Keep them busy this holiday
Apr 28, 2009
BARELY a week into the holiday, Miriam Kitimbo, a mother of three is already burnt out. She finds herself yelling at her children. “Do not step on the carpet with dirty shoes, “Do not do this!†“Do not do that! The list goes on.
By Stella Naigino
BARELY a week into the holiday, Miriam Kitimbo, a mother of three is already burnt out. She finds herself yelling at her children. “Do not step on the carpet with dirty shoes, “Do not do this!†“Do not do that! The list goes on.
Do you feel like your children should always be at school so you can have some sanity in the home? Do not let this holiday drive you crazy. There are lots of simple activities they can do to keep busy.
Make a list of chores
Children need instruction. With the credit crunch, do not be afraid to allot your child chores, because it will help you cut costs.
“Even if you have a househelp, it will not do any harm for the child to help in washing the dishes or mopping the house,†says Esther Twenda, a retired tutor of home economics and management. “If they are older children, they can take part in slashing, or tending the flowers which saves you financially.â€
She advises that it is important to inform them of the consequences of not following through with their responsibilities. Tell them their actions are fundamental in the happiness and success of the family. This is not a lie because your sanity, too, is extremely important for their own happiness. “When you are stressed, you tend to get mad at everyone; and your children will hide from you,†Twenda observes
Tradition and culture
Travelling to the village may not be practical at this time of the year. But there is no harm in visiting a relative in the nearby suburbs and towns.
When was the last time you had your friend’s children come to visit your children and vice-versa?
Stephen Langa , the executive director of Family Life Network, says such traditions create memories for the child. “Children should visit relatives and friends so that they get to know about their cousins and all those they are related to, which helps them get to know about how other people behave,†Langa says.
Clubs and competitions
Some schools and youth clubs normally organise activities like swimming singing, drama, debate and football competitions.
Langa says it is important to encourage your child to attend, as such competitions are a relaxation, beyond the normal school routine.
He encourages parents to also participate in such activities so that they know the kind of people their children associate with or what the child’s interest and talent is.
Kedrace Turyagyenda, the deputy director of Education Standards Agency agrees: “Children need time to relax and play, let them be themselves because they have a long time of work and study while at school.â€
Create a Contest
For instance, use the Children’s Vision or the Teens pullout in the Saturday Vision to make them participate in filling puzzles or painting competitions. When they compete among themselves, you will be surprised how it will keep them busy and motivate them to do better next time.
Also encourage them to read at leisure or to write short stories which they will then present to the family later on, after supper. There are lots of in-house games like scrabble, or snakes and ladders which you can encourage them to play.
Non-formal hobbies
Alice, a 40-year-old banker, has always had interest in knitting and weaving.
While some parents are reluctant to give their children such non-formal education, you will be surprised how this could come in handy for the child in future.
Also learning to sew their own dresses or shirts, or even make handicrafts (especially if the school does not give them an opportunity to) can be a great way to help the children explore and grow.
When is it time for TV?
So, maybe, you have managed to keep them busy and they are getting bored.
You probably do not want to appear mean, while at the same time, you do not want them to watch too much TV.
How do you go about it?
Twenda says if you are going to let your children watch TV, have them do their chores or other activities first. In other words, say: “After you finish cleaning your room and helping Dad in the yard, then you can watch TV.â€
Twenda also advises: “When your kids do watch TV, watch it with them. You can teach your children many lessons, including knowing the difference between what television tells us and sells us and what life is really like.â€
BARELY a week into the holiday, Miriam Kitimbo, a mother of three is already burnt out. She finds herself yelling at her children. “Do not step on the carpet with dirty shoes, “Do not do this!†“Do not do that! The list goes on.
Do you feel like your children should always be at school so you can have some sanity in the home? Do not let this holiday drive you crazy. There are lots of simple activities they can do to keep busy.
Make a list of chores
Children need instruction. With the credit crunch, do not be afraid to allot your child chores, because it will help you cut costs.
“Even if you have a househelp, it will not do any harm for the child to help in washing the dishes or mopping the house,†says Esther Twenda, a retired tutor of home economics and management. “If they are older children, they can take part in slashing, or tending the flowers which saves you financially.â€
She advises that it is important to inform them of the consequences of not following through with their responsibilities. Tell them their actions are fundamental in the happiness and success of the family. This is not a lie because your sanity, too, is extremely important for their own happiness. “When you are stressed, you tend to get mad at everyone; and your children will hide from you,†Twenda observes
Tradition and culture
Travelling to the village may not be practical at this time of the year. But there is no harm in visiting a relative in the nearby suburbs and towns.
When was the last time you had your friend’s children come to visit your children and vice-versa?
Stephen Langa , the executive director of Family Life Network, says such traditions create memories for the child. “Children should visit relatives and friends so that they get to know about their cousins and all those they are related to, which helps them get to know about how other people behave,†Langa says.
Clubs and competitions
Some schools and youth clubs normally organise activities like swimming singing, drama, debate and football competitions.
Langa says it is important to encourage your child to attend, as such competitions are a relaxation, beyond the normal school routine.
He encourages parents to also participate in such activities so that they know the kind of people their children associate with or what the child’s interest and talent is.
Kedrace Turyagyenda, the deputy director of Education Standards Agency agrees: “Children need time to relax and play, let them be themselves because they have a long time of work and study while at school.â€
Create a Contest
For instance, use the Children’s Vision or the Teens pullout in the Saturday Vision to make them participate in filling puzzles or painting competitions. When they compete among themselves, you will be surprised how it will keep them busy and motivate them to do better next time.
Also encourage them to read at leisure or to write short stories which they will then present to the family later on, after supper. There are lots of in-house games like scrabble, or snakes and ladders which you can encourage them to play.
Non-formal hobbies
Alice, a 40-year-old banker, has always had interest in knitting and weaving.
While some parents are reluctant to give their children such non-formal education, you will be surprised how this could come in handy for the child in future.
Also learning to sew their own dresses or shirts, or even make handicrafts (especially if the school does not give them an opportunity to) can be a great way to help the children explore and grow.
When is it time for TV?
So, maybe, you have managed to keep them busy and they are getting bored.
You probably do not want to appear mean, while at the same time, you do not want them to watch too much TV.
How do you go about it?
Twenda says if you are going to let your children watch TV, have them do their chores or other activities first. In other words, say: “After you finish cleaning your room and helping Dad in the yard, then you can watch TV.â€
Twenda also advises: “When your kids do watch TV, watch it with them. You can teach your children many lessons, including knowing the difference between what television tells us and sells us and what life is really like.â€