What You Need to do with Your Children this Holiday

By Dickson Tumuramye

Some of our children have already started their long holidays and soon others will be joining them for close to two months.

It is good for children to also take a break for academic pressure. It helps them to relax their brains and reflect well on their future. Though this may depend on the guidance they have been getting from the parents or your sharings together with the child.

However, some think that life fewer moves automatically at this level, from after P.7, I join S.1, then S.6 and finally university, they think less about what the future holds. They wait to see how things unfold. Such children may take no interest in other better life choices in the free time of their vacation. This should be a point of concern to the parent to discover how the child intends to enjoy his/her holiday.

For example, ask each child about the plans they have for this holiday. Let it not be just a holiday without any plan in place. Find out about the dream they have. Ask them to write down a plan of how they want to achieve it. Ask them to tell you where they derive motivation about their dreams. Ask them to write down some ways you can support their dreams besides paying school fees. Ask them their contribution towards their dreams.

If s/he was to meet a person to speak to him/her, who should they prefer and why? Then when all are done, spare time to talk to each of them individually as parents and later organize a family presentation where each presents what s/he wrote to you. Teach them presentation and communication skills as early as now. You can challenge the old ones to do a powerpoint presentation. You can organize and bring someone special to your family to be part of the presentation. By the time you finish all this process, your child will have tapped into many skills. They will, first of all, learn that they need to plan. Plans or dreams don't remain the head but are put on paper. You will have made their holiday enjoyable and they will be so focused. 

You are also tapping into their potential and priorities. They will realize your deliberate effort to support them. They will not keep taking things for granted. They will be challenged to always walk in the right way because they benefit from you and they have mentors/role models that their parents have opened doors for them to access them.

Don't let these young brains relax completely. Finish this very holiday creatively as you teach children to be multidisciplinary in approaching life. They should not keep their eggs in one basket, just only thinking that life is all about bookings. Teach them business skills, take some to your office to volunteer or for an apprenticeship. The government is on skilling the youth in Uganda. Begin with your own.

The writer is a child advocate and parenting coach, Kampala

tumudickson@gmail.com