Print it: Mother's Day CardsPrint one of these awesome Disney Junior Mother's Day cards for your kids to give to Mom.

Top 10 recipes for working momsSome quick and tasty recipes for supermom.

Parent24 : School 7-12 : care nutrition : ‘Never too busy for my kids’

‘Never too busy for my kids’

Pin It

From Grade 1 to varsity, do you give your child your attention and support?

By Masanda Peter

Article originally in Parent24

This week the last of the coastal schools will open. This is the one time when you will see lots of parents at the school premises being there for their children. Physically there to see the grade 1s in their brand new uniforms, big school bags and sometimes lots and lots of tears and excitement.

It is really great to see the kind of support parents give but does this continue throughout the year or even through the child’s school career up until varsity?

I was so touched the other day talking to a lady who was preparing to travel to Cape Town from Johannesburg to support her son on his first day of varsity. She mentioned that this kind of support started when her kids were still young.

When they had birthday parties at preschool she would deliver the cake herself and stay in class to take pictures while the kids enjoyed themselves. She tried not to miss their school activities. When I asked her how she found time, she calmly responded: ‘I can never be too busy for my children’.

Is that not sweet, loving and showing dedication from her side? At her work they understand that the kids come first and there are no two ways about it.

How I wish most parents could be like this, be there for our children. I understand that it is not always possible but we can try and adopt an attitude of never being busy for our children. I am sure with this attitude even on days where we cannot make it our children will understand.

The same enthusiasm we show when they start pre-school and grade 1, let’s keep it going throughout the year, school career and beyond.

Each working hour counts but perhaps once in a while, go and attend a school activity with your child. I am sure most employers are human enough to understand that a worker is a mother or father too.

How easy or difficult is it to take time off for school functions?

Read more by Masanda Peter

Disclaimer: The views of columnists published on Parent24 are their own and therefore do not necessarily represent the views of Parent24.