How to manage the idle, hungry souls at home

It is now a week since schools closed and many parents have been heard complaining about how their young ones are eating as if tomorrow is uncertain. They see a bunch of bananas one minute but the whole lot is gone the next minute.

Were they eating like this in school? Obviously, not. In school, it is rationed and there is a timetable. At home they must make up for the food they did not get and eat ‘double double’.

It is a reality that in the next two months, most household budgets will have to be adjusted accordingly - whether there are children or not. If you are yet to have children, you may end up feeding someone else’s.

Your mother will push you to give her more money than usual to enable her take care of the many children who are fond of visiting her house during the holidays.

Most bills will be high, especially electricity and water bills. Cooking gas will run out sooner while the cooking fat will be ‘evaporating’ most of the time.

The students on holiday ‘must’ buy DVDs to watch and exchange with friends. They ‘must’ also go out once in a while. And there is that going to town to ‘visit’ various malls that came up while they were away. Of course, you must pay for the transport and meals during these activities.

So how do you go about this, especially now when the economy is doing badly, and ensure your children’s needs are met? You do not have to give them everything they want, but don’t be mean to them.

Remember they are growing up and are energetic. Look for clever ways to harness this energy for everyone’s benefit.

Here are some tips to enable you avoid the stress of spending more than necessary:

Earning their keep:

Let them work for any money they desire to spend on items out of usual budget. Get them to wash your car and pay them the same amount you would pay the car wash guy. They can also do other chores like weeding or pruning the fence and pay them for the work done.

That way, they can only spend the money they have rightfully earned. The benefit of this is two-fold, they appreciate that money doesn’t fall from the sky and also learn how to budget.

Discourage junk food:

 Buy a sack of rice if you can, potatoes and sugar. If they must snack as often as they want, let them do so on proper food. They want chips? Let them peel the potatoes and try a recipe at home. Apart from making cookery fun, you save a tidy sum by ensuring the young ones do not buy fast food from restaurants that do booming business during holidays.

Take them out:

If you want to give a lunch treat, take your children to a decent place with affordable meals. You cannot just take five children to a five-star restaurant unless you have saved for such a treat over many months.

Movie night:

 Instead of paying for a movie at the theatre every so often, you can make Friday evening movie night. Allow them to watch a DVD that you have previewed.

Give them Variety:

Look for entertainment places that will not require you to break the bank. In many towns around the country, there are places that can give you and your little ones affordable fun like the Animal Orphanage or boat riding at Uhuru Park.

Save on lunch:

Encourage them to carry packed lunch if they are attending holiday classes like learning a foreign language away from home. The home-made food is healthier and cost-effective. You should lead the way by carrying your lunch to work.

Books, books, books:

Insist that they exercise and read books. Too much TV will turn them into couch potatoes and the health issues associated with this inactivity are costly. Come up with a timetable to ensure everyone in your household is physically fit.

Finally, it is not wise to complain about how much your children are eating. The best thing to do is to prepare for such a time every year. Just provide the food and let them eat as much as they want without wasting.