Preparing for the long holidays: Are parents ready?

Schools close in three weeks — here is how to make eleven weeks at home count.

By Mercy Njoki

Schools across Kenya are closing this week, sending millions of children home for more than two months. The question every parent should be asking today is not what the children will do — it is whether there is a plan.

Eleven weeks is a long time. Without structure, it becomes a vacuum quickly filled by unchecked screen time, idle routines and fraying patience on both sides. Three practical steps can make the difference.

First, manage social media access deliberately. A significant number of school-going children now have smartphones, smart televisions and internet connections. Without clear boundaries, the holiday becomes an eleven-week scroll. Parents should set defined hours for internet use and enforce them consistently — not as punishment, but as habit-building.

Second, arrange home tuition. A few hours of structured learning each week keeps young minds engaged, consolidates concepts that did not fully land during the term, and eases the return to school in January. It need not be expensive — a trusted neighbour, an older student or an organised group session works just as well as a private tutor.

Third, plan for fun. Children need to rest, genuinely. A year of academic pressure deserves a proper release. Swimming, visiting relatives, day trips and family activities cost little but return a great deal in energy and renewed enthusiasm.

The holiday is an opportunity, not a problem. As the last bells ring across the country this week, the planning starts now.

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