and must be treated nicely and lovingly. He should not be left unattended to as regards his emotions, rights, needs and decisions. If we missed attending to him properly, the future may be awaiting the disaster that will arise from him. Let’s be guided.
Happy International Day of the Boy Child.
