Take Responsibility of Raising a Healthy Child

By Tonisha Rock-Yaw

Trustee for the Sandy Lane Charitable Trust Pippa Challis donated $25,000.00 to the participants and officials of Sports for Life -(Photo by Tonisha Rock-Yaw)

This was what veteran sports administrator Kathy Harper-Hall told parents whom she suggested were not playing as great a role in the lives of their children as they ought to.

Harper-Hall, the Director of a youth developmental programme called Sport for Life, was at the time speaking at the opening ceremony of the 38- week programme at Kensington Oval last weekend.

The former educator said the main gripe and concern she had was that parents today were maintaining that they were too “busy” to parent.

“So they give them a gadget but children need more than that,” she lamented.

“Parents are so busy now the fastest thing they do is buy fast food for a child, the children say I want Cheffette are KFC and because they are too busy to even cook they just buy fast food everyday and give the children and this bothers me"

"I want to see parents raising children not just leave the children out there on their own. Get the children more involved in sports this can help with some of these non-communicable diseases young children have. Also raise your children with values because it is important that you instil values in your children and that is where we stand in Sport for Life, we pay a lot of emphasises on values,” Harper-Hall said.

Now in its 13th year, Sport for Life came out of a 2007 Cricket World Cup initiative that was designed not only to ensure that Barbadians received new or renovated cricket facilities but programmes were developed to improve the lives of young Barbadians.

The projects targets children between ages of 12 and 15. The new cohort of 33 children will over the period learn basic Mathematics, English and computer skills; along with Health and Nutrition, communication and social skills.

The children will also be exposed to drama, arts and crafts as well as several different sports with the main sport being cricket.

Also speaking was chairman of the Sport for Life board of directors Brenda Pope who welcomed the new cohort and urged them to ensure they do their best and capitalise on every opportunity.

She said: “This programme seeks to develop the youth and foster a spirit of youth volunteerism also helping parents in coming to terms with parenting skills.

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