04 Mar 2019

Absent fathers in a boy child’s upbringing is a contributing factor to the deteriorating moral decadence of young men of today.

Speaking at a workshop organised by Re A Nyalana and Men Sector to raise awareness on issues of gender, child abuse, inheritance, marriage and culture with specific address to the issue of Sentiments of Fatherhood, Mr Boyson Mokone said the boy child of today had been abandoned.

“The boys, most of whom are the perpetrators of gender based violence against women, have been left behind whereas the girl child that has faced the wrath of these sickening acts continues to be taught and empowered. Fathers have to stop abandoning their children and teach these boys how to be men who respect and cherish women,” he said.

He indicated that for a boy child growing up without a father affected him more than people realise and it was high time Batswana men stepped up to raise boys into men who are respectable and know how to treat and protect women.

Mr Mokone is a motivational speaker, founder of Mr Botswana and has various programmes and platforms aimed at empowering school children, the boy child and those battling with issues of addiction.

He noted that during his various working visits to schools, it was evident that parents did not know their children.

“There is no attachment from parents to know what their children get up to in schools, what they have in their backpacks, how they are doing at school and this is very worrying,” he said, adding that Batswana could not be a nation that put their children to the sword and growing up through hardships even though the children had parents with able minds.

He said parents, especially fathers needed to be role models for their sons.

“We cannot have boys that raise themselves. Boys need to see their fathers being exemplary and guiding them through life,” said Mr Mokone.

He noted that children growing up would always experiment on stuff and it was up to parents to explain why such things were bad for them.

Mr Mokone said it was not enough for parents to tell a child not to smoke but should explain further.

“The truth shall set us free and children do not listen generally, so they need to see your actions because that is how they learn. You need to explain to them and be truthful. Be the person that you want your child to grow up into,” he said.

Ms Maitumelo Tsekane, a final year student in the Department of Psychology at the University of Botswana (UB) and also an intern at the UB Psychology Clinic spoke on psychological effects such as depression, anxiety, personality disorders, relational issues, engaging in risky behaviours and substance abuse, which might be as a result of family disputes, violence and abuse.

She said parents needed to keep an eye on children for symptoms that might be of an underlying factor.

“Things like loss of appetite, lack of sleep or excessive sleep, isolating themselves and being too quiet, violent outbursts maybe because of bad things happening to them,” she said.

Ms Tsekane indicated that the UB Psychology Clinic offered various programmes such as individual therapy, group therapy, children therapy for six to 12- year-olds, family therapy and couples’ therapy.

“We are located at Block 225, office 114 and our telephone lines are 3554157 or 3132733,” she said. ENDS