Rendani Mufamadi, drama teacher, Plumstead
My heart for people, my heart for kids, my heart for the underdog will not stop beating just because the world is not for people, kids or the underdog.
I was designed to serve, whether that be in my home, in a classroom, on a stage or in front of a camera. I will serve.
Serving others shows you so much about yourself, the world and grows a heart of gratitude.
Over the past few days I’ve been teaching Grade 7s but I decided to do a breathing and reflective drama lesson as opposed to piling on to their workload.
It wasn’t the moments of stillness that gripped me or the thoughts of anxiety or depression and other issues among my students that broke me; it was when I saw my students’ pain and couldn’t give them a hug that broke my heart into pieces.
It’s a new day, a new norm (and) we need to combat this virus together because it is affecting our kids more and more each day. For a moment forget about entjies, alcohol and yoga.
Think about your kids. Now think about kids who only have a quarter of what your kids have and add on feelings of anxiety and depression.
We need to let our homes, schools and other safe spaces be accessible to our kids and let them express themselves without shame or guilt but
allow them to be
honest with themselves about their pain and let it go.
Parents I urge you to talk to your kids more and please when you do, don’t talk to them like babies, talk to them like humans. Kids are walking around with feelings and emotions they should not be having.
We need to change our society and normalise good, constructive parenting relationships with our children, especially families of colour. Therapy is not a “white people thing”. It’s an every single human thing and we need to as families of colour embrace it and seek help when we need it.
Please pray for teachers, parents and children. They’re going through the most – and a lot in silence.