IS IT CHILD ABUSE OR CHILD TRAINING?

By Francis Chipalo So last evening on Thursday I took a walk to a nearby supermarket to get some bread. It was slightly around 18-19 hours. When I came out of the shop, I encountered a situation which had me thinking the whole night. Outside I found two children, a boy and a girl aged […]

By Francis Chipalo

So last evening on Thursday I took a walk to a nearby supermarket to get some bread. It was slightly around 18-19 hours. When I came out of the shop, I encountered a situation which had me thinking the whole night.

Outside I found two children, a boy and a girl aged between 8 and 9 years. When the two kids saw me walking out, they ran to me, with the ka boy dragging me behind a certain car where he had some merchandise hidden for sale. It was fresh maize. The boy said and here is my conversation with him; We were using Nyanja…

Boy: Uncle, gulanikoni milisi ya fresh (Buy some fresh maize).

Me: Sinimadya milisi chifukwa siniikonda (I rarely eat maize coz I don’t like it)

Boy: Okay gulilani bana banu kunyumba (Buy for your kids at home).

Me: Sibaliko. Banaenda ku holiday ( The kids went for a holiday).

At this point I was almost getting irritated with the persistent kid who insisted I buy even a cob from him. His sister also joined in asking me to buy.

Boy: Uncle gulanikoni che nangu imozi muzaenda mufake mu fridge (Buy even one you will go put it in the fridge and your children will find it).

Me: Awe ingaonongeke (No, it might go bad)

Then at this point, in trying to divert the conversation, I had to ask him where he had hidden his merchandise behind the car. The answer was that the security at the mall don’t allow vending.

Boy again: Uncle osachinja topic gulanikoni che nangu imozi tikadyeko something ku nyumba (Please just get one so that we go eat something at home).

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The statement touched me. I asked how much it was and the boy said it was K10 each. I checked in my wallet and produced a K20 so that I could just buy one from him even when I didn’t want it. Unfortunately he didn’t have change. That’s how I started to walk away nati napulumuka….But just after walking about 10 meters, the boy came back running with a cob, grabbed me by my hand and pleaded I bought it from him because if I didn’t, they were not going to eat at home. I just kept silent, produced that K20 and asked him bring another one. He quickly ran behind the packed car and brought it to me and said “thank you very much uncle”.

I left with a lot of questions which had me thinking the whole night.

Those were children who needed to be home at that time but here they were, selling so that they could go and eat.

Much as I was concerned, the kids, especially the boy impressed me with his negotiating skills. He made me buy what I didn’t want. To me, he exhibited good marketing skills. However, I was concerned by everything because that young, the children were supposed to be at home, not so? I didn’t ask a lot of questions as to whom they were staying with. However, doesn’t that amount to child abuse or maybe it is child training?

Can our mayadi children do such? Can your child survive on their own if you died today? Not that because you will leave property for them, but can they make it on their own?

What should differentiate child training from child abuse/neglect?

Share your thoughts and let’s discuss.