Self-ownership and the NAP apply clearly to adults but require careful extension to children. Kerry Baldwin's fetal self-ownership framework (see Chapter 14) resolves this by establishing clear rights and duties from conception.
This approach creates a natural (not state-imposed) parental obligation to provide life support. Newborns lack all capacity for self-care (walking, feeding, bathing), so this duty is broader at birth. As children gradually develop these abilities, parental obligations naturally diminish, phasing out as the child develops his or her own ability to act on their self-ownership.
Civil governance is responsible for enforcing all negative rights for offspring derived from the non-aggression principle, plus the natural obligation of providing nutrition and shelter. The state is not positioned to determine the best diet, healthcare decisions, or education for children. Parents, both naturally and practically, are best suited to make these decisions. In a free market, the best knowledge on these things rise to the top.
Identity is distinct from basic care. Neither parents nor civil governance are positioned to determine a child's identity. However, an individual's identity isn't simply a blank slate for self-invention either. Each person possesses genetic predispositions to specific characteristics, natural abilities, temperaments, and potential health conditions, while also interacting with their environment (to include their parents) in unique ways.
Adolescence is when youth explore their identity and place in the world. Identity is shaped primarily by natural factors (genetics, temperament, abilities); cultural influences are secondary and changeable.
Kerry Baldwin's fetal self-ownership framework resolves child-rights dilemmas: it establishes natural parental duties that gradually diminish as children gain capacity. Parents cannot guarantee perfect outcomes but remain best positioned to guide well-being decisions, adjusting authority as their children mature.
This question is from Faith Seeking Freedom: Updated & Expanded, available in paperback, PDF, and Kindle.