Educationist, development practitioner and parenting expert Lucia Mutsvedu has encouraged physical interaction between parents and children as an ideal way to instill the right values in young people especially in this digital age where almost everything is happening online.
Speaking at an Apostolic Faith Mission of Zimbabwe (AFoZ) Goodhope House of Prayer assembly Youth Revival programme themed around staying clean and real on Friday night, the Safety N’ Us founder and director said today’s generation is grappling with many challenges chief among them drug and substance abuse, mental health, suicide and other unbecoming behavioral attributes hence the importance of physical engagements between parents and children to instill the right values as opposed to over reliance on online interaction brought about by the internet.
“The internet has become a major challenge to parenting and socialisation as children are more exposed to the internet of things and end up believing that everything that they see and hear on the internet is correct and real,” she said.
“Parents on the other end have become relaxed assuming that they can compensate for limited physical engagement with online liaison with their children.
“In the face of this sad reality, it’s important that parents engage better and interact with their children physically so that they understand their challenges and concerns better.
“There are so many positives in physical interaction than online engagements and the sooner we realize that the better our chances of raising a responsible generation that can withstand the pressures of today.”
Mutsvedu said benefits of physical interactions in parenting vary from emotional support, bond development, effective communication, behaviour modelling, monitoring and guidance, heathy activity encouragement as well as holistic development.
“While the internet has made online interaction between parents and their children easier, fact remains that physical interaction is the way to go if you want holistic development for your children,” she said.
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“Being physically present provides a sense of security and emotional warmth at the same time allowing you to pick non-verbal cues that helps you read body language and facial expressions with a view to allow more nuanced emotional support.
“The idea that you get to spend time with your children also strengthens bonds through sharing quality time and other important memories through hands-on experiences.
“This ideal gives the parent a hand-on approach that gives better results and molds your child to become a better adult.”
While some parents have expressed shock at some behavioral traits of their children owing to over-reliance on the internet, Mutsvedu said physical interaction and presence helps you mold your child’s behaviour at the same time monitoring them and giving the right guidance.
“Holistic child development calls for positive role modelling whereby you demonstrate healthy behaviours and coping strategies that children can emulate,” she said.
“Equally important is direct supervision whereby you get to understand what your child is going through and provide a supportive environment.
“That way you are able to encourage be they health activities or social interactions.”
Mubaiwa’s sentiments were echoed by the revival programme hosts pastors C and M Mubaiwa, who spoke about the importance of understanding times.
“The Bible in the book of Ephesians speaks about redeeming the time because the days are evil and we are happy to host this tailored revival programme for youth with a view to encourage our young people to live wisely and diligently because the times are characterised by wickedness and spiritual darkness,” they said.
“Equally important is the need for parents to play their part by being good and responsible guardians and stewards of this generation. We must all recognize the preciousness of time and using it effectively to God’s purposes rather than wasting it on foolish pursuits or selfish pleasures.”
Mutsvedu’s Safety N’ Us is a proactive organisation which seeks to address the root cause of forms of violence against children in the context of the 21st century connected society is scaling up efforts towards safe parenting in view of the dangers associated with raising children in the digital society.
Research in the face of parenting challenges denotes that physical interactions play a vital role in fostering emotional connections, effective communication, and healthy behaviours.
While online resources can provide support, the benefits of in-person engagement are irreplaceable, particularly when addressing serious issues like mental health, substance abuse, and behavioural challenges.
Prioritising physical presence in parenting can lead to healthier, more resilient children.
