Make a Difference: Parents ought to be responsible

shaken.
The little boy who was carrying his satchel immediately ran across Seventh Street and stood on the other side of the road grinning. His friends who were still to cross the road stood there laughing too.
I looked around trying to locate the adult who was accompanying these children.
I wanted to give the adult a tongue-lashing and realised there was no one. The children were walking to the bus stop from school and were unaccompanied.
I opened the window and sternly spoke to the group of children about the dangers of running when crossing roads at points where there were no traffic lights.
I remember that when I was a student at Queen Elizabeth High School, we could only cross the road at a traffic light controlled intersection.
We were not allowed to jay walk. Jay walking was punishable.
Now you can imagine my shock at seeing this bunch of children (must have been between Grade Two and Four) walking across town to the bus stop on their own without any adult accompanying them.
This is not the first time I have seen children run across busy roads at times endangering not only themselves but the motorists as well.  On this day, I was coming from picking up my two children from crèche and school respectively.
My younger one was safely strapped in. The Grade Four lad had unstrapped his belt and was busy maneuvering some game at the back.
He was thrown around as I swerved to avoid the little boy who had just appeared in front of my car.
Since that incident, he now understands why I always insist on seat belts in the car.
The point I am trying to make, however, is that when such things happen, everyone is in danger.
I could have lost control of the car and slammed into someone else.  Thankfully that did not happen. However it is important to raise this issue so that we never have to lose any children on the streets again because as parents we are just not being serious.
Media reports have shown that quite a significant number of children have been hit by cars while on their way to or from school. Reports also show that today there are many bad things happening to children, especially those travelling unaccompanied. That is why it boggles my mind why some parents are ‘fine’ with leaving their children to maneuver alone Harare’s busy streets, which are filling up with cars on a daily basis.
Surely how a parent manages to go through the day knowing their child is crossing busy streets such as Samora Machel Avenue and Seventh Street alone is beyond me? Children are precious and I am sure that I speak for many parents when I say that.
It is for that reason that parents everywhere will work like there is no tomorrow. Everyone is doing it so that they can fend for their children, so that their children can have a better shot at life than they had. 
I do not understand this attitude by certain parents who do not seem to understand that a child is not an adult.
A child can never be expected to reason like an adult.
Apart from the dangers posed by children being on the road alone today, there is the potential risk of being abducted as has happened to other children before?
We have to understand that prevention is better than cure. Let us try to prevent problems before they arise. That way we show that we are responsible parents.
I have heard of parents who argue that they send their children to far away schools in search of better standards.  I do not want to start a debate on this issue.
The truth is that if you are going to send your child to a school, which is not in your zone, as is the case with many of us today, then it is your duty to make sure you are there to pick your child up from that school no matter how much of an inconvenience that may be.
I speak for many mothers when I say school runs are painful, but they have to be done because that is the duty of parents to ensure children’s safety. Even if you do not drive, you can still be there to accompany your child home.
Some parents are doing this already and it is commendable. I remember when I was in Form 1 and 2 my father used to walk me straight to the school gate carrying my huge bookcase and lunch in his hand and only then would he go to his work place.
In the afternoon, my sister had to come for me. I was only able to go home on my own in Form Three and by then I had friends to walk with and we understood the rules of the road better.
It cannot be fine to send a child to school in town if you have not laid out the school run logistics.
Ultimately yes, but to expect God to do every little thing for you . . .?
I say this because in our midst is a certain type of parent who wants to place all responsibility on God as if God did not give them brains.
This is the type who will have a baby year-in-year out in these tough times and say “God will provide.”
Even without an income of any sort such parents do not see why they cannot keep having children and it is sad.
We have to take some responsibility for our offspring.
We have to trust and pray, go and do our best and can leave the rest to God.
Have you done your best?