The Aparecida bishops look to age-appropriate initiatives. Logical:
b) Establish, where they do not already exist, the department or section of childhood, to carry out localized and comprehensive actions on behalf of children.
c) Promote processes to recognize childhood as a decisive sector for special care on the part of the Church, society, and the state.
We can’t always control the initiatives of government or culture. Sometimes good ideas emerge from the secular realm. We have more to say about Church initiatives, but there we might brush up against the cultural expectations of parents. And perhaps we overdo the ministry to children in some places. Schools take up many resources and aren’t always effective in making disciples as much as they are focused on making graduates. Additionally, parents can see Church, state, and society as agents for servicing their children. Duties and responsibilities may be easily outsourced to the detriment of the family bonds.
For deeper examination, an English translation of the 2007 document from the Aparecida Conference.
Catholic Sensibility 