Lone parents need a duty lesson
It is clear that Dr Walsh’s comments were not directed at the large number of people who are lone parents through no fault of their own, such as widows, deserted wives or people in long-term relationships that have broken down.
They were, most likely, directed at the growing number of teenagers and young people who don’t seem to know that it is their duty not to have children unless they can afford to feed them, clothe them, educate them and provide them with a secure home.
Every baby is entitled to that.
Some of these lone parents have three or four children with different fathers. They don’t appear to have given a thought to the baby’s rights.
Duty is a word that never seems to have been explained to them.
It is very hurtful to these lone parents that their support groups don’t give them ‘tough love.’ It is much easier to say ‘ah God help us,’ and much more popular.
You’ll get very little thanks for tough love. But lone parents and their children would benefit in a more lasting way from such an approach. Giving them more money is bound to encourage this irresponsible behaviour.
Indeed it’s surprising that there aren’t more unplanned babies, and more rapes, and you don’t need to be a genius to see why.
With virtually no censorship of our TV stations and tabloid media, children can see all sorts of rubbish, glorifying irresponsible sexual behaviour.
In many of our shops, adult material is left on the bottom shelf with the newspapers.
In other countries, this material is always out of reach.
Well done, Dr Walsh. You are a true friend of the lone parents. They’ll rise to better things with advice like yours. The general public has been angry about this problem for long enough.
Deirdre Hayes
Castletroy
Limerick.
