It's hard to come up with the correct words to describe this book, so I'll let the words of the book describe why it had such an emotional impact on my life.
"Certain aspects of their lives I would never understand because in my existence warm houses and freedom from violence and hunger and cockroaches was my due. I had never had reason to expect otherwise. Now as an adult, I've learned that others live differently and that this different way of life, to them, was also normal. I could accept the fact, but I could not understand it. I do not believe anyone for whom it is not a living reality can; anyone claiming that extra measure of understanding either lies to himself or is a deluded braggart."" (One Child p. 29).
I can't understand why a mother would abandon her daughter on the road or why a father would beat and abuse her. Truthfully, I bet they don't understand it either. But, it is clear to me that many of the causes of child abuse center on the needs and problems of the parents. I think the society needs to do something about this. In order to prevent other "Shielas,"" or to at least minimize them, we must try to help and support the parents. These types of "parents- obviously have multiple emotional, medical, financial and social needs and find it difficult to meet the needs of their children. So what can be done?.
Our culture needs a parent-education program. The most important endeavor we embark on is parenthood " but no one is really "taught- how to be a parent. We should train, instruct and support our parents during infancy and toddlerhood stages after delivery; we should have age appropriate classes thereafter for early childhood, middle childhood and adolescence. These programs should center around prenatal development, physical development and intellectual and social development. Parents need to gain the self-confidence in their own parenting abilities " by using this approach they are given an overview of human development which will positively affect their ability to provide for their children.