From a previous article of mine, you are aware that I am opposed to abortion.  

Another concern I have is the amount of child abuse in this country.  

In the past few weeks, the news here, and I would assume the same is true elsewhere, has contained story after story of children being abandoned, abused and killed.  

Just recently a newborn was left on the side of a road.

Only by the grace of God was  he found.  

This week an infant was left in a car for hours while the mother was working.  Fortunately someone saw the child in the car, called the police, and the child was rescued in time.  

Would you like to guess where the mother worked? How about for the largest hospital in town.  

These stories really get me stirred up, and I want to share an idea.

I believe the right to conceive children should require you to be  certified that you are competent to be a parent 

Not a Guarantee

You need a license to get married, to drive a car, to sell securities, and for many other activities and occupations.  

I would be the first to admit that having a license does not insure you are dealing with a competent individual.  

This can be proven by the number of poor drivers and the crooked securities dealers who take our life savings.

What’s more important than raising a child?   

When you are adopting, you must go through a background check, provide references and a host of other requirements.  Shouldn’t all children have the right to quality parents?

 Let’s see how it could work:

When you make application for a marriage license, you would need to provide a certificate showing  you have taken a child rearing class in order to obtain the license.  

There could be some exceptions, which I won’t go into here.   

The child rearing class would teach how to care for an infant, problems to be expected, financial responsibility, where to get help and how to develop a support team.

In the case of an unmarried parent(s), she or they would be required to have a certificate, prior to the child being released from the birthing facility.  

This might require the child to be placed with a foster parent until the parent(s) is certified.  The doctor or hospital would need to make sure everyone responsible for the child’s welfare has been certified.  

It would be great if the parent(s) had their certificate prior to the child being conceived; however, even I realize that’s unrealistic.  

Social workers would check on each child after it leaves the birth facility.  They would also check to see that all individuals caring for the child have been certified. This would include babysitters, boyfriends, family members.

Okay, so maybe the ideal is far out!   

Something must be done to stop the abuse, abandonment and killing of children, at the hands of those who should be providing them with love and security.  

You say it will cost too much?  Tell me, how you can place a dollar value on a child?  

What are we spending now on programs that are not succeeding?  

Have a comment or another idea?  

Mr. Hennessey may be contacted at pmhenn@sbcglobal.net