As schools prepare to close for the long December holiday, excitement has already been building in many homes across the country.
Pre-primary, Primary, Junior School and Secondary Schools are expected to break for the holidays on October 24 and pave the way for the administration of national exams.
While Primary Schools and Junior Schools will be administering KPSEA, KILEA, KJSEA tests from October 27, form four candidates will be sitting for their KCSE exams beginning November 3.
But holidays, when lengthy, can be a potential snare for many children especially when left on their own as parents leave home to go out and eke a livelihood for the family.
Now Nyeri County Director of Children Services, Joseph Mburu is advising parents to keep watch over their children during the long holiday break and ensure they are occupied in activities that will be beneficial to them.
Mburu noted that while many families are looking forward to a reunion with their children, parents must also prepare adequately for this period including ensuring the home space is conducive and safe for the young ones.
He advised parents to ensure that someone responsible is always present at home, especially in cases where both parents are working away from home.
“Parents should take time to make their homes child friendly. Many homes have risky spaces and tools that can easily harm children when left unattended.
In such spaces, there should always be a responsible adult to keep watch over the children to avoid unfortunate mishaps and accidents,” he said. “Parents can also check on children after every five hours during the day or ask a trusted neighbor to look in after them.
Safety starts with small actions,” he explains. Beyond safety Mr. Mburu reminded the parents that the long holiday break should not turn their children into house managers. Instead, he encouraged them to allow their children to take part in simple household duties suitable for their age.
“Children should be engaged in light duties such as clearing tables after meals, making their beds, or cleaning their rooms.
These tasks help them grow responsible without feeling burdened. Parents should not make a holiday a punishment,” he advised.
He also advised on the importance of structure and discipline at home. Many children, he said, tend to oversleep, skip meals, or spend long hours on the phones or in front of television screens during school break, a habit that can affect their time management and self-control.
“Time is a resource and children should learn how to manage it. They should wake up on time, take breakfast with others, and take part in productive activities. They can play but play should also build teamwork, creativity and good behavior,” added the officer.
On religious matters, Mburu said spiritual guidance should not end simultaneously with that of a school term but should extend to the home with parents encouraging their children to participate in church and community activities that promote acceptable values.
He warned against exposing children to inappropriate online content, adding that parents should monitor the content their children watch and the physical and online games that they play. He further advised children in grade 2 and below should not use screens for more than one hour daily, while those in grade 3 and above should be limited to two hours.
He also shared the 20-20-20 rule, a simple eye care tip. “After every 20 minutes on a screen, let the child look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. It helps prevent eye strain. And this doesn’t apply to children, even adults can benefit,” he said.
He also cautioned against allowing children unguided access to unsafe areas such as open quarries, water pools, bathrooms, and bedrooms where accidents often occur. “Let parents and children be friends. When there is trust and open communication, children will feel free to share their experiences and challenges.
Children have their rights, but they also have responsibilities, teaching them that balance is part of good parenting.”
In 2022 then Nyeri County Children Officer Kung’u Mwaniki warned that children on holiday and with access to smartphones, laptops may take advantage of the free time to log into unsafe sites some of which may land them into online bullying. Mwaniki advised parents and guardians to be on vigil over their children during holidays as one way of minimizing the minors from falling into any form of abuse.
Children should be under watch for 24 hours in a week even when they are going to the toilets, playing or going on errands. I must also point out something we are calling online sexual exploitation which can happen even in your own living room,” he said. “You must monitor the content children are exposed to on social media when they take over that phone of yours, laptop or desktop because we have sex pests who are doing online bullying, identity theft and many other vices which are associated with online platforms,” he told KNA.
According to United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), skipping school is one common effect of cyberbullying that can affect the mental health of children who turn to substances like alcohol and drugs or violent behaviour to deal with their psychological and physical pain.
by Samuel Maina & Lydia Odipo
