‘Guardian’ keeps eye on teens at play
MARC Hardwick spends his weekends hanging out in malls. loitering in the arcade, watching chick flicks and gate-crashing birthdays in fancy restaurants. On an occasional Saturday night he might even sit through a rave party.
It is all in a day’s work for the former policeman.
His clients are Durban parents who are worried about their children being old enough to go out on their own.
Hardwick and his team of “guardians” discreetly follow the children, mostly teenagers.
“When the child is sitting with friends in a restaurant having a burger, I’ll be the guy sitting in the restaurant across, reading a newspaper,” he said.
“Many kids aged 13 already think they are 18 and 25. They don’t want parents around . . . we offer the role of the guardian. We ensure that the environment is safe . . . we keep a watchful eye from a distance, and the parents have peace of mind.”
He intervenes when the children venture into “undesirable areas” or attempt to buy alcohol or drugs.
Hardwick said he also had to regularly confront people who arrange to meet his clients’ children after striking up a friendship online.
“We’ve had situations when there’s a birthday party at a mall. The teenager will invite her cyber-friend, and when the person arrives, they’re about 27 years of age.”
In such situations, he discreetly takes a photograph of the guest, sends it to the child’s parents, and if they do not know the person, he removes the person. “I do it in such a manner so as not to disrupt the party,” he said.
In most cases, Hardwick prefers that the children under surveillance are aware of him.
During 13 years in the police service, Hardwick worked as a specialist detective in the child protection unit.
He charges R1 500 for four hours’ work.
One client, who asked not to be named, said he signed up for Hardwick’s services almost every time his 13-year-old daughter was invited to a party at a mall. “If there are more than 10 people attending the party, then I usually ask him to take reinforcements because one person can’t watch 10 kids,”
My daughter always says, ‘But, dad, I’m 13,’ and I respond, ‘You’re 13, not 18’
said the father.
“My daughter always says, ‘But, dad, I’m 13,’ and I respond, ‘You’re 13, not 18.’ ”
Hardwick said children sometimes became annoyed at his presence and grew confrontational, saying he could not tell them what to do. “My job is not to fight with the kids. My job is to report it to the parents and take instruction,” he said.