Saturday, January 24, 2009

Have you noticed?

Palestinian children tend to have a rare combination of adorableness and maturity.

PS Electronic Ali sent me this (I cite with his permission): "As'ad, there are studies that show that refugee children and other children in war zones forced to deal prematurely with major and traumatic responsibilities (including adult responsibilities of caring for a devastated family) display what appears to be early maturity. You hear it in their speech and outlook on life. Indeed they act like adults because they have to. The other side of that is that these same children experience severe emotional and psychological problems, fear and anxiety that can seriously affect healthy development. This must be going on in Gaza on a truly massive, unprecedented scale. This is not preordained; with appropriate support, children are remarkably resilient and able to overcome extreme difficulties. But that is if they have the support. Unlike Israeli cats and dogs, however, children in Gaza will not enjoy the minimum of the mental health and other support services they need."

For the record: As a child, I was neither adorable nor mature. But now I may be adorable but not mature.