Opinion: The lockdown is a golden chance for parents, children to know each other

By Henry Sekabembe 

Brothers and Sisters in Christ;

This is time for deeper parenting. Let's talk to our children in depth, pray together and joke with them. Don’t over carry your parent title, be friendly and cool headed. Be candid when you are analyzing the paradox called life. Our children have been raised with a mentality that life is smooth and given on a silver platter because we have worked hard to provide for them. Instead of preparing our children, we have prepared property for them.

I have discovered that they are free and open with me when I workout with them so it’s good to go for a walk and run with them. Exercise with them, encourage them, listen to them; their generation succumbs more to talks than instructions.

When talking to them don’t magnify problems but God. Don't over dwell on their negative past. The past has never been equal to the future, so be positive. Show them that with God all things are possible.

Celebrate their victories however small they are; in the kitchen, house work or elsewhere. Send them confidential appreciation or encouragement messages on their phones or iPads for the older children. For the younger ones a simple thank you or a gentle pat on the back is good enough. Appreciate their home activities. Get them involved in works minus overburdening house helpers. When you can, join them they will be encouraged to see their father mopping the house or washing the dishes.

Educate them on the importance of running their own race in life. They must stop looking at themselves as victims but victorious. Victimology is killing this generation.

They must stop complaining, justifying, apportioning blame and simplifying. They must tackle life headlong with no excuses. Nobody is responsible for their failure or success but themselves.

Let them always have faith combined with action. Both are twin winners. Having one minus the other is useless. Sometimes faith will not deliver them to their destiny but will carry them through tough times.

Tell them to always pay attention so as to detect God's activity in their lives.

They should always plan for success in all they do not defeat. Planning for the former will bring failure in abundance.

Everyday is a gift from God full of miracles, teach them to celebrate each day and look for the miracles other than challenges. This will not only keep their spiritual accounts full but encourage them to strive for the best. Modesty is vital in success and good enough is always an enemy of the best, therefore they should never settle for average performance.

They are blessed to be a blessing to others in the future hence let them not waste any opportunity in life. That will be selfishness at its best. Good to bring them up knowing the importance of helping those in need. Values like empathy, compassion, love, sympathy and others must be household values.

A word of encouragement to single parents especially single mothers; don't dwell on lamentations, complaints and regrets. Do act both roles. You are the only foward role model in the lives of your children. Do the needful please. Don't over admire couples in marriage, most of those houses are suffering critical and heartbreaking Fatherhood /Motherhood deficit. Couples are ready to die together but not staying and planning lives together especially when it comes to up- bringing of their children.

To all of you who have given in your entire life to qualitative parenting, thank you very much. It is the best gift we can give to humanity before we leave this planet. Those who are yet to embark on this task can I remind you of that black day which awaits all of us when you will never return home alive. Therefore celebrate your return home each day by engaging your children constructively. Teach them something at any given opportunity. Together we can better this world.

May you continue to see the Goodness of the Lord in this land of the living. Be blessed.

Henry Sekabembe is the Buganda Kingdom minister for youth and sports