Lapho Izingane Zingabujabuleli Ubuntwana Bazo

“Ubuntwana buyilungelo lezingane elibaluleke kunawo wonke.”—“The Hurried Child.”

CISHE uzovuma ukuthi zonke izingane kufanele zikwazi ukujabulela ubuntwana obungenazinkathazo. Noma kunjalo, kuyadabukisa ukuthi amantombazane nabafana abaningi ababujabuleli ubuntwana obunjalo. Cabanga ngamaphupho ezingane eziyizinkulungwane, mhlawumbe eziyizigidi, ashabalalayo lapho izingane ziba izisulu zempi. Cabanga nangazo zonke izingane ezikuphila kwazo koniwa ubugqila noma ukuxhashazwa.

Abaningi bethu bakuthola kunzima ukucabanga indlela ingane ezizwa ngayo lapho iphoqeleka ukuba ihlale emgwaqweni ngoba izizwa ilondekile khona kunasekhaya. Lapho nje ziludinga kakhulu uthando nokuvikelwa, lezi zingane kudingeka zifunde ukuphila emgwaqweni ukuze zizivikele kubaxhaphazi abafuna ukuzihlukumeza. Ngokuvamile, ubuntwana buyoniwa ezikhathini zethu ezinezinkathazo.

“Ngifisa Sengathi Ngingabuyela Ebuntwaneni”

UCarmen, oneminyaka engu-22, wadonsa kanzima eminyakeni yakhe yobuntwana.a Yena nodadewabo baphoqeleka ukuba bayohlala emgwaqweni ukuze babalekele uyise owayebaxhaphaza nonina owayengenandaba nabo. Naphezu kwezingozi zokuphila ngale ndlela, la mantombazane amabili akwazi ukugwema ezinye zezihibe ezikhungethe intsha eningi eyeqa emakhaya.

Noma kunjalo, uCarmen uyabukhalela ubuntwana bakhe, ngoba akazikhumbuli ebujabulela. Uthi: “Ngasuka ekubeni usana ngazithola sengineminyaka engu-22, angikhumbuli lutho olwenzeka phakathi naleyo nkathi. Manje ngishadile futhi ngineyami ingane, kodwa ngihalela ukwenza izinto ezenziwa amantombazanyana, njengokudlala ngonodoli. Ngifisa ukuthandwa nokugonwa abazali. Ngifisa sengathi ngingabuyela ebuntwaneni.”

Kunezingane eziningi ezihlupheka njengoCarmen nodadewabo. Zihlala emigwaqweni, empeleni ziphucwe ubuntwana bazo. Eziningi zihileleka ebugebengwini ukuze ziphile. Imibiko yezindaba nezibalo kubonisa ukuthi izingane zihileleka ebugebengwini zisezincane ngendlela ethusayo. Okudlondlobalisa leyo nkinga ukuthi kunenye futhi inkinga: Amantombazane amaningi aba abazali esemancane—empeleni, eseyizingane ngokwawo.

Inkinga Yezenhlalo Ecashile

Akumangalisi ukuthi izingane eziningi ngokwandayo zigcina zisiswe emakhaya abathile. Ingosi yomhleli eyanyatheliswa ephephandabeni i-Weekend Australian yabika: “Sivelelwé inkinga yezingane ezidinga ukusiswa. Izingane eziningi zemikhaya ebhidlikile zingondingasithebeni.” Leli phephandaba laphawula nokuthi: “Ezinye izingane zihlala izinyanga, ngisho neminyaka, zingaxhumani nezisebenzi zezenhlalakahle, kuyilapho ezinye zisiswa kubantu abahlukahlukene, zingalitholi ikhaya elizinzile.”

Enye indaba eyabikwa ihilela intombazane eneminyaka engu-13 eyasiswa emakhaya angu-97 phakathi neminyaka emithathu—kwamanye amakhaya ihlala nje ubusuku obubodwa. Manje ikhumbula imizwa ejulile yokwaliwa nokuntula ukulondeka eyayiyibelesela. Izingane eziningi ezisisiwe njengayo azibujabuleli nhlobo ubuntwana bazo.

Shono nje ochwepheshe namuhla bekhuluma ngosizi olwandayo lwezingane ezingabujabuleli ubuntwana bazo. Uma ungumzali, ungase ubheke la maqiniso adabukisayo uphethe ngokuthi unenhlanhla ngoba uyakwazi ukunikeza izingane zakho ikhaya nezidingo zokuphila. Kodwa kunenye futhi ingozi. Ezweni lanamuhla akukhona nje ukuthi izingane eziningi azibujabuleli ubuntwana bazo. Ngezinye izikhathi ziyajahwa ukuba zikhule. Kanjani, futhi lokhu kunamiphi imiphumela?

[Umbhalo waphansi]