| The Phenomenon of the street children is
| |
| | awareness that caused the act. This may
|
| a recent one. It is stated that the Latin
| |
| | load the child with self condemnation,
|
| American countries were the first to
| |
| | shame, guilt and remorse.
|
| recognize it in their cities being the
| |
| | Harsh and demanding parents set
|
| phenomenon of a magnitude and size which
| |
| | unreasonable standard, often raising them
|
| warranted the attention of all concerned.
| |
| | before the child has developed the
|
| However the problem of street children is
| |
| | ability to meet them. Parents may also
|
| global one and exists in both, the
| |
| | subject their children to unreasonable,
|
| developed as well as developing
| |
| | harsh criticism and undue and/or
|
| countries, with a difference in its size
| |
| | inconsistent punishment. Such actions
|
| and magnitude. These countries have some
| |
| | cause early frustration, defeatism, and a
|
| kinds of micro levels of rehabilitation
| |
| | destructive sense of inadequacy and
|
| measures. But much remains to be done in
| |
| | inferiority.
|
| this field.
| |
| | A child being pushed beyond his capacity
|
| Street children is a trem - shaking
| |
| | by the parents’ vicarious needs to
|
| uncontrollably as a result of anxiety,
| |
| | achieve a sense of worth and importance
|
| excitement or weakness which often
| |
| | through the child’s achievements
|
| highlights a certain set of working and
| |
| | often causes a deep feeling of inadequacy
|
| living conditions rather than personal
| |
| | and unworthiness in the child.
|
| and social characteristics of the
| |
| | Rivalry and unsuccessful emulation of an
|
| individual children them selves. So
| |
| | extremely bright or gifted brother or
|
| often, Children in these conditions are
| |
| | sister, or of an exceptionally talented
|
| victims of stereotypes such as
| |
| | and prominent parent often generates a
|
| “Juvenile delinquents “ on
| |
| | deep sense of hopelessness and
|
| the part of the public and authorities .
| |
| | inferiority.
|
| The term “street children”
| |
| | A child’s unflattering physical
|
| should refer to all children who work in
| |
| | appearance and/or “odds”
|
| the street of urban areas without
| |
| | apparel, plus perhaps physical, mental,
|
| reference to the time they spend there or
| |
| | or emotional handicaps damage his sense
|
| the reasons for being there.”
| |
| | of self worth.
|
| (National workshop on street children, 29
| |
| | A child raised on the basis of “
|
| and 30 August 1998)
| |
| | Reward and punishment”, rather than
|
| The other terminologies for street
| |
| | being motivated through understanding and
|
| children have been using is,
| |
| | allowed to make his own mistakes and to
|
| “children without families”
| |
| | accept and resolve, so suffer the
|
| “ high –risk children”
| |
| | consequences develops low self
|
| “Unattached Children”
| |
| | –esteem.
|
| “Children in need of care and
| |
| | Adverse economic, social, cultural, or
|
| protection”
| |
| | ethnic position of parents and family
|
| “Abandoned children”
| |
| | often invite depreciation and ridicule.
|
| The UNICEF has called them
| |
| | Over possessiveness, over permissiveness,
|
| “children in difficult
| |
| | and undue control exercise by one, or
|
| circumstance”.
| |
| | both parents, nurtures a feeling of un
|
| Around the part of the world the
| |
| | – importance and lack of esteem in
|
| Terminology of street children used in
| |
| | the child.
|
| differentways as follows,
| |
| | A serious sense of guilt is frequently
|
| In Naples ,” SCUGIZZO ”
| |
| | induced by one’s material wealth or
|
| derives from the work for spinning
| |
| | affluent background.
|
| – top alwaysmore.
| |
| | High values place on money, achievement
|
| In Peru, the “ PAJARO
| |
| | and thing rather than on the individual
|
| FRUTERO” (Fruit bird) earns his
| |
| | and his innate worth, can preclude or
|
| name looking out for the police in the
| |
| | destroy one’s self – esteem.
|
| market place.
| |
| | Repeated defeats and failures can destroy
|
| In Colombia “GAMIN” (Kid) is
| |
| | one’s sense of self- worth and
|
| Borrowed from the French, but has
| |
| | result in one or two extremes. The child
|
| strongly negative connotations. The same
| |
| | may become a drop-out from school or
|
| world appears in RWANDA in the form
| |
| | society or he may become a compulsive
|
| “SALIGOMAN” (Sale gamin,
| |
| | over achiever in a desperate attempt to
|
| Nasty kid).
| |
| | “ prove himself”
|
| In Zaire, street children are
| |
| | Procrastination and lack of self –
|
| “MOINEAUX” (Sparrows)
| |
| | discipline, taking the path of least
|
| In Cameroon, “POUSSINS”
| |
| | resistance, tend to demolish one’s
|
| (Chicks) to field Workers,
| |
| | self respect and sense of worth.
|
| MOUSTIQUES” (Mosquitoes) to the
| |
| | Lack of sense of meaning and purpose in
|
| police . Others have proposed the term
| |
| | life, of clear goals and objectives,
|
| “twilight children” to
| |
| | preclude sound self – esteem; Key
|
| suggest their fragile and indefinite
| |
| | to High self – esteem.
|
| status.
| |
| | The secret to inner peace lies in self
|
| Officialdom, in contrast, tends to be
| |
| | – affirmation.
|
| more circumspect and refers to street
| |
| | Need for the study
|
| children euphemistically as
| |
| | Bring to the end, many studies have
|
| “children in an irregular
| |
| | concentrated on street children
|
| situation.” So, The street children
| |
| | situational analysis, case studies and
|
| is a most vulnerable and high –
| |
| | one study on street children on the
|
| risk group in the society. According to
| |
| | independent variation of sex, age,
|
| UNICEF, they can be classified into three
| |
| | education relationship between father and
|
| categories as follows.
| |
| | mother were conducted.
|
| Street children on the street (children
| |
| | But no study was conducted in relation
|
| with continuous family contact)
| |
| | with street children’s self –
|
| Street Children of the street (Children
| |
| | esteem and so I have taken this problem
|
| with occasional family contact)
| |
| | for my project study. Because the street
|
| Abandoned and Neglected children (
| |
| | children are the important component of
|
| children without family)
| |
| | the developing country. but they are not
|
| One of the negative consequences of
| |
| | in the main stream of the society. they
|
| Urbanization in the world, particularly
| |
| | are neglected from the family, school
|
| in the developing countries , is the
| |
| | and social setup even they are having
|
| existence of a large proportion of the
| |
| | positive self – esteem about
|
| urban poor living in slums and pavements
| |
| | themselves which is not recognized by the
|
| many families do not find any shelter.
| |
| | existing social system. the street
|
| The forces of modernization including
| |
| | children’s perception towards the
|
| industrialization and urbanization,
| |
| | society is negative one.
|
| coupled with the appalling condition of
| |
| | SUMMERY AND CONCLUSION
|
| poverty have adversely affected the
| |
| | Many psychologists state that our self
|
| family life.
| |
| | –image is affected by all type
|
| Illiteracy, broken family,
| |
| | experience. We have successes , failures,
|
| III–treatment, parent left, Death
| |
| | compliments, Put down personal
|
| of parents and orphans and poverty are
| |
| | experiences, our expectation and others
|
| the key factor that forced to runaway
| |
| | expectation of us.
|
| from home and living on the street at
| |
| | In 1657, Augustine Baker, a mystical
|
| major metropolitan cities, particularly
| |
| | theologian and Benedictine monk declared
|
| in chennai. The population of street
| |
| | “self – esteem, Self-
|
| children in chennai is around 1,00,000
| |
| | judgment and self – will” to
|
| Most of the street children are drop-outs
| |
| | be the there requisites of independence,
|
| from school.
| |
| | the term had been used by scholars in
|
| Most of the time they are living on the
| |
| | Latin and Ancient Greeks, Plato,
|
| street, without having basic general
| |
| | Aristotle and others. Thesaurus synonyms
|
| needs of food, clothing and shelter,
| |
| | are “ self- reliance”,
|
| psychological needs of love, protection
| |
| | “self- consequence”,
|
| and recognition and social needs of
| |
| | “poise”, “
|
| social interaction, acceptance and
| |
| | confidence”, “
|
| maturity. They are not able to get care
| |
| | assurance”, “Pride” or
|
| and support from family as well as
| |
| | “self- sufficiency”. Antonyms
|
| society.
| |
| | are “self – doubt” and
|
| Condition of street children
| |
| | “self – effacement” to
|
| The most vulnerable are the runaway boys
| |
| | “self- hatred” and “
|
| and girls who live on the railway
| |
| | shame”.
|
| station, bus station, market place,
| |
| | Therefore , the self- esteem provides an
|
| pavements, streets and do odd jobs like
| |
| | essential Thread that ties together
|
| rag picking cup collecting, coolie,
| |
| | various aspects of functioning. Low Level
|
| begging, cleaning the rail boogies, small
| |
| | of self – esteem have been linked
|
| hotels etc. These children live on
| |
| | to confusion and disorganization with in
|
| pavements and street with sky as their
| |
| | a construct system. It would appear that
|
| shelter and no one to care for with love
| |
| | low level of interrogation derived from
|
| and affection.
| |
| | grids developed to test the construction
|
| The condition of street children is a sad
| |
| | of others do not strongly imply that low
|
| reality that this section of the
| |
| | level of interrogation will be found when
|
| population are neglected, delinquent and
| |
| | the grids are based upon the
|
| are uncared for. They are a new and
| |
| | construction of self.
|
| rapidly increasing group of vulnerable,
| |
| | No society can afford to ignore the
|
| deprived and exploited children in our
| |
| | street children .They are society’s
|
| cities.
| |
| | future. They are to be integrated with
|
| Chennai NGO forum for street and working
| |
| | the main stream of social development and
|
| children conducted a survey on street
| |
| | to be provided with the opportunities to
|
| children in 1996 with the support of
| |
| | grow in sound mental and physical health
|
| UNICEF. This survey was conducted with
| |
| | in a appropriate social environment.
|
| the following objective:
| |
| | The human resource development approach
|
| To enumerate the number of children of
| |
| | has to be applied while dealing with all
|
| children who were on the street in the
| |
| | team, and it is sure that given all
|
| city of chennai.
| |
| | opportunities of their development, in
|
| To find out the conditions of the street
| |
| | their turn they can contribute immensely
|
| children in the city of Chennai
| |
| | to the all round development of the
|
| On the basis of the survey, it was
| |
| | society.
|
| estimated that the number of street
| |
| | This study was conducted to mainly assess
|
| children in the city of chennai would be
| |
| | the level of self – esteem among
|
| around 75, 000. If one were to include
| |
| | street and school children to ascertain
|
| the children bellow 6 years and the
| |
| | the possible reasons for higher or lower
|
| teenagers on the street, the population
| |
| | self – esteem.
|
| would be as high as 1.5 lakhs. They were
| |
| | Aim
|
| covered under survey only 6 to 18 years
| |
| | Studying the level of self – esteem
|
| children.
| |
| | among street and school children.
|
| Most of them earn their livelihood doing
| |
| | Objective
|
| odd jobs like picking rags, or recycling
| |
| | To find out the level of self –
|
| garbage, shining shoes, washing cars and
| |
| | esteem between school children and street
|
| the like. Their employers often exploit
| |
| | children.
|
| them sexually. In addition, most economic
| |
| | To find out the level of self
|
| activities of the street children are
| |
| | –esteem between boys and girls
|
| controlled by territories, each of which
| |
| | among street children and school
|
| is guarded fiercely by its members, who
| |
| | children.
|
| react violent if threatened . In this
| |
| | To develop and recommend the remedial
|
| struggle for survival the competition is
| |
| | measures to overcome low elf esteem of
|
| ruthless and only the fittest survive. To
| |
| | street children.
|
| survive, They work for three hours a day
| |
| | Hypotheses
|
| on an average, either in the morning or
| |
| | There will be significant difference
|
| in the evening, and with their earning
| |
| | between school children and street
|
| they meet their daily expense. Whenever
| |
| | children in their level of self –
|
| they need advance money for their
| |
| | esteem.
|
| expenses, they get from the waste paper
| |
| | There will be significant difference
|
| shop owners for which they would sell
| |
| | between street boys and girls in their
|
| their collection of waste only to that
| |
| | level of self – esteem.
|
| particular shop.
| |
| | There will be significant difference
|
| The waste paper shop is also their place
| |
| | between street boys and school boys in
|
| of stay after their work. During their
| |
| | their level of self – esteem.
|
| Leisure hours, they go for movies,
| |
| | There will be significant difference
|
| regularly take drug, pills and injection
| |
| | between street girls and school girls in
|
| and at night have sex with local CSWs at
| |
| | their level of self - esteem.
|
| a cheaper rate. This involves the risk of
| |
| | There will be significant difference
|
| acquiring AIDS and spreading it. They
| |
| | between school boys and girls in their
|
| have homosexual habit also. The drugs
| |
| | level of self - esteem.
|
| they use includes brown sugar.
| |
| | Sampling
|
| Family background
| |
| | Using Random sampling method for the
|
| Most of the street children are living on
| |
| | study 120 school and street children were
|
| the streets away from their family due to
| |
| | selected among these 120 children , 60
|
| some of the following reasons, Abuse,
| |
| | were boys and 60 were girls. Their age
|
| violence, poverty, broken family, Peer
| |
| | ranged from 12 to 17 years. Justification
|
| group pressure, attractions on city life,
| |
| | of age selection is, below 12 years the
|
| dislike towards studies, frustration,
| |
| | children are not able to recognize and
|
| orphan and others.
| |
| | express their self – esteem
|
| These street children have no one to care
| |
| | properly , so above 12 years has been
|
| for them except their peer with whom they
| |
| | selected for the study .
|
| live on the streets. As they are away
| |
| | Tool used
|
| from home and school environment , the
| |
| | The index of self –esteem by walter
|
| informal social control could only play a
| |
| | W.Hudson was found to be the most
|
| major role in their life in shaping the
| |
| | suitable tool to measure the self –
|
| character and behaviour of these
| |
| | esteem levels. The total questionnaire is
|
| children.
| |
| | 25
|
| The above stated variations have been
| |
| | Statistical Analysis
|
| affecting street children’s Self-
| |
| | The Collected date was analysed, the
|
| esteem very deeply. Self esteem refers to
| |
| | Mean, standard deviation, ‘t’
|
| the extent to which they expect to be
| |
| | Value was established to test the
|
| accepted and valued by the adults and
| |
| | hypotheses
|
| peers who are important to them. Even
| |
| | Findings
|
| though self- esteem has been studied for
| |
| | The Level of Self – esteem of
|
| more than 100 years, specialists and
| |
| | school children is lower than the level
|
| educators continue to debate its precise
| |
| | of street children, that means street
|
| nature and development. But they
| |
| | children were having high level of self
|
| generally agree that parents and other
| |
| | – esteem.
|
| adults who are important to children play
| |
| | There is no gender different in the level
|
| a major role in laying a solid foundation
| |
| | of self –esteem of street children.
|
| for a child’s development.
| |
| | The level of self –esteem of the
|
| What is self – Esteem?
| |
| | street boys is higher than school boys.
|
| When parents and teachers of young
| |
| | The Level of self – esteem of the
|
| children talk about the need for good
| |
| | street girls is higher than school girls.
|
| self – esteem , they usually mean
| |
| | The Level of self – esteem of
|
| that children should have “ Good
| |
| | school girls is higher than school boys.
|
| feelings” about themselves. With
| |
| | Conclusion
|
| young children, self-esteem children
| |
| | An analysis of data collected being done,
|
| refers to the extent to which they expect
| |
| | the following conclusion were arrived at.
|
| to be accepted and valued by the adults
| |
| | The Level of Self – esteem
|
| and peers who are important to them.
| |
| | identified by the school children is
|
| Children with a healthy self –
| |
| | lower than the level of street children,
|
| esteem feel that the important adults in
| |
| | that means street children were having
|
| their lives accept them, care about
| |
| | high level of self – esteem. The
|
| them, and would go out of their way to
| |
| | level of self – esteem developed by
|
| ensure that they are safe and well .
| |
| | the street children boys and girls is the
|
| They feel that those adults would be
| |
| | same. The level of self –esteem
|
| upset if anything happened to them and
| |
| | accumulated by the street boys is higher
|
| would miss them if they were separated.
| |
| | than school boys. The Level of self
|
| Children with low self – esteem, on
| |
| | – esteem indicated by the street
|
| the other hand, feel that the important
| |
| | girls is higher than school girls.
|
| adults and peers in their life do not
| |
| | Limitations
|
| accept them, do not care about them very
| |
| | The sample was limited only in the age
|
| much, and would not go out of their way
| |
| | group of 12 to17 yearsstreet and school
|
| to ensure their safety and well
| |
| | children.
|
| –being.
| |
| | It was done only in Chennai city.
|
| During their early years, young
| |
| | The sample size was small.
|
| children’s self- esteem is based
| |
| | The self esteem questionnaires was given
|
| largely on their perceptions of how the
| |
| | to the street children and school
|
| important adults in their lives judge
| |
| | children separately.
|
| them. The extent to which children
| |
| | Implications of the study
|
| believe they have the characteristics
| |
| | One of the first steps in encouraging
|
| valued by the important adults and peers
| |
| | healthy self - esteem in children is to :
|
| in their lives figures greatly in the
| |
| | establish good relationships with them.
|
| development of Self – esteem. For
| |
| | Persons in good, relationship is
|
| example, in families and communities that
| |
| | ultimately what the world is all about .
|
| value athletic ability highly, Children
| |
| | Relationships which are mutually loving
|
| who excel in athletics are likely to have
| |
| | and caring , honest and supportive create
|
| a high level of Self – esteem,
| |
| | an atmosphere for healthy human growth
|
| Whereas children who are less athletic or
| |
| | and great self - esteem.
|
| who are criticized as being physically
| |
| | Emotionally, children are easily
|
| inept or clumsy are likely to suffer from
| |
| | threatened by anyone bigger, older or
|
| low self – esteem.
| |
| | more confident than they are not yet
|
| Families, communities, and ethnic and
| |
| | possessing the well - developed defended
|
| cultural groups vary in the criteria on
| |
| | adults usually have, children’s
|
| which self – esteem in based.
| |
| | sense of self is still Fragile vulnerable
|
| Children with self- esteem
| |
| | and easily knocked down. for example,
|
| Keeping self – esteem alive is
| |
| | children often don’t understand the
|
| necessary to every human being. It is the
| |
| | significant difference chronological age
|
| daily food of emotional health. Mother
| |
| | can make in their performance. younger
|
| Teresa said that “each of us has a
| |
| | children may feel stupid because their
|
| mission to fulfill, a mission to live,
| |
| | older siblings appear smarter .they do
|
| but that it must begin in our homes
| |
| | not realize older children have had more
|
| …. In the place where we are, with
| |
| | time than they for learning skills,
|
| the people with when we are closest, and
| |
| | physical growth, greater muscle control,
|
| then spread out, “
| |
| | more practice and mare experience in
|
| Nurturing self- esteem in children,
| |
| | sports, school, the arts and so on.
|
| creating opportunities for success,
| |
| | younger children need to understand they
|
| facilitating a positive self –
| |
| | may be years behind in eyepiece but not
|
| image are all important influences on a
| |
| | necessarily in intelligence.
|
| child’s healthy development.
| |
| | When they get threats from others, they
|
| Lack of self- esteem that damages a
| |
| | think of themselves as unlovable,
|
| child’s self –image could
| |
| | incompetent, unimportant and un wanted
|
| interfere with a child’s ability to
| |
| | misfits. threat brings on feelings of
|
| learn and relate.
| |
| | insecurity embarrassment ; failure and
|
| To enhance a child’s self esteem is
| |
| | fear abounds inside them . So threat is
|
| to be a positive force in a loving
| |
| | too be avoided.
|
| relationship and thereby make a
| |
| | What Adults can do to boost self - esteem
|
| worthwhile contribution to the world.
| |
| | in children?
|
| Many parents are unwittingly aiding their
| |
| | Acknowledge a child’s right to
|
| children to fail and have low self-
| |
| | emotions.
|
| esteem.
| |
| | Provides outlets for strong
|
| First we must define what every child
| |
| | feelings.allow time for strong feelings
|
| needs. Every child needs to get parental
| |
| | to cool off.connect yourself with their
|
| approval.for his or her own sense or
| |
| | strong emotions.help relieve stress with
|
| personhoodfor his or her sense of proven
| |
| | some thing physical.show that you can
|
| abilityfor his or her sense of
| |
| | accept even the undesirable.encourage
|
| individualityfor set realistic
| |
| | children to talk to other adults.help
|
| achievement goalsto provide a framework
| |
| | children by telling them stories.what
|
| of meaningful values
| |
| | parents can do ?
|
| Typical sources of low self- esteem in
| |
| | Apart from this, in order to build great
|
| children
| |
| | self - esteem in children, parents need
|
| In most cases, low self- esteem in
| |
| | to.
|
| children, stems from unfortunate
| |
| | Be an example of self - value, self -
|
| childhood experiences. The greatest gift
| |
| | love and self p celebration.
|
| we as parents can give to our children is
| |
| | Respect your child as a unique never - to
|
| sound self- esteem. When we fail to give
| |
| | -be- repeated miracle of good.
|
| it we unconsciously build low self-
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| | Lead your child to feel loved , Valued
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| esteem in our children.
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| | and respected for his / her own self.
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| A Parent’s own low self
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| | Make your child responsible for his/ her
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| –esteem is a model for the child
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| | actions and conduct.
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| A Child’s lack of recognition and
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| | Help your child to feel capable of
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| appreciation by parents and others as an
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| | accomplishing things on his/her own.
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| intrinsically valuable and important
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| | Show your child that each day is full of
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| individual, can mar his self esteem.
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| | joys and wonderful experiences.
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| Phrases like “A child should be
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| | Give sincere praise and appreciation for
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| seen and not heard, “Mother knows
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| | every good experience.
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| best”, etc. demonstrate that the
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| | Let your child find him self through your
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| child’s needs, feelings, desires
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| | guidance. Don’t make him a robot or
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| and opinions are not given due
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| | rubber stamp of yourself.
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| consideration.
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| | Invest time and energy to help your child
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| A child sometimes makes self-deprecating
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| | achieve greatness.
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| comparisons of himself with those of his
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| | Lead your child to Improve with each
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| own age whom he admires for their
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| | event, not compete with others who may be
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| strength and ability , their popularity,
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| | more beautiful smarter or wealthier .
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| self –confidence and achievements.
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| | these are False standards of greatness
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| To make matters worse, his parents,
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| | and make one all but feel like a loser
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| family and friends compare him
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| | the winner in the one who is doing his
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| unfavourite brother or sister. This
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| | best for his own sake. Be consistent in
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| overpowers the child with devastating
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| | your discipline and lead your child to
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| sense of inferiority.
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| | agree as to proper conduct. Empress
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| A child feels inadequate because he is
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| | praise for good behavior and don’t
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| not encouraged and motivated to be
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| | destroy the value of praise by
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| independent, to do what he can for
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| | withholding praise when improper conduct
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| himself – to take responsibility
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| | occurs. Teach children not to use self
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| for his ability as he grows in age and
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| | put- downs Teach them how to give tem
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| experience. The child is not taught to
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| | selves self - support self - value, and
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| think for himself.
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| | self - assurance.
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| The false concepts, values and reactions
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| | Parents can play an Important role in
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| of a child’s Parents, Teachers and
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| | strengthening children’s self -
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| peers, cause him to identify himself with
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| | esteem by treating them respect fully ,
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| his actions. For example, Mohan, whose
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| | taking their views and opinions
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| mother had a severe migraine, is a
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| | seriously, and expressing appreciation to
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| “ bad boy” because he slammed
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| | them above all, parents must keep in mind
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| the door. Whereas, in reality it was only
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| | that self - esteem is an important part
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| his natural exuberance and lack of
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| | of every child’s development.
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