Cronje
4 December 2006
School's out and our children will be spending close to seven weeks, 24
hours a day with their families and friends. The majority of our pupils live in
caring families and enjoy friendships and sporting and social lives appropriate
to their age. However there are children, who for a number of reasons, are not
able to remain with their families or who may be at risk through violence, drug
and alcohol abuse. Remember, sober and drug free is cool! You could get raped
if you abuse alcohol and drugs. Many teen pregnancies are the result of alcohol
abuse.
Parents: discuss violence, alcohol, drug abuse with your children. Provide
recreation opportunities for young people at home. Supervise your children's
parties. Help homeless children and those children who look after someone
else.
While television is a wonderful education tool, it is also one of the
biggest threats. Researchers found a 50% decrease in the level of aggression
after an effort to get children to watch less television. Fun alternatives
could include: beginning a nightly read-aloud for the entire family; sharing
your hobbies - sewing, knitting, baking - with your children; learning to play
instruments and making music together; visiting neighbours and relatives;
playing board and card games.
Issued by: Department of Education, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial
Government
4 December 2006
