A Parenting Workshop was conducted at the school. By Swami’s grace we had 104 parents in attendance who expressed gratitude to the School for holding these monthly sessions.
By holding these “parenting” sessions all are inducted into EHV, EDUCARE and H.O.P.E, and are made aware of school policies, targets and goals.
The meeting started with a word of prayer at 11:07 am by Madam Ruth.
The head teacher, Mr. Njeru, started by welcoming the parents who had arrived early and thanking them by quoting a saying that,’ The early bird catches the worm.” He again thanked parents for their support during the last year’s academic calendar which resulted to an exemplary performance in the KCPE mean of 352 marks and 100% class pass. He also added that the year was smooth and had been marked by great changes and academic excellence in all classes. A high attendance of new parents was recorded and highly appreciated. The head teacher explained the core values that are taught to the gentlemen as love, right conduct, truth, peace and non-violence. Parents were told to create an environment at home whereby the gentlemen can be able to practice the values taught in school. The head teacher reiterated on the need to partner with parents in bringing up not only academic giants but also people of the ideal character who can be depended on.
Mr. Eric started by thanking all the parents for arriving in good time for the meeting. He urged the parents to bring up the children in the right way and that the responsibility should not only be a teacher’s responsibility. He took parents through the ways of proper parenting.
- Parenting – bringing up a child from childhood to adulthood.
- Guiding the gentlemen on discipline issues, proper parenting.
- Taking care of logical needs of a child food clothing education.
- Providing conducive environment for a good upbringing.
- Being a mentor as a parent i.e. knowing the child’s future ambition.
- Discipline of the gentlemen/
- Parents should try and talk with their children on disciplinary measures.
- Taking care of social- emotional skills of a child. Parents should not only focus on education but also on other skills that a child may have.
- Supporting and motivating the child in educational matters.
- Protection of your child by checking on the house help and to establish whether he is eligible to up bring your child.
Madam Ruth started explaining easy ways of being a parent:
- Setting smart limit for your child by taking charge and setting boundaries. She urged parents not to do everything for their child.
- Creating your own quality time with your child by reading books together every day, schedule daily special time, and making warm memories. Parents were urged to be good role models by always telling the truth, hug and show love to your spouse in front of your kids, apologizing when you do wrong to them.
- Know the best ways to praise your child: Giving appropriate praise, cheer the good deeds etc
Madam Ruth finished by urging all parents to practice what they had learnt about parenting.
Bro. Gathuku the academic director started by thanking the parents for high attendance of the meeting. He started by urging parents to establish the difference between parents meeting and visiting day. He also indicated that points will be rewarded to the children depending on parent’s attendance where marks will be compiled at the end of the year to determine the supportive parents.
In his speech he emphasized the following:
- Parenting is a personal responsibility to every parent and it has no end even when they are at school.
- Two types of parenting.
- Collaborative parenting – this is where all people are involved in the child’s upbringing, both the teachers and parents collaborate in bringing up of the children.
- Permissive parenting – This is whereby the teachers and parents allow the child to do whatever they feel like.
- Provision – where parents co operate to provide for the children i.e. school fees, clothing’s, supplementary books e.g. dictionaries and storybooks and other basic necessities. He urged parents and guardians to pay their contribution in time.
He welcomed the B. O. T. chairman to give his remarks on the recently launched H.O.P.E. programme.
The chair man of the board started by introducing himself and welcomed all the parents. He thanked the new parents for the large turn up. Bro. Kuldip explained the H.O.P.E. initiative and urged all parents and guardians to start by honoring their own parents by ensuring their children interact more often with their grandparents.
He gave a food for thought to all parents. ‘What have we done to for our parents who gave birth to us, fed us, and brought us up to responsible people?’
He urged parents to act as role models in the HOPE initiative He further explained that SAI BABA the founder of the school propagated the human values and HOPE was an extension of the values that He taught.
HOPE has been introduced to the school where gentlemen recite the HOPE prayer in the mornings. Parents were also encouraged to take up the routine like the gentlemen had.
We pray that Beloved Swami takes this School to greater heights in spreading His Divine message and teachings.