Katlego Sekhu
KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane has urged parents to get more involved in their children’s lives after the province recorded 26 515 teenage pregnancies of young girls aged 10 to 19 between April and December last year.
Dr Khosi Jiyane, a clinical psychologist, joined 959 Breakfast to give pointers to parents on how they can start and maintain conversations on such issues with their children.
Dr Jiyane notes that children have access to pornography and sex without it being framed around a sense of responsibility.
She says, “Without anybody mitigating or intervening to put the necessary frame and education around that, children, by virtue of being children, will do things without understanding the gravity of the consequences of their behavior.”
Dr Jiyane adds that the conversation around sexuality and parenting is part of a bigger part of parenting. “Parents of today have not understood the difference between a friend and a parent.
“Schools have a life orientation subject that is supposed to deal with these things. Having worked in schools in KZN over a five-year period, we know that children are being failed by both teachers and parents,” she told 959 Breakfast.
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