It was 5:30 am and while Simi, 33 year-old working mother of two vibrant sons, six and four-year olds, routinely packed lunch boxes she got reminded by one of the boys that Easter holidays was only three days away.

Simi recalled that about three weeks ago, she had asked Emeka, her 37 year-old husband who runs a medium size agro-business of their own, how they were going to manage the children during the holidays. Caught in the web of entrepreneurship, Emeka simply dismissed her concerns and said “I will sort it out.” Only days away, her husband has not put in place any plans.

This particularly displeased Simi because she had wanted to bundle the children off to their grandma’s place, now their grandma has decided she is travelling to United States of America (USA) and they will be left to their own devices. Simi is considering sending her sons to attend extra-mural lessons during the holidays, within the estate they live.

For many of parents and guardians, the holiday season can bring an increased sense of family responsibility and, along with it, additional feelings of stress because managing children whilst they off school is challenging. Below are some handy tips to help with this critical task.

Get help to manage the children at home: It is important to have an adult at home when children are alone at home but if you have a house help then you do not need to worry much. Children can never be left on their own especially if they are very young. In case you do not, then enlist the help of a trusted relative or send them to stay with their grandparents if possible.

Plan for healthy meals: Ensure that the children are eating healthy meals and snacks by coming up with healthy meal plans. A balanced diet should be the rule here. Buy the fruits and vegetables of the season so that you save on the budget. Instead of buying small quantities go to the market on weekends and shop for food in bulk.

Day time programmes: It is not healthy for your children to sit all day watching the television. They need to do chores and have adequate exercises. Have a written programme on each day’s activities that the children can engage on. Set time for exercising safely playing ball, going for walks with supervision, riding bikes, swimming etcetera. Exercising is key to weight gain and ensuring your children are active. This is the best time also to teach your kids to do housework and community service.

Home work: Most schools normally give children holiday home work. Ensure the work is completed within the first week of school closure. As a parent you must supervise and check the work that has been done daily so that home work is completed timely and accurately. Children should be encouraged to study and read books

Staying safe on social media: Most teenagers have smart phones or use computers at home. Internet is important especially when the teens have to submit their work online however its misuse can be dangerous. Educate the teens on the dangers of sharing their information and pictures in the internet.

Parents can also restrict sites being visited by the teens by installing Apps that block the sites e.g. Norton family mobile app. Parents must also ensure they restrict the length of time their children are spending on the internet.

Communication: Parents should also set out time to talk to their children. It is important to find out how their day was, who they interacted with, what they have learnt on daily bases. Sharing and caring is very vital as you as are able to pick up any issues or unsafe activities and interactions that need to stop. Most teenagers tend to stay away in their rooms and must be encouraged to interact with others and be given responsibilities.

School holidays can be enjoyable for all family members without costing too much. It is the best time to train your children to be responsible adults. The family can also engage in interesting activities like swimming or visiting the unfortunate.