School is Out: Keep Your Children Safe This Summer

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – It’s official! School is out and thousands of children will have nothing to do for at least two months. Parents should always remember the old adage, “Idle Hands Are the Devil’s Workshop”. 

There is nothing more mischievous or inquisitive than the mind of a child. When the mischievous thought is in play, the action follows soon after. Children should always be occupied with something positive and left in the care of responsible people. 

Ideally, a family should consist of a husband and wife, children, grandparents – that’s a proper village. Nowadays, this is not realistic as the scenarios of working, single moms are the norm. Some of these single moms have multiple jobs or multiple men in their lives and unfortunately their children are left to raise themselves. 

Ideally, mature people have children and have them when they can afford them. That is no longer the norm and one can attest to the fact that children (young, child-like individuals) are having children and those children are pretty much raising themselves. Sad, but true. Can 30 plus year olds really be proud to be grandparents?

Although the notice seemed late, various government related entities are offering summer camps and summer job programs for children and teens. There are also countless churches who also offer summer camps and other activities for the same. 

There is no reason why children should be roaming the streets and getting into mischief during their down time in the summer. Parents should be planning summer activities from as early as April each year, just to make sure their children are well occupied and taken care of. 

When we lived in New York in my earlier years, when school took a break in May, my sisters and I were shipped out to Nassau, where we stayed with relatives and attended the most glorious summer camps etc. When we moved back home to Nassau, the reverse was done. When school took a break in June, we were shipped out to New York to family and were lined up with countless activities and programs that kept us occupied until it was time to return to the sunny Bahamas. Responsible parenting is what that is called. 

When I became a mom, the same sun shone in the days and the same moon came out at nights, therefore I did the same thing. I sent my son to my sister who lives abroad for the summer where he did his annual dental and medical check ups, remained under her care and had beaucoup fun with his cousins until the school bell rang out on this side. His every move was accounted for. Again, responsible parenting. 

It still behooves me how women can become mothers – experiencing hours of excruciating pain to usher a child into this world – and not properly care for them. I don’t get it. Not having enough money is one thing, but one should remember that the government offers lots of assistance to mothers/families in need. The Department of Social Services is there for use. 

Yes, many of us are more fortunate than a lot of others, but assistance is out there and once the decision is made to have a child, then the plan to maintain that child properly should kick in right away. Children are expensive to raise – daycare or nanny, pre-school, primary school, high school, tertiary education etc. And, there are other things like medical care, grooming, wardrobe etc. One should always consider this before having a child.

Parents making sure their children are properly situated this summer is a must and one should also remember there are tons of pedophiles and predators out there just waiting to create havoc in a child’s life. Be careful who you trust your child with.

Summer is fun and safety is equally as important. Look after your kids and make sure they are safe, continuously – away from people and things that can harm them. Well that’s how I see it, anyway.