TheTransparentHighlights S02 E13
September Edition

On the first Saturday of the month of July, I escorted my eight year old nephew to the barbershop for a haircut. As we got there, we had no option but to wait a while for our turn as there were many heads needing the barber’s touch. It was a display of heads; big and small with hair demeed unnecessary by their owners needing disposal.

Waiting for my nephew’s turn had my eyes constantly moving everywhere as if I knew that in that place there was someone carrying a story that was going to be shared on TheTransparentHighlights. A few minutes passed and I observed that there was a bench outside which had seated a gentleman and a small boy. The lad was probably four or five years of age. The gentleman seemed to have no relationship whatsoever with the kid. It was quite visible from the distant distance that was between them, also he didn’t award any attention to the boy.

Another gentleman appeared in the picture with a beer in his hand. He sat next to the child whilst sipping his beer. It was after he had taken his first sip that the child motioned with his hand to the gentleman requesting for a sip of his beer. Out of his “generosity”, he not only gave the boy a sip but the whole bottle for him to hold.

He sipped countless times, then I decided to throw in a question “mdhara mwana ndewenyu here?” (Sir, is this child yours?)
The first gentleman notified the other gentleman who was sitting with the child that I was pondering over the child’s unlikely behaviour, he smiled and said “Anorova mpfana, anohuda zvisingaite.” (he drinks, and has grown fond of it.”)

Like a journalist at the grip of getting a cover story, I simply needed more information, so I threw in another question “is the mother okay with it?” He replied “no she doesn’t like the idea i normally give him when she is away, there’s nothing I can do , anohuda“. As I left the place, the father had left me with more questions than answers, there was a lot that I needed to understand.

We may talk about the freedom of choice but at what stage in life are we supposed make use of that freedom? Isn’t it violating a child’s rights when you allow a child to choose when they have limited information?
If parents start giving heed and approving every desire their children have, how is it different from reasoning with them at their level?

A lot might want to argue but the truth is it’s his child and he decides what he wants to make of him right? But I am just of the opinion that choices that are related to religion, marriage, and intake of alcohol should be personal choices.
That’s all I have.

Emmanuel_Harare #TheTransparentHighlights #Honesty #Motivational