AS CHILDREN RETURN TO SCHOOLS, PARENTS, READ THESE TIPS

AS CHILDREN RETURN TO SCHOOLS, PARENTS, READ THESE TIPS

The realities of education in Nigeria are diametrically different from what obtain abroad. When I say abroad, I mean even Cotonou, our next neighbour, not necessarily Euro-American countries where security and social welfare are far better and institutions more organised. We have our peculiar situations that impinge on the eternal destinies of our children. We can raise children without losing them in any way from the beginning of each term to the end. Believe me, we can beat the odds. How can we do this in this new term? Follow me in this piece by Bola Adewara.

* If your children are old enough to understand you, sit them down and let them know that a new term has started and Nigeria of this week is not the Nigeria of last week. Things change every day, especially security situation: food security, health security, relationship security, etc.

* Tell them to be careful. Don’t receive favours unnecessarily from people. Don’t accept free ride offers. Don’t beg for food items from anyone. If anything is given, thank the person but tell the giver ‘I have to show it to my parents before eating it.’

* Have the contacts of your children’s teachers. When you drop them off at school, ensure they enter the gate before leaving. Exchange greetings with the security person at the gate to establish the fact that you dropped them.

* Let the teachers/security know who picks them after school. If you, let them know. When you are not going to pick them, let them know the alternative arrangements.

* The best arrangement is for the school bus to do the job of picking and dropping them. If the school bus drops them at home, someone must receive them from the bus. Anytime they return home, check their bodies in case of any bodily harm.

* Be very discreet with your children, give out less information about them. If your friends don’t know your secrets, your enemies won’t use them against you. Remember that most of the enemies were once your friends! Keep your mouths shut!

* It’s good to celebrate them on resumption, birthdays, etc but don’t publish the name of schools they attend. Please. Aye ti gbege fa!

* Be spiritual. Nothing happens in the physical without the permission of the spiritual. Anoint your children. Give them the communion. Hold prayer meetings in the morning and night. Remember the devil is not tired. If he can’t get you, he is targeting your children. Devil no wan carry last like Warri… but he is loser!

* If you are having private arrangements to take your children to school, like using Okada (forget that!) or tricycle (Keke Napep), ensure you know the driver to his root, a man who knows he has no hiding place. Without this, take your children to school yourself.

* For peace of mind, keep your children in a boarding school or locate a good school for them in your vicinity where you can walk to and from to pick them.

* Let your children know it is a No No to walk alone along bush paths, play in gutters, dare moving vehicles by saying  the driver is not blind, he must give way.

* Simple etiquette: greet people and move on. Give respect to elders. Give things with the two hands. Don’t stretch your hands first to shake elders. Vacate your seat when your see elders. Give support or right of place at ATM, banks, etc to the pregnant, sick, aged.

* Mothers, ensure your children (and even daddies) eat before leaving home every morning. It could be pretty difficult with most mothers but make una try. When the tummy is filled, temptation is little.

* Tell your children to be careful with the appliances when parents are away. Be careful with the kitchen utensils, electric kettle, sharp objects. Don’t take phones near the oven or gas, (if what we read on social media is true) Be careful with the Air Condition unit in Nigeria. When NEPA behaves, switch off the power.

* Engage your children in discussion after each day. Ask them how did the day go? What happened in School today? Did the teacher beat you? What did you do? Any bully in school? Any homework? Fathers, don’t leave this duty to mothers alone. Find time to sit with your children.

* Parents, discipline your children with phones and TV. What some children watch on these screens in the absence of their parents are terrible. Pedophiles are all over the place. People you don’t expect, family members, church members, neighbours, their peers, etc introducing children to porn sites.

* If parents don’t know how to engage parental guidance on DSTV or phones, read about them online. Or contact me on WhatsApp on 2348092343464. Don’t destroy your children with phones thinking you are showing care or proving points in your society.

* If your children do take food to school, call their teachers to ensure they eat them rather than buy food from food vendors you are not sure of. Some children only have mouths for decorations! They will never eat until they are forced. The way you packed their food, the same way they return to sender. Engage the teacher to assist you in this regard.

* Spare the rod…? I say ‘spare the rod….? The Bible can’t be wrong. Parents, don’t take the rods away from the teachers. But teachers, use the rod in love. Don’t beat any children where the weal (bodily marks) would be visible. Any parents would be angry. Let the lines fall in pleasant places like palms, buttocks or under their feet (Bastinado). Parents, the rod cannot kill your children. The Bible is not a liar!

* Give your children water to school always. Let them learn to be friends with water, to aid digestion.

* When child are sick, don’t fret. Don’t panic. The child is not dying. Take charge first in the spirit with relevant verses even as you take the child to see a doc.

* Show appreciation to teachers. Yea, some schools discourage parents giving gifts to teachers so as not induce them to show favours in marks to children. Good move. But you can show appreciation at the end of the term to the teachers for a job well done.

* Lastly, teach your children to be free with God. God is their Father, their Owner. You are just a caretaker! Give them a good lecture on the power of God. Let them go to Sunday schools. Let them attend Bible class in Churches. Parents, help the Sunday schools in your Churches.

* There is so much to write, but with these few lines, our children will turn out well in Jesus name. Amen.
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By Bola Adewara
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