Educational Journey with EPHAT MUDENDA
JUST when children are preparing to go to school, it starts raining heavily outside. For the sake of the little ones’ health, parents may decide that it is better for them to skip class on such a day.

Several factors tend to work against children during this season. Therefore, certain measures must be put in place so that we keep our children safe and healthy. And each time they are supposed to be in school, nothing should prevent them from attending lessons.
Parents of small children need to be extra careful to prevent any disease or disorder. Maximum attention should be maintained with regard to their well-being.
It is a season when many children like to play outdoors, splashing in muddy water, walking through water-filled drains, getting wet in the rain and having a lot of ‘fun’. But while we can let them enjoy the season, of course with a little care and precaution, their ‘jubilant moments’ should never go to extremes.
If you can prevent the little ones from getting drenched and keep them away from ‘rain dancing’, and simply let them watch the rain, well and good. With clothes and shoes that protect them from catching airborne and waterborne infections associated with this season, they are assured of finishing this term on a positive note in the next couple of months.
If you decide to take them out during weekends, say, to a mall, recreational centre, or any other place where you want them to relax, you will do well to ensure they are protected from rain-related dangers.
It is in this season, too, that we should strictly instil in our children the notion that ‘mum is the best cook’. We are all fully aware that waterborne infections are common during the rainy season. Home-made food is the best for the little ones.
As they go to school every morning, carrying food prepared at home and nicely packed in their warmers, they will grow to value those nutritious meals that their parents and siblings enjoy preparing at home. It will be easy for them to distinguish between nice, tasty food and junk food.
It is also always better to give them clean water (bottled mineral water or boiled water and cooled, in their water bottles). This is to help the children avoid drinking water from taps connected to tanks which might get bacteria in this rainy season, especially while they are at school.
Warm baths with good antiseptic soaps are important both before going to school and when they are back home. And they should be warm all the time.
When inside the home, children should be kept busy by not only books, but also games, toys and educative cartoons on TV, which can keep them engaged and offer them non-stop fun and knowledge.
During this season, the weather sometimes just changes suddenly. At times, it becomes very cold. So, let us keep our ‘babies’ warm and healthy. Most importantly, we should teach them about the hazards of getting wet in rain so that they don’t leave home or class whenever it is raining.
emudenda@daily-mail.co.zm/ ephatm@yahoo.com