Growing up, I had a lot to do via curfews. When I was really young, I had timelines for everything. I had time when I had to come home from school, or from church, or even when I could step out of the house. Back then, the moon rarely met me outside the house and once it was dusk, I was always rounding up whatever I was doing just so that I could return home and not anger my Mom.
She was pretty strict when it came to curfews, and I guess that’s why I grew up the way I did. As I got older, I became more daring and began to flaunt some of those curfews. Coming home extra late from school and church and even going out from time to time. However, despite it all, the internal clock within me never changed. I never stayed out late into the night unless it was absolutely unavoidable. Even during the ‘rebellious days’ when I stayed out after church, I always got back home before six in the evening.
And now, as an adult, it’s still no different. I just don’t like night movements, especially the ones that involve traffic. I can get into a nightly stroll, or go out with some friends to a neighborhood joint. However, once the trip requires me to get on a bus and go a long distance, I will do everything that I can to avoid it. It would have to hold on till the next day. So yeah, I guess I’m the one placing curfews on myself.
So, why exactly do parents place curfews on their kids? Is there a specific reason? We can argue that it’s for security reasons, after all, the world is filled with bad people who won’t hesitate in the least to do bad things to kids. Tragically, a lot of these bad things happen at night when visibility is limited and help can’t be gotten as quickly as needed. So, the earlier that kids are safe in their homes, the more comfortable everyone will be.
But then, what if security wasn’t an issue? What if we all lived in the perfect world, a world where everyone was safe to do whatever they wanted to do? Kids could be on the road by midnight without being scared of getting kidnapped, young girls could walk down dark and deserted alleys without having to be terrified of the shadows. What if we lived in such a world, would the curfews still be needed?
Your answer will most likely be yes because in as much as you want to save your kid from predators out there, you’d also want to save them from the predator within themselves. If you give kids the leeway, they will take it for all they’ve got. Apart from evil things, a lot of unhealthy things also happen at night and if you allow them, they will go with it and make a mistake that they will most likely regret. That’s why when you allow your kids go to a party, you tell them when they should be home simply because you don’t want stories that touch.
Of course, no matter how strict you are with curfews, kids will always find a way around them. At least the smart ones will, I know I did. However, the fact that they know that you’re monitoring their every move is always going to be on their mind, and it will also be there, whispering in their ear when they’re about to do something silly.
So, why am I saying all this? Honestly, I was just toying with the idea of a curfew for something I’m working on and I tried to find out the real reason for it. Well, there are so many reasons for it, but the main one is the fact that no matter what, it’s all for the child’s benefit.
At least, that’s what I believe. But what do I know? I’m not even a parent yet!
