Lorn Crozier's 'The Child Who Walks Backwards'

Children are very fragile beings, their minds soak up all the information around them. Being easily impressionable, it's a very easy for their future to be developed negatively. Therefore, we take care of them throughout their adolescence in order help them develop. Once we take away that veil of security by subjecting children to sexual abuse and parental neglect. It affects the child in the long term. In “North of Normal”, Cea Sunrise Person clearly demonstrates how parental neglect and adolescent sexual abuse makes her into an emotionally inept adult.

The labeling theory explains how a community or culture defines deviant behavior, and the proper diagnosis to treating the individual. This can be seen in An Cloch'an, where psychiatric problems are “rarely made by the villager himself”(Scheper-Hughes 161). Although initial hospitalization is rarely in acted by the individual, the patient eventually internalizes his behavior as deviant and will identify himself as insane once institutionalized. However, the labeling theory can only be used within the definitions of the culture, since different cultures will define abnormal behavior differently. In the context of some Non-Western cultures, symptoms of schizophrenia are praised, and those who may hear voices or hallucinate are deemed as spiritual, and given the role of prophet or shaman within the culture. Although schizophrenic symptoms are revered in some cultures, within Ireland there is not only a stigma to the patient,but to the family as well (Scheper-Hughes 283).Scheper-Hughes explains that schizophrenia is a family condition; to the extent where there is a pathology for the “schizophrenic mothers”. Defining the mothers of schizophrenic patients as obsessive, sexually and emotionally immature, repressed, guilt ridden and ignoring the needs and demands of their children (Scheper-Hughes 257). This clinical diagnoses for mothers of schizophrenics only deepens the social stigmas, and created more resentment among the family members toward the patient.

Emotionally a child could receive ill treatment by someone telling them unpleasant things such as: saying they are inadequate, worthless and unloved; humiliation and criticism can also emotionally harm a child; treating a child differently to other children; not interacting with a child etc. The child will need to be taken away from this situation and placed into care either permanently or temporarily until the parent/s are seen fit for care of the child.

Mental illness is any ailment or condition that impacts the way a man considers, feels, carries on, and/or identifies with others and to his or her environment. In spite of the fact that the indications of emotional sickness can extend from mellow to extreme and are distinctive relying upon the kind of dysfunctional behavior, a man with an untreated maladjustment regularly can't adapt to life's everyday schedules and requests. Dysfunctional behavior alludes to an extensive variety of psychological well-being conditions that influence your state of mind, deduction, and conduct. The case of emotional instability incorporates depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, dietary issues and addictive practices. Be that as it may, an emotional well-being concern turns into a dysfunctional behavior when progressing signs and side effects cause regular stretch and influence your capacity to work, a prime example of symptoms shown by Asante's mother, Amina throughout the course of this novel.

Neglect: parents who cannot meet a child’s basic daily needs such as; hygiene, hunger, clothing and shelter. This can cause the child’s health to worsen and for their development to suffer. The child can also be left with people who cannot properly care for them. Signs and symptoms:

Howe (2010) states “The majority of parents who maltreat their children have problems metalizing their children’s psychological condition. Their own histories tend to be ones of rejection, abuse, neglect, trauma and loss. Never having been fully recognized as an independent, complex psychological being themselves, they have problems relating to their children as complex, separate psychological beings” (pg. 336).

In the poem, “Backwards,” by Warsan Shire the poem dramatizes the conflict between the long for the past and the hatred of the present. This poem highlights the rough situation that the speaker is in as well as a need for what life was like before. One can easily see that the speaker in this poem is a child in the family, because of the context of line 3, “that’s how we bring Dad back.” This is referring to the longing for their dad before they were in the situation they currently are in. Although, there is not line to line rhyme scheme the poem is written backwards at the beginning of the second stanza. This is likely showing the reader the need for the past and emphasizing the importance of the current situation. The overall theme of this poem is showing what life was once like and what it is now.

Capaldi and Pears studies show that abuse is found in low socioeconomical environments and also with relatively young parents (2001, pg 1442). Bensley says one process of intergenerational abuse is the normative beliefs regarding appropriate parenting behaviors, which she describes as believing that certain abusive behavior are normal ( Bensley, Ruggles, Simmons, Harris, Williams, Putvin, Allen, 2003, pg 1323). Which supports the idea that an abusive parent justifies abuse as a legitimate punishment ( Bensley, Ruggles, Simmons, Harris, Williams, Putvin, Allen, 2003, pg 1331). Graur identifies 3 different cause of child abuse and neglect, the first cause is called the “economic theory” which says economic depression or socioemotional difficulties cause rejection behaviors on the part of the parent (1996, p.55-56). The second cause is called the ecological theory which says any disorder affecting society will also affect the family (1996, p. 56). The third and final cause of neglect found by Graur is called the personality theory which states that traits such as low self esteem, sadness, and previous experiences affect the way a parent acts towards a child (1996, p.56). In the article titled Child abuse there are 4 main cause of child abuse identified, the first has to do with life history and personality meaning their own experiences as a

Emotional abuse may include screaming, yelling, biting, name-calling, lack of love/affection, and so on. Children may be emotionally scarred when the y are labeled as stupid, ugly, crazy, or unwanted. Emotional abuse includes acts of omission by the child’s primary caregivers that could cause behavioral, emotional, or mental disorders. In some cases of emotional abuse the child’s caregiver may use excessive and bizarre forms of punishment like torture, or locking a child in a dark closet. These things emphasize the need for the intervention of The Child Protective Services.

It is becoming more recognized and well- known around the world that the mental well-being of one’s parents largely affects the development and or the emotional and mental states of oneself. Research is becoming much more widespread and researchers could make important recommendations on how to intervene in the lives of children with parents suffering from mental illness to best prevent harm to their health and well-being as they grow. It has been found that the most common mental illnesses among people of child-bearing age are anxiety, depression, and eating disorders. Most policy however deals with the care of children whose parents must be hospitalized due to their conditions. Much of the current research though aims to show that even those which do not require extreme medical intervention can impact children physically, emotionally, socially, cognitively, etcetera.

Moreover, infants are preverbal, which makes assessment and intervention especially challenging. Nonetheless, healthcare professionals must look out for warning signs. Some red flags may be raised as early as the baby’s birth. For example, poor mother-infant bonding from birth has been identified as a high risk for possible abuse later on and “may be caused by the delivery of a preterm infant, multiple infants, or one with a disability who has a prolonged stay in the hospital” (Lyden, 2011, p. 2).

In the poem, “The Child Who Walks Backwards, the author, Lorna Crozier, showcases how the public avoids obvious actions of others resulting in abuse and neglect of children. The theme is developed through the usage of figurative language and imagery to show the flaws of modern society.

Children advance through a series of life changing events while growing up. Plenty of them are cheerful milestones that are celebrated for instance a birthday or an accomplishment, and then there are those children who are neglected and abused by another family member. When a child is abused or neglected, it not only affects them when they are children, but also affects them when they become functioning adults in society. A sociological social psychology perspective that can be applied to explain why child abuse happens which is the social structure and personality perspective. This perspective can also find a way to solve child abuse in the home. Child abuse is a social problem that has been happening for plenty of decades in our society and with the social structure and personality perspective, one is able to help explain why it happens and how the problem can be solved.

There is also emotional neglect of the child and its very irritating for them and it is very hurtful to the child’s feeling. Ward (2010) stated that “emotional neglect is any attitude, behavior, or failure to act that interferes with a child's mental health or social development”. As Gardner (2012) claimed that, by keeping the child feelings always under pressure, a parent is creating the fearing process by preventing the child need to interact with other and not showing the positive feelings to the child and blaming the child about every step done it is destroying the emotions and feelings of the child.

INTRODUCTION: “Child Abuse occurs when a parent or a care taker physically, emotionally, or sexually mistreats or neglects a child resulting in the physical, emotional, or sexual harm or imminent risk of harm or exploitation, or in extreme cases the death of a child,” child abuse is a big deal because in today’s society many children face abuse, there are many effects and reasons as to why a child may be abuse.