Parents and guardians in the South Rift region have been urged to prioritise the well-being of their children by closely monitoring their movements and social interactions during the holiday.
Church leaders, led by Alice Kirui, made the appeal during a weekend forum aimed at promoting responsible parenting and child protection during school holidays.
“It is the responsibility of every parent to ensure that their children are safe and protected during this festive season,” said Kirui. “Children are more vulnerable during long holidays due to increased free time and exposure to risky environments.”
Kirui warned that without proper guidance, many children could easily fall into dangerous behaviours such as drug and substance abuse, fornication, petty crimes, and other forms of social deviance. She encouraged parents to take an active role in their children’s lives during the holidays.
“Keep a close watch on who your children are spending time with. Ensure they are not being led astray by negative peer influences,” she added.
She also encouraged parents to keep their children constructively engaged through participation in church programmes such as camps, seminars, and youth conferences, as well as involving them in household chores and hobbies.
“Our children have bright and wonderful futures ahead of them, and it is our duty as parents and guardians to guide them wisely and ensure that their potential is not ruined by bad decisions or negative peer influence,” Kirui noted.
Her sentiments were echoed by Joyce Langat, who sounded a strong warning against some relatives who take advantage of school holidays to sexually exploit children or expose them to pornographic materials.
“Not all relatives are good, especially in this era. Some of them lack morality and cannot be trusted with children,” Langat cautioned.
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She further advised parents to create a safe and nurturing home environment that promotes discipline, responsibility, and strong moral values, warning that poor choices made in childhood or adolescence can have lasting consequences.
“Let us teach our children to make good choices early in life. Mistakes made at this stage may have long-term, sometimes irreversible effects,” she said.
The leaders called on churches, schools, and community groups to partner with families in keeping children safe, educated, and morally upright during the long school holiday season.
By Kimutai Langat
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