In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, some important things go unnoticed.

Perhaps that’s why there’s never enough news about Global Parent’s Day which falls every year on the First of June. The United nations recognized this day in 2012. That makes this year the 10th edition of the day. The United Nations proclaimed June 1 to be the Global Day of Parents “to appreciate all parents in all parts of the world for their selfless commitment to children and their lifelong sacrifice towards nurturing this relationship”.

The mere fact that a man and a woman have a baby makes them Father and Mother. Nothing More. Parenthood has to be earned. It is an art and a science. It is a lifelong commitment of nurturing, sacrifice, and also involves discipline and the instilling of values.

So kids are encouraged to show extra affection to their parents on this day. The argument goes like this: Parents are the ones who put their heart and soul into raising their children to become strong, healthy and independent individuals. It is their unyielding efforts to provide love, warmth, and all the resources required to transform the lives of their children.

We’re talking about single parents,and adoptive parents as well. All over the world, more and more children are growing up in families where one or both of their parents identify as LGBTQ+.

Considering all the sacrifices and extent parents go to support the dreams of their children, a day celebrating their efforts makes perfect sense.

But are all ‘Mums’ and ‘Dads’ actually parents? Why is it that when people grow older, ‘Mothers Day’ and ‘Father’s day’ fades into the background? Could it be that as some of us grow older and more aware, we realize that these people who have given birth to us are actually toxic individuals? One day you wake up with the realization that the ‘real parent’ in your life was actually someone else: a maiden aunt, an uncle, a family friend, or a friend’s parents?

Let’s put all the mushiness aside for a bit. Let’s get real and have a look at people who really shouldn’t qualify as ‘parents’.

Yesterday I put out a query and sent it out into cyberspace, with the question ‘In your lived experience, what sort of people do not qualify as parents?’ Here are some of the answers:

A mother who would never acknowledge that her brother was sexually abusing her son, even though it happened every night under the same roof.

A woman who uses her status as widow to emotionally control her son, and interferes with his wife’s parenting.

A man who thinks his role is over when he brings the money home, and has no time for his growing sons and daughters.

Mothers and Fathers who deny the right to their children to make their own marital choices.

Fathers who forcibly arrange marriages for their children, and thrust their gay son or lesbian daughter to a life of unhappiness and abuse.

Men and women who try to live their own failed dreams by shoving them on their children.

People who by example teach their kids to lie, be dishonest and disrespect others.

That’s a short list of some people who don’t deserve to be called parents.

To all of our readers who are just embarking on parenthood, it’s always good to read up some good books on parenting.

In this day and age, being a parent is certainly no cake walk.

  Global Parents Day, naked truth, parenting, Parents, United Nations