Growing Pains: A Reflection on Childhood

Nobody probably remembers their childhood as being “easy”. Whether you faced challenges with bullies, poor grades, eating disorders or even simple sibling rivalry, growing up was inherently hard. As kids, we all faced our respective challenges. These challenges shaped who we are.

But in the light of what a child in poverty deals with every day, our growing pains must pale in comparison, right?

Growing up, I disliked certain foods (creamed tuna, anyone?), but I never had to worry about where I would find a meal. I certainly got my share of ear infections, but there was always a doctor readily available. I may not have loved my clothes, but I had them … lots of them. At night I may have had a hard time sleeping, but it was never because my bed or own bedroom was uncomfortable. I may not have liked math much, but at least I had a chance to find that out about myself.

Yeah, I had it hard.

Fortunately, my job gives me regular perspective on just how hard my childhood was. Every day I’m confronted with the stories and photos of children who really do have something to complain about. The pitfalls of living in poverty are vast and many.

Which is why meeting some of these kids caused me to discover the most surprising thing of all: They’re just kids.

Yes, they are subject to extreme circumstances. And yes, those circumstances are hard for me to fathom. But through it all, these impoverished souls somehow manage to just be kids.

And kids are amazing.

The sponsored children (https://www.children.org/What-is-Child-Sponsorship) I’ve met look at the world with a sense of wonder, no matter what world they see. They have the capacity to be resilient, frequently finding simple reasons to smile despite their hardships.

A little boy with no roof may still love baseball. A little girl who eats only once a day may still want to show off her doll. A little boy with tattered clothes still wants to play a game. A little girl with no bed still wants to be read a story.

Children in poverty are still just kids. Happy. Sad. Curious. Shy. Energetic. Mischievous. Clumsy. Excited. They are just like any other child you might meet. But poverty threatens to rob them of their childhood every step of the way. That’s why what Children International does is so important. It’s course correction. (https://www.children.org/our-work)

As kids grow older and begin to expect the cruelty life has dealt them, something crucial to their survival as children – hope – eventually fades. Helping them while they retain that hope makes it possible for them to get ahead of that curve, making an impact on their lives while their lives are still taking shape.

When these kids reach adulthood, look back at their lives and think of how hard growing up was, they will also recall that CI was there for them, intervening at those crucial moments when poverty could have taken so much from them, allowing them to be kids just a little longer.