With resumption week around the corner, many Nigerian parents already feel the pressure of the new school term. For some, it’s the anxiety of making sure their kids are well-prepared for the days ahead, while for others, it’s the financial burden of fees, uniforms, and school supplies.
These concerns point to one truth: being a parent is hard AF. Ahead of the “Back-to-School” season, six parents talk about the things that currently keep them up at night.
Bimbo*
I’m not looking forward to waking up early. My sleep pattern gets messed up when my kids resume school. During their vacation, I go to bed around 10 p.m. and wake up at 6:30 or 7 a.m. on some days. But during resumption, I sleep around 11 p.m.- 12 a.m. because I have to prep meals, make sure their uniforms are sorted and clean their food flasks and water bottles. After all of that, I still have to wake up by 5:30 a.m. to get them ready for the school bus, which comes at 7:15 a.m. I honestly can’t wait for when they’re able to do some of these things by themselves.
Jessy*
I’ve been paying school fees for four years now, and, my bank account is never ready for the hit when school resumes. It’s worse when it’s a new session. The expenses are almost crippling—I have to pay for new uniforms, books that the school insists you buy from them, new bags, provisions… the list goes on. My wife gave me a list last week because it was salary week, but I haven’t opened it yet. I want to enjoy my birthday first before the reality of settling these bills sets in.
Hassan*
My kids are resuming school next week, and I’ve been anxious about transportation. My neighbour used to drop them off at school. His help was a huge relief because his office is just a few streets away from my children’s school, and since his kids also attend the same school, he offered to drop them off.
Unfortunately, he wrecked his car in an accident, so he can’t take them for now. The school bus would have been an alternative, but the school told us they wouldn’t ply our route anymore due to the low number of kids coming from our area.
Now, I don’t know what to do because my wife and I work on the island and leave very early. My nephew is around for a couple of weeks and has offered to help, but I’m not sure what to do after she leaves.
Bisi*
My child has only been in school for a year, and I never look forward to when school is in session. The early morning preparation really drains me. My husband leaves for work as early as 6:30 a.m., so he’s not always around to help. He does what he can when he’s around, but I honestly wish he was there when I needed him the most.
There was a day last session when my husband left around 6 a.m., and I decided to nap a little before waking my daughter. When I opened my eyes, it was a few minutes to 8 a.m., and my daughter was still asleep too. There was no point getting her ready at that point, so I just called the teachers and told them she wasn’t well. I hated how I felt for the rest of that day.
John*
We’ve had peace in the house since my two kids went on vacation, and I’m dreading the return to chaos now that resumption season is near. My wife and I have a system where we both prepare the kids for school in the morning and alternate who drops and picks them up. But it’s not without quarrels and arguments.
For some reason, my wife becomes super cranky around that time of day. She’s passive-aggressive, constantly yelling or frowning, and it’s hard to ignore. I want to ask what’s wrong—I mean, it’s not like I left all the chores to her; I’m up just as early to get the kids ready. So what’s there to snap about? We haven’t fought about these mood swings since the kids went on vacation, but I already know what to expect when they resume.
Damola*
School resumption means worrying about who will pick my son up from school. The earliest I get back from work is 6:30 p.m, and his school closes by 2 p.m. His dad isn’t in the picture, so it’s just me and him.
My mum used to help when she lived with us, but it hasn’t been easy since she left. I had to enrol him in extra lessons, which pushed his closing time to 4 p.m., but even that isn’t enough. Once it’s 5 p.m., the school starts calling, asking me to come and pick him up. They can be rude about it sometimes — it’s almost like they’re accusing me of being a bad parent. I’ve thought about enrolling him in a school closer to my office, but the schools on the island are way out of my budget. I’ve been free of this worry since he went on vacation, but I’m back to it now that school is resuming next week.
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