Positive Parenting

By Dickson Tumuramye Barely two weeks left before schools reopen, many parents are beginning to shift gears. Conversations are turning to fees, uniforms, books, transport, and change of schools, among others. Teachers are finalising schemes of work. Children are slowly realising that the freedom of the holiday is drawing to a close. Yet amid this visible preparation, there is a quieter, often neglected aspect of readiness that deserves our attention. Preparation is often misunderstood. Many parents equate it with buying scholastic materials, securing school fees, or revising notes. Those things matter, but true preparation goes deeper. True preparation for school is not only about what children carry in their suitcases. It is about what they carry in their minds, hearts, and habits. As parents and educators, this final stretch of the holiday gives us a valuable opportunity to prepare children beyond the classroom, even as education remains firmly at the back of our minds. School ...

By Dickson Tumuramye Every beginning of a year comes with noise. Planners sell out, club or association memberships surge, and timelines overflow with bold declarations of what people intend to achieve. Everyone seems to be in a hurry to announce what they will accomplish by the end of 2026. New businesses will be launched, new qualifications pursued, new income targets set, savings and investment culture started, and new adjustments made. Ambition is not the problem. Growth is necessary. Progress matters. Yet beneath the noise lies a quieter, more demanding question that few pause to ask: Who am I becoming as I pursue all these things? The Culture of Doing Without Becoming We live in a society that celebrates output more than character, speed more than depth, and visibility more than substance. We applaud people who do more, achieve more, and acquire more, even when they are exhausted, emotionally disconnected, spiritually depleted, or quietly breaking inside. Many are busy bu...

By Dickson Tumuramye Last week, our country exercised one of the most important civic duties in a democracy, the right to vote. The process concluded peacefully, the results were declared, and the nation has moved forward. For parents, teachers, and stakeholders, however, this moment goes far beyond ballots and results. It is a living classroom. Elections may end in a day, but the lessons children draw from adult behavior last a lifetime. Learning is not limited to classrooms alone. It is formed through observation, conversation, and daily experience. In moments such as these, children and young people learn not from what is written in textbooks, what they watch on television, or what they observe on social media, but from how we respond to national events, especially when emotions are high and opinions differ. Much of civic education happens outside formal classrooms. It takes place at home, in hostels, in staff rooms, and on social media feeds. After elections, our children lis...

By Dickson Tumuramye Many of our children today live in a world where a smartphone, tablet, or laptop is always within reach. They are exploring social media, chatting with strangers in online games, scrolling through TikTok, joining WhatsApp groups, and clicking on pop-ups without thinking twice. While this digital exposure can be good for learning and creativity, it has also created a silent door through which online predators access our children. Many young people fall into traps without even realizing they are being targeted, and by the time parents notice, their emotional, psychological, or even physical safety has already been compromised. How Predators Disguise Themselves Online Predators rarely appear as dangerous individuals. They enter children’s online spaces pretending to be friendly, helpful, or “cool.” In Uganda, many of these interactions happen on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, online gaming chat rooms, and even basic WhatsApp groups. A predator may use a you...

By Dickson Tumuramye Many parents invest so much in raising children that we often struggle to know when to step back. We sacrifice, guide, protect, and provide. Yet one of the greatest gifts we can give our children, especially when they transition into adulthood, is the gift of independence. Today, many families are grappling with adult sons and daughters who are working, earning, and even married, but still fully dependent on their parents for survival. If we do not challenge them to think outside the box, we risk raising adults who remain emotionally, financially, and mentally dependent long into their thirties and forties. It is difficult, but necessary, to let our adult children struggle a bit, think critically, solve problems, and learn to stand on their own. Stop Spoon-Feeding Your Adult Children Spoon-feeding does not stop at childhood. Many adults remain dependent because their parents never allow them to feel the weight of responsibility. A young man may be earning a...