Roots of rage and the relief of schools reopening next week, after a long break

A mother assists her daughter in carrying a school box during a past reopening. [Titus Munala, Standard]

Schools reopen next week, after nearly two and a half months of holidays.

And homes will plunge into quiet lulls after being accustomed to above-average decibels - the sort that the national authority on environment, Nema, would say require soundproofing.

In my household, I was getting used to sudden, sharp blasts of yells that I hear are called "raging," and are often associated with online games. Those who rage are usually on the receiving end, or it could be that they are celebrating an unexpected win. Put simply, one rages when things are going well or badly.

While I'm happy to be rid of such menace, I'm still at a loss over how to raise children away from such online games that elicit episodic raging. When I nudge the lads out of the house, they seem to express rage of a different kind, like plunging into pools and swimming from dawn to high noon, so that the skin peels from exposure to the elements.

That means the rest of the week is spent treating the damaged skin with lotions and layers of sunscreen. And now, of course, is January, when the sun returns from its momentary hibernation to shine and scorch everything, including the raging youngsters.

But not for long. They are growing up and older and one will soon be joining college. And the tiniest task assigned, like locking up the dogs, is still contingent upon the phone being in good working order and the alarm going off - not the sun shining. I feel like raging, but I don't know how!