Mash Central province encourages Parent Child Communication to avert youth challenges
Throughout history parents have been depicted as the key figures in their children’s developmental outcomes. Early theories have suggested that the basic training of children begins at home with parents teaching their children acceptable behavior through certain parenting practices. (Hirschi, 1969).
By Percival Kushure (ZNFPC Mash Central province)
The old adage says, “charity begins at home”, thus parenting is hinged on parent child communication, the lines of communication between parents and their children should be open and without restrictions. It is within these confinements of communication where parents and their children can discuss anything. Parent child communication (PCC) becomes vital for inculcation of good morals to children. In the contemporary era, the need for vigorous approach to parent child communication is cardinal given the heave in youth problems. Juvenile delinquencies have become the “in thing” for many young people today due to lack of guidance caused by poor or non existence of parent child communication in families. Early sexual debut or early sexual activity among young people from as early as 12 years of age has become the major issue which has given rise to more sophisticated challenges of teenage pregnancies and child marriages.
Published in the Nehanda Guardian – https://www.znfpc.org.zw/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Nehanda-6-12-FEBRUARY-2023.pdf-e.pdf
Drug and alcohol use among young people both boys and girls is the talk of the day at the moment in many locations. The so called Poshtos (points were young people congregate to use drugs and substances) have proliferated, such places are heard of in Bindura high density suburbs in Mashonaland Central Province. It is not rare to see a once decent young boy or girl in an obnoxious demeanor not due to attention seeking behavior but due to drug related psychosis mainly Guka Makafella (Mutoriro) known as Crystal-meth. It pains to see such a drastic negative transformations of human behaviours among young people in the community. It is however sad to note that many parents of today have neglected this very important role that they should do, perhaps its due to changing cultures as some might assume or cultural erosion through inculturation fueled by globalization. Research in Zimbabwe has found out that good parent-child communication around issues that affect young people such as sexuality, drug and alcohol use has many positive effects for children, including helping them to protect their own sexual health. Good parent child communication leads to lower sexual risk behaviours.
Parents need therefore to initiate communication with their children on issues relating to sexuality, drug and alcohol use, to mention a few. Many parents face challenges when it comes to communicating about issues to do with sexuality, parents find themselves without adequate information and tools for the dialogue and often have limited knowledge of adolescent sexual and reproductive health. The question many parents ask is how can we communicate with our children? Parents can apply a number of initiatives that they can implement to improve communication with their children, here are a few things to do. When possible, making use of casual chats is very important, research has also found out that most teenagers are more apt to open up while doing chores or while riding in the car, when they are side to side with their parents rather than face to face. So parents can make use of this time to initiate a discussion, perhaps by saying, how was your day at school? Or even indirectly asking something you had always wanted to figure out about your child such as relationships, viewpoints on drug and alcohol use.
Keeping the discussion brief is an important factor to consider when talking to children you do not have to argue every issue to the bitter end. Instead, make your point and then stop. Most of your message will be “heard” by your teenager later, when he’s alone and can ponder over what you’ve said. Give him a chance to do so. Parents need to listen and be flexible, during conversation Listen carefully without interrupting so that you can get the full scope of the problem. When replying, be reasonable. If you rigidly adhere to rules, your teen will be tempted to look for loopholes. This is when kids live two lives.
During a conversation a parent can easily become provoked especially when in disagreement. Rather than overreact, say something that “mirrors” your teen’s feelings. For example, instead of saying, “That’s nothing to worry about!” say, “I can see how much this bothers you.” The benefits yielded through good parent child communication extend beyond the family environment to the community and country as a whole by providing for healthier, more stable social fabric of our communities. It is incumbent upon parents and children to embrace parent child communication programs as they come through government and development partners.