At the start of the year, I always have a soft spot for parents, because sometimes no matter how much planning one does, you can never really be prepared for what will happen throughout the year, especially financially. More importantly, it is difficult to tell how this will affect your children.

The current economy is not friendly to a stay-at-home parent. Both parents have to work to make ends meet. At times, they might have to carry work home to accomplish their tasks.

At the back of their minds, parents believe they are doing all they can to offer their children a better life than what was offered to them by their parents.

As much as you are busy working for a bright future for your children, work equally hard to make sure your children follow the right direction in life. In your busy schedules, always slot in your child’s upbringing. Let them know what to follow and what not to follow.

It is not wrong to say “no” to their unrealistic demands occasionally but help them understand how each decision impacts their future lives. Make it your business to know what is happening in their lives. Freedom is a good thing to allow them to have, but always remember that too much freedom is dangerous. Do not allow your hard work to be spent in rehab and police stations, if not death.

Your children should be your top-notch priority.

Children are able to watch everything, especially what they are not needed to see. As people, they are well known for imitating. That is how we grow and it affects how we turn out. Children will apply what they watch on the screens. Not screens alone, but even what they see on the streets, especially if they live in big cities. A long time ago, in Africa, the community raised children but nowadays things have changed.

You will find yourself in hot soup if you try to correct someone else’s child. People are busy showing off and neglecting the important fundamentals such as not to argue with each other in front of their children.

Some parents have also refused to embrace their age and are stuck in the teenage phase, doing crazy stuff. How is the child able to filter what to take in and what not to?

• Olavi Popyeinawa

• Twitter: @olavipopyeinawa

• Email: olavipopyeinawa@gmail.com