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Every Child Has a Right to Be

Father and childEvery child has a right to be. Every child has a right to thrive and reach their full potential, whatever that may be. Adults in their world have a responsibility to make sure every opportunity is available to them to reach their potential. But this responsibility falls primarily with their mother and father.

It begins at the beginning, with good prenatal and post-natal care. Every child deserves good nutrition and clean air, decent housing and education. Every child deserves access to quality medical care that includes preventive measures such as immunization.

Every child deserves encouragement, and nurture and, ideally, a family with a loving mother and father to guide them. They have a right to be included, and experience love, friendship and kinship.

Every child has a right to know the feeling of warm summer sun, to experience the smell and fresh cut grass and flowers, to breathe in fresh, crisp autumn air and see trees turning colors, and the changing seasons. Every child has a right to life … a right to be, to experience, to know and to grow.

The father has a critical role to play in his child’s life. It begins with love and care in utero. The highest complement a man can give to his offspring is to love their mother.

If you are a man who is unexpectedly expecting a child, then support and help your baby’s mother to make the right choice. The right choice is never abortion.

Real men care for their children.

Rise to the call of fatherhood. If you are not willing or unable, then let an adoptive couple parent your child. A little life depends upon it. Support a decision for life and let your child live and thrive. Every child has a right to be.


Mark Davis Pickup is chronically ill and disabled with degenerative multiple sclerosis. He is an advocate for life issues and disability inclusion across North America. He and his wife, LaRee, have been married for 38 years. They live in Alberta Canada with their two adult children and five grandchildren. Mark is available to address issues of euthanasia, assisted suicide, and issues revolving around suffering that often fuel calls for euthanasia. He writes regularly at http://markpickup.org and http://humanlifematters.org. For bookings, contact him by e-mail at MPickup@shaw.ca or telephone (780) 929-9230. Mark Pickup's bi-weekly column can be read in the Western Catholic Reporter (Canada) at http://www.wcr.ab.ca/.