Children as Vulnerable Beings: Media Analysis Paper

Children as Vulnerable Beings
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Children as Vulnerable Beings
Introduction
The visual above depicts a young child between 1-2 years in shabby and a littered environment eating a snack wrapping. From the picture, it is evident that the child collected the piece of paper from the hip of litter. This image is a perfect illustration of the dangers children are exposed to at a very young age. The child is half-dressed in the photo and does not have shoes, which predisposes him to physical harm. Notably, the child seems like he has an injury in the leg. The image illustrates the extent and magnitude to which poor living conditions such as environmental pollution, hunger, and poverty expose children to danger.
Furthermore, it is plausible to state that children are prone to so much danger because of their young age and high dependence on adults to take care of them. In the absence of adults, children can unconsciously expose themselves to immense danger both physically and emotionally. However, while all children are vulnerable by nature, they are not equally so: child vulnerability is a relative and not absolute state. Children are curious beings and are bound to explore their immediate environment. Despite the nature or condition of the household, children will interact and adapt to the environment as they become part of their reality. Moreover, the picture reiterates the rallying call by social workers to protect children. Common mistakes such as leaving a child unattended in a hostile and poverty-stricken can expose the child to the risk of abuse that can affect the individual's future well-being.
Ideas of Children and how they are useful and Problematic
According to the hierarchy of needs and power in society, children are the most vulnerable people compared to adolescents. Children have no control over their actions and are mostly uncautious behavior curated by their immediate environment. At their young age, they have no control over what happens in their lives and have a higher probability of being affected by hunger, environment pollution, and poverty. The digital representation of the child feeding on leftover snacks puts the child at an increased risk of contracting diseases. This environment is not conducive for a child and can impair his/ her temperament and socially acquired values later on in life. Exposing a child to such an unhealthy environment will lead to health complications at a very young age, which will cause other underlying problems as the child grows. The photo speaks volumes and advocates for parents' need to cultivate a warm parental relationship with their children from a very young age to monitor their activities and ensure the children have access to an organized home environment (Livingstone & Palmer, 2012).
Furthermore, it is essential to cultivate healthy bonds with extended family members to take care of the children when the parents are busy. It is also pertinent for individuals to stop environment pollution from providing a conducive environment for children to ...