Positive Parenting

  By Dickson Tumuramye  Everyone grows with ambitions and dreams. Each one of us has something that we desired to become in the future. Some dreamed of studying and becoming engineers, doctors, teachers, lawyers, social workers among others. Most of the future dreams are inclined to formal education. Because of the colonial systems, we are trained to believe that every success can be attained through formal education. One must study harder, acquire a certificate in any profession, get a white-collar job, and start earning money. As a result, we were not taken through informal education, emphasizing developing a child’s livelihood skills and talents that enhance creativity and innovation. Everyone has unique abilities. These abilities which may be natural or through training or God-given, are what we call talents or gifts (these words will be used interchangeably in this article). There are so many things we do without necessarily learning them from class. I have seen many peop...

  By Dickson Tumuramye Since the break-out of the Covid-19 pandemic, a lot has totally changed in our lives. Some people lost their jobs, a lot of domestic and gender-based violence was reported in media, children have been out of school for long, some businesses collapsed, and incomes have reduced.  The government is still setting vigorous measures to enforce Covid-19 the Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs); like curfew time, closure of some business places which don’t implement the SOPs, among others. With the pandemic-related challenges we are experiencing, couples need to work together if they are to effectively manage this uncertainty that may affect the marriage institution. Communication Some couples could have lost jobs or businesses or get infected with the virus. This is not the time to keep away from each other and feel isolated. Keep in constant talk as a couple. Discuss together any issue as it arises. Promote open communication in your midst and allow each other...

  By Dickson Tumuramye Men of Purpose mentorship programme during an entrepreneurship conference When a girl-child is growing, she receives a lot of counseling and guidance from her mother, aunties, elderly women, and peers among others. She well equipped with at least some knowledge of what to expect out of life and how to handle it.   She is at least well prepared at almost every stage of her growth. At the time of marriage, the sengas are always present to advise and help her. The mother is usually in the background or at the forefront monitoring every step.   Fellow ladies are fast to organize a bridal shower for her towards her wedding. And ultimately, she gets fitted out with all the necessary information regarding her life. From childhood to adulthood, this girl-child is well equipped with life skills and she knows how to ably handle life in all corners. She does not only attain formal education from school, but also informal education from the people in her li...

  By Dickson Tumuramye  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been forced to adjust to norms that we don’t clearly gauge how it will end. But there is hope that 2021 has come and it will go. The bible tells us that there is time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1). This time of COVID-19 came and it will go, another season will crop in, and life will continue! The bible encourages planning. Jesus asked his disciples this key question “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?” (Luke 14:28). There is always a point in life to sit down and do a family or personal check, measure your strengths and weaknesses.  Reflection meeting or retreat  This month, if you haven’t had a family reflection and goal-setting meeting/retreat, organize one. From this meeting, listen to each other, share lessons learnt, understand each other’s areas of stren...

  By Dickson Tumuramye This year 2020 started like any other past years and no one could ever anticipate that what was happening in Wuhan, China would go viral around the whole world in a short time and even take long as it has become. By the end of March 2020, Uganda could never be spared from this COVID-19 pandemic. A lot has changed; the way of life including how church gatherings are conducted. By the month of November, the Christmas rhythms would be in high gear; melodies and adverts all over media, and everyone would be already planning for this end-of-year festive season. In this year’s new normal, the Christmas trend seems to be shifting the goal. As the country is responding to the observation of SOPs across all sectors with related restrictions to prevent the further spread of the pandemic, there may be no usual joy during Christmas celebrations. Most churches will not be allowed to host big numbers of people and children are still restricted from attending church. Th...

‘When will she ever accept that I am now grown?’ I always sadly wondered about my mother’s intervention in every detail of my life. Mother wanted to be there when I visited the doctor, escort me to the bus station if I had a journey, know the reason for going to town and literally, just have the assurance that I will be fine. I later learnt to accept my fate, knowing that probably that’s part of the package that comes with being an ‘only child.’ It wasn’t all gloom though, being an ‘only child’ came with lots of pampering. I got a full package of this. Trouble came when I became of age and moved out of home to start my own home. Hubby would definitely need extra grace to match the pampering that my life had been accustomed to. I couldn’t be solely blamed because that was life, how I knew it! In the seventh month of our marriage, I conceived our first child. The pregnancy was six months when Golola Moses of Uganda came on the scene. I had never had any interest in kickboxing, let ...

By Dickson Tumuramye After the recent presidential directive that students in candidate classes and finalists in higher institutions of learning should resume school on October 15, every school and institution is working hard to receive their students.  The decision to take children back to school is still a hard one to many parents given the fact that positive cases of Covid-19 and deaths are on the increase. On the other hand we all want our children to complete their final years and we see what next. Read more on:    https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/oped/letters/is-your-child-ready-to-go-back-to-school--2462436