People are giving birth every day, and the population is increasing. But the economy is not growing with the population. Things are getting harder. Food is expensive, school fees are high, and even house rent is a big problem for many families.
Sometimes I look at some families and feel sad. They have five or six children, but they can’t take care of them. The children are not going to school, they wear torn clothes, and they are always hungry. You’ll see the mother shouting all the time because she’s tired, and the father too is always angry because there’s no money. Then I ask myself, why did they give birth to so many children when they don’t have money?
There’s one woman In my previous area, She was my neighbor, she had four children and her husband was never responsible. The man would just wake up and go about his day, not caring how the children would eat or go to school. It was the woman that did everything. She would hawk snacks, wash people’s clothes, and do all sorts of small jobs just to feed those children. Most times, the children would come to my apartment looking for food, It was heartbreaking to see them like that. Small children, hungry and tired. Honestly, if she had controlled her childbearing and stopped at one or two children, she would not have to struggle that much. She could have given them a better life. But now, she’s overworked, and the children are suffering too.
Now, some people are saying the government should help by giving support to families that have only two or three children. For example, they can give free education or food to those families. Honestly, I think that will help. It will make people think twice before having children they can’t feed.
But at the same time, I know it’s not that simple. In Nigeria, people don’t like being told what to do in their homes. Many will say, “Children are gifts from God,” and nobody should tell them how many to have. Religion and culture play a big role too. In some places, having many children is seen as a sign of success. So, even if the government tries to control it, some people will still continue the way they like.
I remember a woman on my street. She has six children, and every time she complains about money. One day, someone told her about family planning, and she got very angry. She said, “It’s God that gives children, and He will take care of them.” But from what I see, it’s not God that’s cooking food and paying rent for her, it’s her and her husband that are suffering.
So, in my own opinion, the government should not force people to stop at a certain number of children. But they can help by educating people. Let them go into towns and villages and talk to people about family planning. Let them make it easy and cheap for people to get it. Some people just don’t know. They think planning your family is a bad thing.
Also, the government should help by improving the economy. If people have good jobs, stable income, and better living conditions, they will not feel the need to have many children as a way of securing their future. Some people give birth to many children because they’re afraid of tomorrow. They think maybe one out of the many will make it in life and help them later.
Another thing is this, we need to change the way we think. Having many children you can’t take care of is not a blessing. It’s not about the number. It’s about the quality of life you can give them. Two children who go to good schools, eat well, and live in peace are better than six children suffering up and down.
I think the government should support families that have fewer children. But they should do it in a kind and understanding way not by force. And we, the people, need to also open our eyes. Let’s stop doing things the old way just because our parents did it like that. The world has changed, and we need to change too.
This is my response to today's episode of hivelearners community prompt of #hl-w164e01 which the topic is tagged Population
