Youth Communication!

I sometimes think about one day having children. I feel apprehensive about being completely successful, in allowing for the actualisation of their ability to communicate their thoughts. I think that this the most valuable form of human being, because without the expression of self, where would be be today?

As I grow, I realise more each day, how important it is to engage with people of all ages and backgrounds. I do not consider myself old (not really) but I have shifted into the 'next' stage of life. It is daunting to be in this limbo phase where every decision I make, need be for the benefit of my greater well-being. When I think of myself as a teenager, I remember thinking about my future, up until this point of my life, but seldom further beyond.

I reminisce on moments of my life, daily, and I cannot express to you, how blessed I feel to have grown up with three older sisters, who nurtured me and stimulated me constantly. Each of them did so in their own manner and some might have say that I was made aware of 'too much', 'too quickly'. I feel the exact opposite to those people. I do not know if I would be as conscious of my personal decision-making, if it were not for the influx of knowledge that I was bombarded with as a child.

I saw a lot, I heard a lot; growing up. The most hilarious part of it all is that the people who I saw, doing the things that they were doing, have no idea that I have mental proof of their 'mis'behaviour.

Children are the visual stimulants of society. The amount of knowledge that they take in upon observation, is unimaginable to the 'adult mind'. What happens to them though? They are placed in a militant environment; whereby their abilities are streamlined and they are conditioned to the 'normal' behavioural patterns of the general society. I always watch parents with their children. Not in a creepy way, just because children are naturally attractive to the naked eye. I see how they are reprimanded, fed, spoken to and how they respond to their parents. The most interesting quality of human beings, is that we have evolved drastically over the years, for the most part. We are so liberated and we feel that we have the ability to conquer the Universe. We have marched, sang and cried our eyes out for this life that we live. A vital part of our mentality that has not quite changed though, is that of  the ideas of parenting, youth development and youth communication.

I feel that we are still too coy in our approach to youth stimulation. People feed off energy. Infants have only their energy and visibility to feed off of. Take the example of swearing in front of your children. If one were to move along swiftly after dropping the f-bomb at Sunday Lunch, instead of everyone acting as if they had just been stabbed in the kidney with a knife, do you really think that children would pick up that certain words have negative connotations as rapidly-often as they do?

Yes, there are the factors such as the 'repetition phase' and this phase and the next and the next, but at some stage, one will need to explain the essence of certain words and their contexts. Who came up with the idea of phases anyway? Do we not progress at our own development rate? We need to eradicate the amount of pressure that we place on the progression of others, in order to release them from the constraints of failure. We need to poison the minds of children not with what they cannot do, rather with what they should do. Positivity is key and you will be surprised at how differently one responds to the positive form of reprimanding. Make them understand why certain values are instilled in people. Make them understand why they are not to give up on exploration of self and selves alike. We need to connect the youth to the 'rest of the world'. PRONTO (now).

Words are words and it is only the way in which you choose your words, that you will gain a better understanding of yourself and the people around you. We need to explore the diversity of words with our children. We need to embrace the influx of knowledge and we can start by solidifying our communicative efforts as a whole.

People need not be afraid for the younger generation to make mistakes. Our societies have transformed to those led by elitist groups, to those that follow a hierarchical system where age is the usurper. Why is it that we cannot allow others to fail, once we have succeeded. I am in no way encouraging debaucherous-parenting, but I am encouraging that we discuss the different options in lifestyle choices, with the youth itself, in order for it to exercise its 'power of appointment' in choosing life's way.

We need to embrace the power of the word and stay in tune with those to follow, because they are the propellers of this society and without them, we are simply ashes-to-ashes, dust-to-dust. 

 Just a thought!

Bisous et Merci,

Queen Ipel of the *UNIVERSE*/GlassTableGirl x

P.S. 'EachOneTeachOne' - www.afrikatikkun.org.za 

To Carina, with love.