Today morning, a young boy, about 5 or 6 years old at most, got slapped. Really hard. By his mother. I’ll call him Amani*. Amani was looking sharp in his school uniform, which was topped up with a slightly oversized blazer (the kind kindergarteners wear nowadays for Monday morning assembly in school.) He was accompanied […]
Many young people end up at a counsellor’s office when they exhibit the wrong behavior, drop in their academics or are caught using illegal substances. This is always after the tell-tale signs have escaped both the teen and the adults around them. Is there a way of knowing if one is susceptible to mental illness […]
Our teens are stuck. Our youth are stuck. They know that growing up is something to look forward to, but they are too anxious about what they will find when they get there. Those who have recently got there are not happy or excited about what they have found. For example, many young people do […]
It is often said that it takes a village to raise a child. However, the village analogy is slowly fading into oblivion as we no longer have villages to identify with. In Kenya, we call it ‘ushago’. We now live in estates and gated communities. Neighbourhoods that do not seem to care what happens next door […]
Schools are about to close. Some already have. We are getting into the three to four week period when all our children are home. This is a time of joy for some and dread for others. Deportation to grandma’s is very common and so is grounding. And through all this, our children will be watching […]
The Mirror will always be relevant. The size and shape may change, but its role will always be relevant. The role of an adult in a child’s life will also always be relevant. The parent – maybe not. How do you stay relevant to your child right through to when they become adults? Children always look out […]
The mirror always catches you – it’s real time. Want to confirm if you have a good smile? Look in the mirror. Want to deliver a great speech? Practice in front of a mirror. The mirror will often reflect what you will look like when in public or in front of an audience. Mirrors have […]
I have a theory: Mirrors can teach us a lot about how we parent. The mirror shows us what we cannot see for ourselves. You will see the spots and creases on your face by looking at a mirror. You may know about them because someone else has pointed them out, but for the real […]
