Most schools finally wrapped up third term last Friday, bringing to an end a tumultuous year for secondary and primary schools.
For one, the school term had a late start, thanks to the general election cycle.
By the time the first term started in March, many parents were eager to get their children back to school. They felt that the children had been at home for too long.
It sounds strange to some, but there are parents, who see having their children at home on holiday as a burden. They look at their children as a domestic expenditure, beyond the norm.
They cite increased utility expenses, but rarely look at their own roles in defining the lifestyle they want their children to live. Steven Langa of Family Life Network recently asked a parents’ meeting whether they knew who was teaching their children how to become responsible parents in the future.
As some of the parents shifted uncomfortably in their seats, Langa asked if any of them had had a conversation about sexuality with their children.
Some parents will ignore Langa’s call as a lamentation for things that are beyond their control. Some will say they have no time – while others think the schools should fill in the gap.
Some parents have hesitated to task their children with household chores for fear that they may not be ready to execute them. Others have simply shipped them off to relatives and friends, where they can get an opportunity to relax, away from their nagging parents.
However, the mark of a good parent is one who is able to train their child into a responsible citizen. The holidays are an opportune time for parents to sit with their children and discuss not just what happens at school, but how they want to live their lives.
If you are not ready to shape how your child develops, then don’t complain if the creature that develops has none of the values you sought to inculcate. Take time off to bond with your children this holiday – and thank us later.
school@observer.ug
