Earlier this week I had to talk to my children about
preparing to return to school, after unsuccessful attempts by their mother to
try to get them out of their holiday sleeping pattern. They made a strong
argument about going to bed when the sun was still up, based on daylight
saving. I pointed to their school-day timetable pasted on the wall and reminded
them that as of next week, they would need to follow their daily schedule again
regardless of when the sun rose and set.
All parents and children are preparing for the new school
year. For some it is just a matter of buying books, bags and uniforms, and
getting the children back into the rhythm of going to school after the long
break.
For others of course, the challenges are much greater.
Finding the money to pay for school levies (not fees) and the necessities our
children is a challenge. I must admit that I found doing the back to school
shopping for our children to be an ordeal, even if my job was to carry the shopping
while my thrifty wife sought out the back-to-school bargains.
Some decisions require a little critical thinking –
ensuring that the uniforms are big enough for the kids to grow into but not too
big as to make them look like hobbits wearing human-sized clothes; or finding
the school bag that is affordable but will not fall apart after the first month
of use by an active primary school student.
Some of our children may, as the media have highlighted,
begin the new school year in sheds or tents, in the aftermath of Cyclone Evan.
Some may have to begin the year with only some of what they need for school,
until parents can afford to buy the rest of the school requirements, or even
extra pairs of uniform.
As parents, guardians, family or community members,
eventually our children return to, or begin school. We find a way to get them
into school. Having a little involvement with charity work, I have witnessed
not only the plight of parents who struggle to ensure that their children are
able to attend school, but the resourcefulness of parents who have accepted
their responsibility to ensure that their children are educated. I have also
witnessed the generosity, of families, friends and sometimes complete strangers
who support children that not only they do not know, but may also never
meet. Some provide support from a purely
altruistic or charitable perspective. Some however do so because they
themselves were the beneficiaries of someone’s generosity.
Supporting our children’s education, however, is more
than just making sure that they go to school. It is important we as parents and
family take an active interest in their schoolwork – not only
Parents-and-teachers day or when the end of term report is collected, but every
day. It means not only checking that the homework is done but how it is done
and helping our children with their homework when they are stuck. As busy as we
may be earning what we can to feed, clothe and educate our children, we still
need to make time to help them in their education. And we need to always
remember that although teachers can provide academic learning and in some
instances even religious education; our role as parents and family members is
to ensure that good values, responsibility, love and understanding are taught
and practiced at home. Teachers are given the responsibility to education our
children, not raise them.
Living in Korea and interacting with teachers, parents
and children in my community, I have seen what can happen to children whose
parents are so busy working day and night that they have little time with their
children. I have seen children who are in such a competitive learning
environment – in school and extra classes from morning to night – that they are
falling asleep in classes because of the long hours.
It is one thing to be busy working to make ends meet. It
is another to be out at gatherings, talanoa/tanoa sessions and extracurricular
activities and leave the children on their own.
Sometimes the challenges our children face are
non-academic. Children continue to face bullying, peer-pressure, difficult
social-relationships, teasing and sexual harassment in school. Even with Child
Protection Policies in place in school, if parents and guardians do not pay
attention to these challenges, along with changes during puberty that our
children face, how can we expect them to speak out about it? A child who
pretends to be sick in order to stay home may not just be trying to “step
school” but may be avoiding a bully, be teased, suffering harassment or worse.
My plea to parents, guardians and family members is that
we all take interest in our children’s wellbeing and do our best that they
receive a holistic, grounded education that not only leads them to become
successful in their eventual career path or vocation, but leads them to be
responsible, caring and understanding human beings who can contribute to Fiji
being a just and peaceful nation.
“Simplicity, Serenity, Spontaneity”
ENDS.
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