COLUMN: Why Children Are Loosing Their Childhood

By Fatimah Bintu Dikko

Childhood used to be a season of wonder, innocence, curiosity, and gentle discovery. A time when play was pure, imagination was limitless, and the world felt safe enough for a child to unfold slowly. But with each passing day, it seems that childhood is slipping away from the hands of many young ones before they even fully understand what it means. We are watching children grow into responsibilities, pressures, fears, and experiences that once belonged only to adults, and the speed at which this is happening is frightening. It is a painful truth that today’s children are losing their childhood, not because they want to, but because the world around them is forcing them to grow far too quickly.

Everywhere we turn, we see signs of this premature maturity. Children who should still be wrapped in the soft comfort of innocence are exposed to realities that shorten their emotional breath. Some face the weight of domestic responsibilities that are far too heavy for their small shoulders. Others navigate environments where violence, fear, or instability has become normal. Many are sent out early in the morning to fend for themselves by trading on the streets, engaging in domestic work, or enduring exploitation. These children learn early that survival can overshadow play, and that life demands seriousness long before they have experienced the joy of being carefree.

Social media has added a new layer to this crisis. Instead of developing at their natural pace, children are now introduced to adult content, adult expectations, and adult conversations before they even turn ten. The digital space, though filled with opportunities, is also a door through which childhood is stolen. It has become a window into a world that confuses them, rushes them, and forces them into a lifestyle they are not emotionally prepared for. They see trends that shape their thoughts prematurely, videos that distort innocence, and lifestyles that make them feel inadequate unless they imitate what they see. Childhood is no longer a journey of gentle learning; it has become a performance, a competition, a race against unrealistic standards.

The education system contributes its own pressure. Many children are burdened with heavy expectations—academic performance, early examinations, competition, achievements. Parents often push their children so hard that the child’s mind becomes overwhelmed. Instead of learning with joy, they learn with fear. Instead of exploring naturally, they memorize endlessly. The burden of “being the best” steals the freedom to simply be a child. Many young ones barely sleep, barely rest, and rarely experience leisure because they are constantly striving to meet a standard that is more adult than it is child-friendly.

Family structures have also changed, and the shift has affected children deeply. Homes that should be nurturing havens have become battlegrounds of tension, silence, emotional distance, or conflict. When the home loses its warmth, a child loses their safe space. When adults are absent, distracted, or overwhelmed, children are forced to navigate emotional gaps that leave them confused and vulnerable. In some cases, children witness things they should never witness. They hear conversations they cannot interpret. They carry burdens they cannot name. A child who grows up hearing arguments, seeing violence, or experiencing neglect inevitably loses pieces of their childhood in the process.

Another factor contributing to this erosion of childhood is the breakdown of communal parenting. There was a time when the community contributed to raising a child—when neighbours corrected, elders guided, and streets were safe. Today, society has become more individualistic. Everyone minds their business. Children roam without supervision. Young ones make decisions without guidance, and many fall into peer groups that mislead them. Without the supportive web of community to protect them, they become vulnerable to the streets, to harmful influences, and to early exposure to risks they cannot comprehend.

The rise in cases of abuse—sexual, emotional, and physical—also steals childhood in the most heartbreaking ways. In places where such experiences are becoming disturbingly common, innocence is stripped away brutally and early. When a child goes through an experience that shatters trust, fear takes the place of innocence. They begin to see the world through pain instead of wonder. No child should carry the trauma of such acts, yet many do. These experiences alter their emotional development, force them into silence, and age them long before their time.

But beyond pointing out the factors, it is necessary to ask: what can be done to restore childhood? How can parents, communities, and institutions return this sacred stage of life to the children who deserve it? The answer lies in intentionality. Parents must be conscious about protecting their children’s innocence—monitoring what they watch, where they go, what they hear, and who they interact with. They must create homes where emotional connection is strong, communication is open, and love is not drowned by pressure. Childhood must be protected at home before it can be protected in the society.

Communities also have a role. A society that turns a blind eye to the suffering or misguidance of children is a society that has failed its future. There must be a collective effort to rebuild communal responsibility, to create safe public spaces, and to reintroduce moral guidance as a shared duty. Schools, religious institutions, and local groups must work together to instill values that support healthy development. Teachers should not only teach subjects—they should teach empathy, discipline, and social responsibility.

Government must also rise to its responsibility. Policies protecting children should not exist only on paper; they must be enforced. Safe shelters, child counseling centres, community programs, and outreach initiatives must be supported. Financial and logistical backing should be given to individuals and organizations working tirelessly to protect children’s welfare. When the government invests in childhood, it invests in the nation’s future.

Ultimately, childhood is a gift every society must guard. It is not just a phase—it is the foundation upon which adulthood is built. When childhood is rushed, damaged, or stolen, the consequences last a lifetime. If we want stronger families, emotionally stable adults, morally grounded youth, and healthier communities, then we must protect childhood with all the seriousness it deserves. We must slow down the world for our young ones. We must let them breathe, play, imagine, explore, learn, and grow at the pace nature intended. For in preserving their childhood, we preserve the hope of a better tomorrow.

The post COLUMN: Why Children Are Loosing Their Childhood first appeared on CONFIDENCE NEWS NG.