Children are a gift from God

By Ilia L. Likou 31 January 2017, 12:00AM

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when they are older they will not turn away from it.  

Yesterday, parents, guardians, nanas and papas accompanied their loved ones for their first day back to school.

For parents’ of young children this can be a distressing but exciting time.

The Village Voice caught up with 53-year-old woman, Avau Sakaio from Nu’u- Fou who shared the joys of seeing her grandchildren off to school.  

 “Today is the first day of  school for the children and I am more than happy to come this morning and take them to register,” she said.

She was flanked by her excited grandchildren who will be attending Aele Primary School.

For Ms.  Sakaio, education is critical.

“I know that education is the way to success for my children,” she said.

 “The same challenge that I gave to my children when they were in school while they young, the same one I give to my grandchildren.

“And that is go to school and learn as much as they can, if they don’t, they’ll suffer in the future.

 “I know everyone has different talents, but those talents need to start from home especially in classrooms. Simple as that.”

She understands that it is never too early to cultivate the minds of young children.  

 “They need to learn how to read, write, understand how important to know and understand the value of family,” she said. 

 “Even though these kids’ minds are still young , I keep on pushing them to school, teach them if they want to do well in life, they have to go to school.”

She has high hopes for her grandchildren’s future, and there is no time like the present to set her grandchildren on the path to success.  

“Who knows one of them may become prime minister, pastor or farmer in the future...and that’s why they need to go to school,” she said.  

“They need to learn.

Now more experienced in raising children, she encourages parents to be more proactive in their child’s life at home to instill the basic Samoan mannerisms such as respect, obedience.  

Thus, those mannerisms will be carried outside of the home and create a better and safer environment for the greater society.  

 “It’s all about working together,” she said.

“Education is not only in classrooms but families as well.

“Parents should not wait until their children go to school to learn these values.

“They need to raise their children in a way  that any Samoan child need to grow up with – they need to teach of how to listen, obey, how to respect others...I mean everything.

“To me , I think that is one of the problems of today, parents wait on teachers to teach their children but that’s not what teachers are for.

“We all understand, and I think that is one of the reasons for the increasing numbers of violence and crimes in our youth today.”

“Parents are not doing their duties.”

By Ilia L. Likou 31 January 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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