By Joyce Nalunga Birimumaaso
The cost of living has been going up since the start of the year. As a result, some of the food items are now out of reach of many households.
Some schools have been forced to close the second term prematurely as they can no longer feed the children and there are fears that they might increase school fees in the third term, to cushion themselves from the rising cost of living.
As children return home for holiday, many of us are worried about how to best feed them and fulfil our parenting responsibilities in the current difficult economic times.
However, it is important to realise that there are several smart ways to approach the issue of feeding and parenting. We need to adapt to the changing environment and plan well to cope.
Parenting has nothing to do with perfection, and trying to be a perfect parent is a disaster. There is a need for us to go back to the drawing board and come up with modest ways to feed and take care of our children now.
This includes having candid conversations with the children in our households on the critical need to adjust, manage expectations and use sparingly the limited resources which are available.
If it becomes necessary to move the family to an incomplete house in order to stop spending your little resources on rent, do not hesitate to talk about it with your family and make that decision. Some of us might have to consider moving from our high-end apartments to the ones which are more affordable now. While contentment is key for our children, we need to appreciate what is within our means. We need to cut our coat according to our cloth. If you have to reduce the food portions and budgets, please do it as it is morally right to live within our means.
It is fine to avoid the non-essential things now. For example, if you can no longer afford the expensive premium television package now, consider a less expensive one. Cut your water and power bills by avoiding wasteful use. You can also advise your children to iron clothes during off-peak hours, for instance, so you get charged less for a unit. How about using water heaters only during off-peak hours?
It is unrealistic to let children use a lot of water to bathe and leave the taps running. Keeping up appearances by holding lavish birthday parties for our children should be avoided. I advise going to low-end restaurants, if it is necessary. It is our duty as parents to teach our children to adapt to the current situation and it is fine to be frugal, even when it comes to eating, until the situation normalises.
As parents, we need to be confident in the decisions we take without fear of our children’s reaction, as long as we are making these choices for the good of our families. We should not shy away from having open conversations with our children about how times have changed. It is also healthy to allow our children to express their views, fears and suggestions about how the family can cope with the economic challenges.
If your child is argumentative, congratulate yourself because that means they feel safe and confident to share their views with you.
Taking public transport is also a great option. Start saving for the next term’s school fees as early as possible, to avoid stress. However, do not forget to give your children hope that all will be fine in the future because seasons come and go.
The writer is a senior advocate and member of the Leadership Code Tribunal
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