25 Chapter 1 Learning About Children
parents help their children
develop character. Character
is the principles and beliefs
that guide one’s conduct
and defi ne one’s personality
and behavior. Through love
and guidance, parents help
their children grow into self-
directed adults.
To Protect Children’s
Rights
In the United States, parents
have the rights of guardianship
and determine their children’s
upbringing. For example, they
control the children’s level of
fi nancial support. They also control
Children are easily hurt because they
are physically weaker than adults and
cannot reason as adults. Society must
protect them. By learning about children,
lawmakers can pass laws that will keep
children safe.
The Convention on the Rights of
the Child (United Nations International
Children’s Education Fund) wrote 54
articles that set out the rights of every child
in the world. These rights can be given
under 11 major categories. The following
categories explain children’s rights to:
an identity (government should
protect children’s names, family ties,
and nationalities)
a family (children should be able to
live with their parents unless this is not
in the children’s best interest; parents
have the responsibility for raising
children with government support)
express themselves and have
access to information (children have
the right to: express their views; have
freedom of thought, conscience, and
religion; and obtain information)
a safe and healthy life (children have
the right to life; the government should
do all it can to make sure children
survive and develop; children should
have access to medical services and a
decent standard of living)
special protection in times of war
(children who are refugees are entitled
to special protection; children who are
under 15 should not take part in armed
confl ict)
an education (primary education
should be free and required of all
children; secondary education should
be accessible to all children)
special care for the disabled (children
with disabilities have the right to special
care, education, and training)
protection from discrimination (all
rights apply to all children; children
have the right to practice their own
cultures, religions, and languages)
protection from abuse (children
shall be protected against abuse and
neglect; government shall be involved
with laws and programs concerned
with abuse)
protection from harmful work
(children have the right to rest, leisure,
play, and participation in cultural and
artistic activities; children have the
right to be protected from having to
participate in work that threatens their
health, education, and development)
special treatment if arrested
(children are entitled to assistance and
treatment that respect their rights)
Learn
More About
Children’s Rights