Positive Parenting

By Dickson Tumuramye There's a saying that if you want to hide anything from an African, put it in writing. This indicates a general weakness in reading, especially with lengthy texts. Perhaps, it's due to the absence of a reading culture, where investing time in reading seems like a waste. Traditionally, reading is often confined to academic pursuits, aimed at passing exams. We begin reading in school, focusing solely on achieving high marks. Another context for reading is to learn religious texts like the Bible or Quran, ensuring proficiency in case of a reading task. Unfortunately, we neglect fostering a reading habit in our children outside the academic framework. Yet, reading contributes significantly to language skills, deep understanding, critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, time management, and intellectual development. Initiate the habit of reading storybooks to your children from an early age. Instead of excessive screen time, allocate a few moments e

Author: Prim K. Tumuramye Forty years sounded like a century back then. This year (Feb 5, 2024), I made four decades on earth and how grateful I feel. I am filled with gratitude for the journey so far trodden, through the different seasons of my life. Looking back, I can only be grateful. Born to and singlehandedly raised by a single mother, amidst great limitation yet unimaginable contentment, many a times the future looked bleak. Poverty, nowadays politely referred to as humble background robs one of choice. That is what defined my childhood. Yet, my mother dared to dream, against all odds. When ends refused to meet, mother put the chalk down, left a would be decent primary school teaching career, hitting the trenches as an amateur petty trader. Her life took another twist – mockery, lack and the hustles of searching for daily bread. And that is the life I would grow up into.  Mother seemed never undeterred by the prevailing circumstances. She had a strange confidence that everything

By Dickson Tumuramye Absentee fathers, who can also be referred to as fathers who are not actively involved in their children's lives, often leave a father-figure gap in their children’s lives. This leaves children to live like ‘orphans’ even when their fathers are still alive. Absent fathers are those that much as they under the same roof as their children, they are not so concerned about how their children are. Some may provide all basic needs but never have time to interact with their children. Others stopped at either the time they impregnated the mothers or at birth or along the way to be active in their children’s lives. You know better how much you are active daily in your children’s lives or when you last interacted with them including their mother. The absent fathers often face criticism and judgment from mothers, children, and society. Whatever reasons that forced you to be very absent, it is important to remember certain key points concerning your child(ren). Cra

By Dickson Tumuramye The Ministry of Education released both Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) and Universal Certificate of Education (UCE) results recently. We had stories of children who did not perform well and decided to cause harm to themselves. While others were celebrated by their parents, I am sure some were being condemned for their poor performance and possibly reminded about their past performance and actions or were judged in all possible manner. Some of these children may have been best performers at school but the unexpected befell them. The experience of failure can be torturous for children, especially when it is compounded by past mistakes and judgments. As children navigate the complexities of growing up, they may find themselves entangled in wayward behavior and regrettable choices. It is a painful truth that some may ignore the advice of parents, teachers, and elders, leading to undesirable outcomes. In such situations, parents must support their children in

  By Dickson Tumuramye In this modern age, blending families are increasingly becoming a norm. We no longer hear so many marriages of widow inheritance by one of her brothers-in-law after the death of her husband. We are also seeing people leaving one marriage with their children and getting married into another marriage. Blending families also known as stepfamilies happen when you and your new partner make a life together with the children from one or both of your previous relationships. Blending families involves integrating individuals with different backgrounds and experiences. They also involve unique new family dynamics, cultural considerations and sensitivities. I have seen remarriages work among my friends who are even Christians and they are living happily than when they were single parents. Some of these families have been very successful in integrating while others have failed or struggled especially where children can’t be tolerant to each other. Blending families c

  By Dickson Tumuramye As we step into the new year, the act of setting goals becomes a crucial aspect of laying the foundation for the forthcoming journey. Renowned author Tony Robbins once said, "Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible." This statement encapsulates the essence of goal-setting, which can be defined as the process of actively striving to achieve desired outcomes. In the context of the year 2024, it is imperative to have a well-thought-out plan in place. As Benjamin Franklin aptly put it, "When you fail to plan, you are planning to fail." Without a structured plan, a goal remains a mere wish, with uncertain prospects of success. To embark on this journey of goal setting for the year 2024, it is essential to begin by visualizing the desired outcomes. This involves carefully considering the objectives one wishes to achieve, accompanied by actionable steps and a timeline to guide the process. Taking immediate, planned a