Debate held to find solutions on issues affecting teenage boys
An initiative to help find a solution to issues affecting boy-children was held at Extension Eight, Harare Block, in Vosloorus on March 16.
Parents and their boy-children debated the matter which was facilitated by the local soccer team, Beloved Football Club.
One of the concerned parents, Charlotte Moningi said the purpose of the event was to bring boy-children and their parents under one roof to discuss common issues affecting them.
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“As parents we want our children to be successful in life, but sometimes they don’t become what we want them to be. Instead, they turn out to be nyaope addicts. This does not only affect them, but it also affects us. That is why we are here today, to find out more from them what could be driving them to drugs,” said Moningi.
She also said they wanted parents to attend such meetings so that they could have an understanding of challenges facing their children that contribute to the increase of drugs use.
Children raised a number of issues that affect them. This included factors such as peer pressure and large families that make parents pay little attention to all of their children.
Others cited favouritism as a factor contributing to bad behaviour. They said it felt bad to see parents pay more attention to siblings who perform better at school. “It makes you seek attention and love elsewhere. Sometimes you find it from the wrong people who will introduce you to drugs,” one young person said.
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The prevalence of taverns was cited as a contributing factor to waywardness, with children claiming that being raised in areas where there are taverns did not contribute to good living. They complained about bad role models who are often seen drunk. As a result, children end up trying to experiment with different types of drugs. “I wish our government could pass laws that would have taverns operate far from residential areas,” another boy said.
Some parents welcomed the points raised by their children, while others saw them as designed to shift blame from them and apportion it elsewhere.
Jomo Masengeni, another parent, believes children were shifting the blame and did not want to take responsibilities for their mistakes. “I think they spend more time watching television, which is where they adopt these tendencies. Seeing their favourite celebrities drunk make them think taking drugs is cool,” said Masengeni.
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Delivering his closing speech, team coach Thulani Ndlovu, thanked parents and children for attending and making the event a success.
“I also want to include children who are not soccer players and girls as well because they too are affected,” said Ndlovu.
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