Focus on Holistic Development of Your Child this Holiday

Focus on Holistic Development of Your Child this Holiday

By Dickson Tumuramye

Our children are coming back home from school and we expect them to give us their report cards. Most children look forward to happily give reports to their parents depending on their performance. Others are already thinking of multiple lies that can shield them from the wrath of their parents especially fathers.

In some homes, poor performance is never tolerated. It's like an abomination to fail in class. It seems mandatory or automatic to pass. Such children sometimes work with too much pressure because back home, they know what is expected of them. Such parents should know that we can never be the same. If you were very wise and passed with flying colors during your school days, know that the time now is different and God did not give your child similar characteristics, strengths like you have. Understand your child’s abilities and help him/her to handle what they can manage.

Short of that, there won't be joy at home throughout the whole holiday. I think it's even the reason we delight  alot in cram work than truly understand the whole context. No wonder our education system also these days encourages that. Children are pumped with alot of notice, home works, holiday packages and these have become the order of the day.

The work that primary children do is beyond their level. Even some parents who are assumed to be  "all knowing" in the eyes of their children have been embarrassed when they fail to give answers to certain questions children seek help from them. The major focus in our schools has shifted to mostly academic excellence. The rest of co-curricular activities are just done as a by-the-way hindering holistic child development. 

This holiday should give you an opportunity to interact with your children on what they would love to do than only focusing on education. Let your children get a fresh relief from school until towards the end of the holiday when they can resume doing their holiday package.

Sit with your children and plan for what you want to achieve this holiday, based on their abilities and passion. Guide your children to think beyond academic career and teach them other creative skills. Creativity is one way that enables our children to become very innovative in future. Engage them in some simple skills trainings if they are so young. The old ones have a chance to specialize in what they like already. 

Team up with them and support their passion and dreams. If it's costly, plan together on other alternatives that can be within your means. But don't allow this whole holiday to end when your child is just seated at home watching TVs or sleeping. I have consistently watched how my kids have been influenced by watching cartoons; you need to hear the jargons they use, how they can twist their language and I don’t think I want them to be taught by TV.

Teach your children to be adventurous and researchers. Give them tasks that will challenge them to think and be creative as they find solutions to solve them. If you had a family strategic plan at the start of the year, use this holiday to evaluate your first quarter of the year and share what you have been able to achieve or not, reasons behind failing to achieve planned projects/ activities and the way forward. Let them help in house chores so that your maids can also relax from too much work home.

Promote open communication, go shopping together, visit the farms or relatives and friends with them, make use of this holiday beyond what the school offers. Mold your child into a creative and innovative person, big thinker, dreamer, send them to skills training in different things, have them widely focused on holistic self development than majorly academic path.

The writer is a child advocate and parenting coach.

tumudickson@gmail.com