When we talk about children, we are thinking of young people who are usually older than a baby but younger than a teen. The noun child comes from the Old English word cild, which meant “child, infant.” It has retained that meaning into modern times and is sometimes used to refer to people who are still considered children by their parents.
The word is also derived from the fetus, which is sometimes called a child but which may be treated as a distinct entity in some cultures.
In the biological sciences, a child is a person who is between birth and puberty. This is the period in which growth and development occurs and when the physical body changes physically and emotionally.
It is the time when a person’s social, emotional, and cognitive abilities develop to their fullest potential. This is an exciting time, but it can also be difficult, as children have not yet learned to handle the world on their own.
One of the most important things to remember is that every child deserves a safe, healthy place to live. It is the responsibility of the government to provide this, and to support people and places that look after children so that they can do a good job.
This can include providing the basics such as clean water, food and shelter, and helping to ensure that kids have good education and health care. It can also include ensuring that kids are free from abuse and violence, and that their rights are protected in law.
As they grow up, children become more mature and can make their own decisions about what is best for them. The government should help them to do this and guide them so that they understand their rights when it is time for them to take them into adulthood.
Often, children can get into trouble for doing something that they shouldn’t do, but it is important to give them the chance to learn from their mistakes. Teaching them to be responsible for their actions will allow them to grow up to be happy and successful adults.
The international law and the international child convention agree that children have a right to protection from harm, including physical, sexual, emotional or economic abuse. This includes the right to be safe from a number of different types of abuse, from bullying and harassment to physical or sexual assault.
A child should be provided with the information they need to keep them safe, such as how to stay healthy and safe from the sun. This information should be available in different languages, and the governments of the country should make sure that all children can access it.
In many countries, children have the right to have access to health care, including dental and eye care, and to receive nutritious meals. They have the right to be free from discrimination, and to receive the education they need.
The most rapidly ratified international human rights treaty, the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), changed the way we think about children, making them human beings who have specific rights that should be respected. However, more needs to be done to ensure that all children around the world have a fair chance in life.