Parents and a child’s mental health

A few days ago, I attended an early childhood care and development event for all daycare centers in Las Piñas. The celebration, held in observance of Children’s Month, focused on one of society’s most urgent concerns, which is preventing child abuse and protecting children’s mental health.

The issue of child abuse continues to haunt many Filipino families. We have all heard the painful stories: about a friend, a neighbor or a relative whose life was quietly scarred by an abusive home. The aftermath of such pain manifests in different ways: depression, anxiety, drug dependence or violent tendencies. For others, it shows up as silence in an adult who struggles to trust, love or feel worthy of kindness.

I’m reminded of a friend’s son, Norman (not his real name), who was once a cheerful, athletic boy. Over time, his teachers noticed his temper worsening, leading to fights with his classmates. When his mother confided that Norman’s stepfather would often come home drunk and violent, the pieces began to fit. Behind his anger was fear and behind his fear, a longing for love. With therapy and guidance from a caring teacher, Norman slowly began to heal. Today, he’s thriving in a vocational school — proof that compassion can undo the harm caused by cruelty.

Psychologist Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, author of “The Body Keeps the Score,” reminds us that “the body remembers what the mind forgets.” Abuse doesn’t end when the child grows up, it hides, waiting to be acknowledged and soothed through love, safety and understanding.

During the daycare event, I saw everyday acts of generosity that restore hope in this battle. 

Fathers patiently tying their daughters’ ribbons, mothers cheering as their toddlers sang, and teachers selfless in their role, caring and embracing the children as though they were their own. 

It was a tender portrait of community love, a reminder that it takes not just a village, but a village with heart, to raise a child.

Many Filipino families face the reality of distance, with one parent working abroad to provide for their loved ones. For the single parents left behind, raising a child becomes both a gift and a test of endurance. Yet through community support systems, like daycare centers, kind and caring teachers, and relatives who step in to help, love finds a way to fill the gaps.

As I watched the children perform that day, I felt a quiet prayer rise within me: may every child be surrounded by gentle hands, listening hearts, and safe spaces to grow. Because no child should ever learn love through pain.

The Bible reminds us, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it.” — Proverbs 22:6

When parents and communities lead with compassion, we not only protect children, we heal generations.