Make every day World Children's Day!

Hope Statue - Nelson Mandela Square

As a Mom I find it very difficult to hear about the suffering of children. There is so much disruption, upheaval and natural disasters in the world, and the most vulnerable is our children who are impacted. I have to limit myself to not read so much each day! It is too upsetting!

I still think about the children denied the basic right of education because they don't have id books in South Africa... (To name but one!)

SAD! Human rights violated of children without ID's- not allowed to go to school! via @KarindOrville https://t.co/gnunrarq7S#SABC #Fokus

— Karen du Toit (@karentoittoit) August 21, 2017

UNICEF South Africa unveiled an art installation alongside the Nelson Mandela Statue in Sandton City Square yesterday on World Children's Day! (I wish I could be there, but it's still a school night!)

Hope Statue in Nelson Mandela Square

The statue, which stands in front of Nelson Mandela, features a young girl called Hope. The girl is symbolic of every girl and every boy in South Africa and represents the power of children to shape the future.

 Emulating Madiba’s dance, she is a symbol of hope, of infectious joy and innocence. She looks back at her hero, whose legacy and achievements will inspire and guide her into the future, and her own accomplishments.

 Named ‘Hope’ for her celebration and defence of children’s rights, the statue takes a bold stance for children’s potential to build our country’s future. She represents children’s strength and resilience, their joy and confidence, their courage and conviction. Most importantly, she stands for their dreams and ambitions, a future where children are cherished and protected — a future where all children, no matter where they are, enjoy the right to be a child. As part of an initiative designed by UNICEF with the Sandton mall, The Nelson Mandela Foundation and Grey Advertising – this statue is the cornerstone of a day full of memorable celebrations.

World Children’s Day on 20 November is the anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and calls on all children to raise their voices in solidarity with the world’s most disadvantaged and vulnerable children.

Now I have to ask what can we do as responsible adults to make a difference?
It doesn't help to have such a day, and not change anything?

UNICEF has the World Children's Day website, with ideas and activities that happened yesterday, and that children could partake in.We can still make use of all these suggestions to make every day World Children's Day!

How to make every day World Children's Day

1. Download School packs for kids. 

This can be used as a great resource for homeschooling, or for the upcoming holidays when children start complaining about being bored.
This is also a great to use as reading material for parents and children. The best would be to sit with children and read through it together.

2. Download How to make every Day World Children's Day

The resource states that it is for teachers, but there is nothing that prevents parents from using it as well. This is a great resource for discussion and activities. 

3. Break out the dance moves

Watch the remake of P!NK’s song ‘What about us’ by Kids United and PS22, and learn your children to dance it as well.
You can film your child with the signature #WorldChildrensDay dance moves and upload it to social media to be included in the "world version" of the video to be released in December.

4. Download a child-friendly version of the Convention on the Rights of the Child

It is so important for our children to know that they have rights as well.
I think it is also to highlight to our own children how blessed when they realize they have everything that they seem to take for granted!

5. Donate

Help UNICEF in their endeavors to save our children.

 6. Respect our children

Talk to them about the important stuff.
Love them.
Help them.
Be with them.
Support them.
Be kind to them.


What can we do more to help our children into the future?