This is the law
Ivy and Marvin butt heads when their son Eddie misbehaves and they don’t agree on disciplining him. So what now?
When it comes to disciplining a child, parents need to be very careful these days, says Nazli George. Her character Ivy is going to have her patience tested by not just her son Eddie (El-Kody Langeveldt) but also her husband Marvin (Duncan Peterson). “Ivy’s idea of disciplining is that you’ll get a hiding. If you don’t want to listen, then you must feel,” explains the actress. But that’s not the legal option anymore because giving your child a warm bum for misbehaving could land you behind bars. “That’s the problem for Ivy. She’s old school, while Marvin is new school. He’s in touch with the law because he works in the police force. And that’s where they don’t see eye-to-eye,” adds Nazli.
NAUGHTY BOY
Eddie has acted out a bit before, like most kids pushing their parents’ buttons. He has an attitude and it’s little things like being lazy and not picking up after himself, then telling his parents “no” before doing what he was told to do that irritate Ivy. “She’s ready to give him a bit of a klap to get back on the right track,” says Nazli. But Ivy and Marvin realise that they’ve got a bigger problem when they’re called into Eddie’s school to chat to the principal. They’re shocked, explains Nazli. “Eddie has been bullying one of his school friends. That’s very unlike him, so his parents know that there must be something going on behind the scenes,” adds the actress. And it’s huge!
Eddie was abducted by the heinous masked criminal Tandmuis (Toothmouse) in May 2021 and it turns out that he’s still suffering the after-effects. “Eddie has been having nightmares about that time and what happened to him. Because he doesn’t know how to talk to his parents about things like post-traumatic stress, he’s kept them bottled up and only told his sister Vee (Zoey Volkwyn). She tells Marvin and Ivy what’s going on and they finally understand what’s bothering their son,” adds Nazli.
GOOD COP, BAD COP
The problem for Ivy and Marvin comes in the fact that they have different ways of handling misbehaving kids. “They’ve been through this with their first-born son Romeo (Clint Aplon), so kids being too big for their boots isn’t new to them,” says Nazli. But kids “back then” and kids “now” are two different situations. “It’s against the law to smack your child for being naughty and rude. They can legitimately go to the police and open a case against you,” says Nazli, whose character was ready to give Eddie a hiding until she found out about his Tandmuis problem. But even then, Ivy is of the opinion that what you do to your child behind closed doors in terms of discipline is no one else’s business.
Marvin, on the other hand, wants to find a peaceful resolution because he doesn’t want his wife in trouble and he wants to save his son. “Neither of them will take backchat or attitude. But Marvin is calm in his approach,” says Nazli, adding that her character’s husband deals with trauma on a daily basis and is maybe more sympathetic. “Marvin has dealt with post-traumatic stress in victims before, so he knows how to handle this situation.”
ASKING FOR HELP
At their core, Ivy and Marvin are godfearing people and they know where the answers will come from, claims Nazli. “They turn to their pastor. They believe that if they open the bible, they will find the answer on the page and they very much believe that their faith will see them through this problem with Eddie.” Like most couples, they’ve been through a lot in their marriage but they’ve come out stronger than ever, says Nazli. “They’ve had highs, they’ve had lows, and in the end they’ve always stood by one another. They’re salt of the Earth people and they’ve never been beaten by anything while holding hands. They confront problems as a family, united. And this situation with Eddie is no different,” adds Nazli, who looks forward to 7de Laan viewers seeing Ivy and Marvin help their son with his issues ,and find resolution.
A MESSAGE OF HOPE
Nazli has a personal message for viewers who’re in a similar position to her character: Have hope. “There is no right or wrong when it comes to parenting. You learn as you go, but you need to take care of your child and yourself.” The theme for this storyline is significant, too, with the actress saying that “sometimes bullying, like Eddie, is a cry for help. It’s something parents should be aware of, if their child’s personality changes that it’s attention seeking and they’re asking for help. It also helps having rules, like Marvin and Ivy create. #1 Speak up. #2 Don’t be afraid to say what you’re feeling. It’s as important for parents.”