By Nathaniel Lee
One of the serious challenges South Africa faces is that of the disintegration of the family unit, which results in unruly children with no direction and hope for the future.
The recent incident reported in the media where a 20-year-old pupil threw sewage water at a female teacher is a case in point. A child who can commit such a horrendous act on a figure of authority is a reflection and extension of a dysfunctional home. The breakdown of discipline in homes and schools is cause for concern, as it renders the future uncertain.
The scourge of “kids from hell” is a product of a lack of proper nurturing by adults who want the best for their children. It is important for children to get a proper upbringing, ideally by two parents in a loving relationship.
However, the rampant scourge of teenage pregnancy militates against the foundations of normal parent/ child relationships. A teenager who gives birth to a child is herself a child who needs nurturing. By becoming a parent at an early age, the child is thrown into a world she is not ready for and the unplanned child has to bear the brunt of the wrong choices of the teenage mother.
Should such care be absent or inconsistent, they will then start their lives in unfavourable conditions of fear instead of hope.
Parents can and should ensure that they create conducive environments where their children can experience the warmth and love of family, to ensure that they get proper foundations to reach for their dreams and become the best they can be.
For this to happen, the cycle of broken homes and poor parenting has to end. There needs to be a drive to fight and eliminate the corrosive scourge of teenage pregnancy. Girls should be taught about the disadvantages and dangers of falling pregnant while young.
The blesser/blessee phenomenon should be called out for the evil it is – that of old men preying on vulnerable girls young enough to be their children.
The subject of sex should be tackled with the necessary tact at both the home and school, to ensure children are equipped with knowledge to guide their choices.
The Star