“It takes a village to raise a child” -‘n Afrika spreekwoord

Yolande Brittnell-Steyn • February 8, 2021

Die sin het al baie dae dankbaar in my binneste kom vassit.


Daar was dae wat my arms net te kort was om by alles by te kom. Dan was daar dae wat my ma-oë ‘n wegsteek eina mis gekyk het. Soms was my raad heeltemal op en my dagboek tot oorlopens toe vol. Hoe hard ek ook al probeer het, selfs met oë agter my kop en seekat-arms het daar soms iets deurgeglip.


Op die voetpad wat my kinders loop was daar altyd ‘n vangnet. ‘n Vangnet in die vorm van ‘n wonderlike buurvrou, tannie of ‘n juffrou. Was dit partydae nie vir diè engele op die pad nie het my pap op die grond geval. Ek is ewig dankbaar vir my pap-vangers. 


Hier is ‘n storie wat ek wil opdra aan elke opvoeder daarbuite wat wegsteek einas kan raaksien, wie se arms lyk soos vangnette en wat tyd maak om ‘n minuut lank stil te staan.


‘n Juffrou vertel:


Een van my klas se kinders stap een oggend by my klas in.


Alles in hom is onderstebo. 


Hy stap na my tafel en vertel my dat vandag nie vir hom ‘n goeie dag is nie. Ek vra vir hom of hy ‘n 1 minuut drukkie van my sal aanvaar. Hy het sy skouers opgetrek en gesê: “Seker maar…”


Die drukkie het een voorwaarde gehad. Dit moet 1 miuut lank wees. 


Hy het weer sy skouers opgetrek en weer gesê: ”Seker maar…


Die 1 minuut drukkie het begin.


20 sekondes later fluister hy saggies in my oor,“hoekom dan 1 minuut?”


“Sodat my hart met jou hart kan gesels” het ek saggies terug gefluister.


30 sekondes later het ek gevoel hoe sy arms stywer om my vashou.


45 sekondes later het hy sy kop skuins op my skouer laat sak. 


Na 1 minuut sê ek,” jy het dit gemaak, 1 minuut is verby”. 


Hy het nie beweeg nie.


Nog 10 sekondes later sê ek vir hom dis tyd.


Hy het terug getree my in die oë gekyk en vir my dankie gesê dat my hart vandag met syne gesels het.


Dit kon my kind gewees het. Dit was dalk een van joune. 


Dankie buurvrou, tannie of juffrou dat daar van julle is wat met ons kinders se harte praat. 


Dankie dat julle soms instaan waar ons ma-oë miskyk… al is dit net vir 70 sekondes

©Yolande Brittnell-Steyn

www.sitaandieketel.co.za

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