Exploring Basotho teenage fathers’ experiences of early fatherhood at South African rural high schools

Abstract

This study explored the early fatherhood experiences of school-going teenage fathers. Informants were four South African Sesotho speaking teenage fathers, aged 17 to 20 years. They responded to semi-structured interviews on their experiences during schooling. Following thematic analysis, results revealed that Basotho teenage fathers are initially fearful of being early fathers and they initially react with denial of parenthood. The early fathers reported experiencing humiliation by schoolteachers and peer rejection, which also harmed their academic performance. Subsequently, the early fathers underwent a transition becoming resilient, choosing to involve themselves in their children’s upbringing and growth, and building positive relationships with their partners.