Impact of Mothers’ Street Vending on Children’s Socio-emotional and Language Development in Rusape Urban

Abstract

This study explored the impact of mothers’ street vending on their children’s socio-emotional and language development in Rusape urban, Zimbabwe. Rusape urban is in the east of the country where street vending is highly prevalent. An interpretive paradigm guided the study. According to the paradigm, phenomena should be studied in natural settings in order to interpret the phenomena in the participants’ view. A qualitative phenomenological research design was employed. Five child-mother dyads were purposefully selected for the study. Observations, face-to-face interviews and open-ended questionnaire were the data collection instruments. The study found that the social context of child development – streets, where mothers engaged in vending, provided a powerful negative force on children’s socio-emotional and language development. Bad socio-emotional and language models with depraved and abusive language roamed the streets and public markets. It was also found that the children had challenges regarding school attendance as they helped their mothers sell paraphernalia in the streets. It was concluded that some parents do not understand the dangers of exposing their children to street life but blame the country’s economic situation. It was recommended that all children in the streets should be afforded the opportunity to go to school for social justice. Intervention strategies are essential to minimize adverse effects faced by children in the streets. There is need for local authorities to collaborate with different stake holders in order to assuage negative consequences of mothers’ street vending on their children’s development.