Parents across the country have been advised to keep their children engaged during holidays so as to avoid bad company and the temptation to engage in immoral behaviour.

USA-based Kenyan educationist and motivational speaker Dr Vincent Kituku said one way of keeping children engaged during holidays is to assign them homework for a specific period of the day and also get them to help in home chores.

His call came as schools across the country close this week for the second term holidays.

Bad company

Dr Kituku said allowing children to visit relatives away from home during the holiday was risky as that is the time they may encounter bad company and end up learning bad behavior which interferes with their academics.

He said parents should know about their Children’s whereabouts and what they are up to.

“A lot of school children waste time during holidays. Parents should engage their children with homework, get them to help with house chores and also monitor who is with them at any given time,” Dr Kituku told People Daily yesterday during an interview.

Visiting relatives

Dr Kituku, who also runs the Caring Hearts High School in Nguluni in Matungulu Sub-County, said the school discourages children from visiting relatives in Nairobi during holidays because they often come back having acquired bad vices.

“Two to three hours of study per day would help. Another thing is to get to know who is with them at any time if they are with relatives and not make friends with people who are not students,” he said.