Preparing Children for the Future

Preparing Children for the Future

By Dickson Tumuramye

They say that two parents can raise two children but two children cannot even look after one parent these days. Why would this happen yet even in poverty, a parent can manage to raise children who may now be doing well? Where is a problem?

Parents like working hard for their children because we all want a brighter future for them. This makes us work hard to ensure that we have invested enough for them to live a better life. I am sure it is one of the reasons why we carry out bigger capital investments, stay late in offices, advance in career, make sure we have jobs by all means, toil to make ends meet among others. You desire your children to have where to start from and we position them at a point of success. Today even banks and insurance companies have brought up new initiatives to save for children’s future; let it be for education, emergencies, name them. 

We manage to get enough time taking care of these investment developments. In doing this, some parents rarely have time with the people they are planning and investing for. You feel when you have enough money, your family will live happily; after all everything they want, you provide but can’t find quality time with them. You are ever “busy”.  You are as good as an absent father/mother much as you sleep under same roof with them. 

You can afford to sponsor your staff to take extra courses to improve their skills and be able to manage your children’s “investments” properly. Pastors/sheiks/priests can have all time to tender God’s sheep, employees can sacrifice extra time to employers, business people can risk their lives for their businesses, but compare with the time you risk for your family and the so called children that are rarely involved in this investment plan, not even knowing how and where some of “their” investments are. Remember investment isn’t limited to financial, materialistic or education only.

If we want children to develop to their full potential in life, begin with preparing children for the future but not preparing the future for them. The best way is to start giving them quality time, build their character, and involve them fully in your holistic investment plans. Train them in soft skills like communication, good attitude, decision making, problem solving, greeting, appreciation, leadership, respect etc. Also let your children learn how to make money, participate in domestic chores at early age, tell them the importance of hard work, involve them in family decisions, teach them good manners/etiquettes, go with your children to church/mosque. Good personal qualities will enable them to effectively navigate their environment, work with others, perform well and achieve their goals.

 As we say that charity begins at home, so children's behavior is built from childhood. You bend a tree when it is still young. Therefore, before spending lots and lots of money buying villages, building streets, taking them to very expensive schools, paying full allegiance to employment than family, going for conferences everywhere trying to secure your children's future, begin with what is cheaper; invest in and with your children. If not well groomed with your mentorship, they will be the first people to sell all your property after your departure. Your PhD or big position in your employer’s institution may never make them responsible adults. 

We are living in a world of uncertainty, getting swapped up into investing and preparing the future for children and neglect childhood development is a big threat to their future. The more time that is spent on nurturing, educating and developing your child’s young mind and being fully in their lives, the older they will likely be successful citizens of this world. 

The writer is a child Advocate and parenting coach.

tumudickson@gmail.com