How You Can Support Child’s Month and Help Amplify Children’s Voices

Listen up; it’s Child’s Month 2022, and children’s voices matter.

May is dubbed Child’s Month in Jamaica, and over the years, the National Child Month Committee (NCMC) has planned activities, which focus on enhancing and empowering Jamaica’s children.

This year, the tradition of empowerment continues with a series of events aimed at elevating children’s voices.

NCMC’s Chairperson, Dr Pauline Mullings, shared at the media launch on 21 April that this year the emphasis is on highlighting the needs of children and ways that people can help.

Some activities that have already taken place include a church service (1 May) at the Eastwood Park Road New Testament Church of God in Kingston, Read Across Jamaica Day (3 May), and Teachers’ Day (4 May).

Hush Children Symposium (11 May), National Children’s Day (20 May), a Day of Prayer (25 May), and National Child and Adolescent Mental Health Awareness Day (26 May) are also on the Child Month calendar.

On National Children’s Day, the NCMC will host a ‘Pickney Party’ that will feature songs, poetry, and visual arts by children aged from 6-17. The National Day of Prayer takes place at Trinity Moravian Church in Kingston, and the NCMC will distribute care packages on 31 May.

Helpful Child’s Month Tips

The Child Month Calendar also features tips and suggestions for activities that adults can do with children. Some tips include:

1. Affirm children by saying what you love about them.
2. Allow children to share in some of life’s lessons.
3. Encourage children to express their thoughts in writing.
4. Show interest in things children say and do.
5. Plan family activities and outings with your child.
6. Let children listen in on age-appropriate family discussions or decisions.
7. Develop the habit of asking children about their day and listening to what they share.
8. Encourage children to stand up for what is right by teaching them the right things to do and say.
9. Make children aware that words can hurt and encourage them to use kind words.
10. Respond to children’s needs and actively support their development.
11. Commit to spending an hour with each child during the week.
12. Help children become more responsible by giving age-appropriate chores.

The NCMC comprises of 40 agencies, including government and non-government institutions, working to support the interests of Jamaica’s children. Some companies partnering with the NCMC for this year’s Child Month are the Ministry of Education and Youth, Jamaica National Foundation, St Mary’s, Sangster’s Book Store, National Baking Company Foundation, Grace Kennedy Group, and National Health Fund.

People interested in supporting the NCMC’s Child Month efforts can call 876-909-5859 or email [email protected]. You can also stay up-to-date with the NCMC’s future activities via Facebook (@ncmcja) and Instagram (@ncmc_ja).

Sources: Jamaica Observer, NCMC Facebook, and Loop.