3-mob.com 
There is a video that has caught the attention of Zimbabwean social media today of a child swearing at his parents using some of the most industrial language.
B!tch, f?k and the works punctuate the uncomfortable video where the child has a go at his aunt and mother saying the sort of thing that no human being should be saying no matter what age.
The context of the argument is neither here nor there. It is the unusually aggressive behaviour that has caught attention and has resulted in all sorts of comments.
All sorts of theories have come up a lot having to do with deep seated issues, some saying the kid is spoilt while others say the kid might be suffering from a condition or another.
The reality is that all those scenarios are possible but the truth of the matter is a lot of kids, not just Zimbabweans throw tantrums of that nature. This kid got caught on camera that is all.
In the Zimbabwean context we have taken the route of disciplining kids less. Back in the days a kid could get disciplined not just by their own parents but neighbours too. Now a parent will throw a hissy fit if an aunt or some other relative tells a child off for bad bad behaviour.
As a society, our family societies have become more and more insular in the belief that the rest of the world does not understand challenges now faced in the unit.
Kids now grow up on an orgy of adult themes and crass language in music, reality TV and the works. Parents spare their kids no want, over-compensating on the little they got when they were young. A lot of what we expose kids to are things they do not know how to process in the right context. Sometimes parents swear without conscience around their own children.
We act as if kids are capable of making the most rational choices as if we made those choices ourselves when we were young. Yes, at 5 years old we understood the context of what Bruce/Caitlyn was up to on Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
Parents applaud and show off when their 3 year-olds are mimicking raunchy bootylicious dances as made popular by Beyonce and co.
Then when the child grows up and becomes ungovernable, we blame the kid of course.
By the way this is not to suggest that the child in the video was treated that way. However the fact that someone is filming instead of disciplining the child who is on phone and not bothered by the implications of his antics is a damning indictment.
For that kid, some may feel that the horse has bolted. Not really. Conventional ways of upbringing may need to be set aside here and outside help may have become a necessity to get this kid to regain his childhood again.
Maybe he has tourette syndrome. Who knows?
We are not here to tell you how to bring up your child, but we have an idea or two about how not to do it.
The uncomfortable video was posted on NehandaTV. Really would have been great if they had blurred the face of the child.
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