Give your child more life skills

When Anne Ayesiga, a nurse saw her six-year-old daughter passionate about patching the old dresses that belonged to her doll, she sensed the need to turn this passion into something she could use in future.
“I taught her how to saw basic stitches and she was quick wih the needlework,” Ayesiga says. This skill she felt would enable her to survive in boarding school in case she had a torn cloth.
Parents ought to stop looking at only education as the only thing they can give to their childneeds to be successful. Extracurricular skills are also important. Who knows what the child could make out of it since some skills require talent.
There are several skills that people are earning a living from and are also employing other people. These include baking, weaving, tailoring, public speaking, dancing, singing, cooking, making jewellery and many others that a child can learn and be able to earn a living from.
There are holiday camps that offer life skills and some parents have decided to enrol their children on holiday camps for career guidance and life skills.

Get to know the skills your child possesses
Roseline Aguti, mother of three, says there is a certain age that the children are supposed to be in position to do something for themselves and a parent you should get worried when you see your child lacking in a specific field.
“I am a busy mother and during holiday, my children stay with the house help so with time I realised they were not good at doing anything apart from lazing around the whole day,” she says.
She always looks out for opportunities that can be of great use to her children and it does not matter how much the charge is but as long as they are benefiting, she pays for them to take part.
She says she opted for that because she realised the house help was baby-sitting them a lot despite her warning. However, she says a lot has changed since they started going for holiday seminars. They are able to do different tasks.

Mind their age
Rose Margaret Katengeke, a child counsellor and teacher at Pearl Africa School, says for a child to have life skills, it starts right from childhood because learning is a gradual process that does not need to be rushed.
She advises parents not to confuse house chores and life skills because these two are different and house work is something that is mandatory for every child to get involved in but skills are optional.
She says parents do not need to wait for a specific time before their children are given life skills because this is what they can learn one at a time and keep perfecting with time.
She further says at a tender age, children should be taught skills that require use of material that are harmless like making bracelets out of African beads and strings.
“At an adult stage, the child can do anything and I expect them to take part without being forced. I believe they know what is best for them and can handle anything that is to be done and learnt,” she says.

Gender equality
According to Mary G.A. Asiimwe, a counsellor at Uganda Counselling Association says the mentality of stereotyping some skills should be scrapped off the mind of the children because there is no limit when it comes to skills.
She says this is common with the boys who do not want to do anything that can be done by a girl or a skill that is dominated by women because of fear of being looked at as a weakling.
She says parents should interest the child in anything that they know can be of help in future and they too can benefit rather than watch them ignore and undermine some of them.

Why it is important
Ronald Mayanja Omugalanda, a motivational speaker and a life coach at Ability explored says it is very important for a child to have life skills because you never know what the future holds.
“Sometimes parents think that education is enough for their children and fail to realise that there are times when the child finishes school, searches for a job and the only option left is to create one for him or herself ,” says Omugalanda.
He says it is only easier for a child who already has skills to start up something because they are already empowered and well equipped with knowledge.
He advises the parents to start by giving the children the simple skills they know and in case there is another one you would like your child to attain, then you can find an individual who is good at it to help.
He says while giving them the skills, they also need to advised not to neglect their studies.