Let children be actively engaged during holidays
It is the time of the year that every parent dreads – the long December holidays.
With schools closed, the children are at home spending long hours playing with their mates or glued to the television, play-stations or computers.
During such times every parent is on edge, unsure what company their children keep and what kind of unsuitable movies or television programmes they are watching when left alone with no teachers to watch over them.
It is against that backdrop that we welcome various initiatives being undertaken by churches throughout the county, all aimed at keeping our young ones busy during the long holidays while imparting important skills that will initiate them into adulthood.
Dubbed the Rites Of Passage Experiences, the programmes mainly organised by the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) and the Christ is The Answer Ministries (Citam) target class eight leavers between the ages of 12 and 14.
Their programmes offer training in basic life skills tailored for both boys and girls.
They also address topics such as sexuality and HIV/Aids, which many a parent would rather not discuss with their own children.
Both Citam and the PCEA Kariobangi South Church have gone one step further to arrange for the boys to be circumcised during the 10-day programme.
All the parents have to do is to pay between Sh10,000 and Sh13,000, depending on which programme their children take, to cater for the cost of keeping the boys in camp, as well as the cut itself and medical expenses.
For girls, parents have to pay between Sh4,000 and Sh7,000, depending on which programme they choose, to meet the cost of hiring the trainers.
Other churches offering similar programmes include Nairobi Baptist, Mavuno and Karen Community.
It is our hope that such a development will keep our young ones away from vices such as drugs and alcohol abuse, as well as immoral behaviour.
We expect that at the end of the day, the programmes should help to nurture the youngsters into responsible, God-fearing individuals as they pass from adolescence into adulthood.