Can we please have a forum for Mothers and fathers
on parenting? Also, I am looking for Parents in Baltimore area who have children who speak or would be interested to learn Swahili or Kikuyu.

Kaswiti, I concur.We should start a parenting forum.By the way did you and Mucera wa Karuri get together?She is your neighbour now and God blessed her and her hubby with a precious princess.

Nyina Wa Bakhita, Hi, no we haven't gotten together with Mucera Wa karuri. I got out of touch with almost everybody from the other kikuyu.com
Congratulations to her and their baby girl!
I hope to hear from her.
I hope more mothers could join and share about their joys of being parents.
I know I have many questions as a Mother.

Kaswiti wacha ubaguzi wa kijinsia. Kwa nini unawakaribisha akina mama pekee kutoa maoni yao hali sisi akina baba tupo? Ukiendelea na mtindo huo mimi nitakushtaki kwa Fida ya akina baba, lol! (that sounds plain funny).

Anyway, it will be a lovely forum and I can't wait to read the comments.

Pole sana Ngunjiri Wa Wakuru. Not without you of course.
Everybody dads, Moms, grandmas& grandpas,stepmoms/dads and to be moms&dads are all invited to share about their loving families. This is a chance we could use to help each other in many many ways.

Kaswiti,
You miss it once more. Where I grew up, babies werer raised by everybody. Unless you were the last born, you might have carried your sib on your back, or your cousins, or your neighbors kids.

Shouldn't you talk about raising kids, rather than parenting. You see, parenting has this connotation that only parents are welcome to participate here, and I feel marginalized.

Sajini, if you have been around children and had/have some experiences,just share them with us parents. I don't want anyone to feel out of place especially if they have great ideas.
We are also living in a changing world, where raising children is more of a parent role than it was when you were born Sajini Kana ukuga atia wa Wakuru?
Teachers are also welcomed because they are soo much around our children too.

Sajini na Kaswiti muri ahoro,

This is an excellent idea where people can exchange ideas. Much as I agree things have changed hundred fold since we were born and brought up (tuaigaguo rungu rwa macani mami agitua macani, lol!), I think we should hear from all the sides. And it will be wonderful to hear from the teachers too. I was once a teacher, but that's a different story all together but it will also be good to hear from them.

So get the ball rolling Kaswiti, what are your experiences?

Kaswiti kai gwathiire atia ningi? Woririe kiuria ugucooka ukihitha?

kiuria giakwa nio atiri, tondu ningoka Wothinito tariki ikumi na ithatahtu nginya tariki mirongo iiri-ri, nikii utanjiira ngihitukira nginyuaga ma Kericho?

LOOOOOOL. This is funny.Sooooo true .Everybody should participate.The parents can also get feedback from those who are being parented.

Kaswiti kaaî waingîrire mbathi ya mîhango? That bus is bad news. It never stops. Sometimes I just have to jump out and say,see ya.Well,later.

One thing I know as a parent is that we as parents have to start a culture or two with our kids.My family has a few cultures.But the one I insist on is that my children tell me everything in details.

I want them to tell me what happened with who,where,when and why.I ask everyday how school was. What they learnt.What they did.How they played.Who they played with.Was it a rough play?I ask them the same questions after they go visit. I let them know that they have to let me know where they are and what they are doing all the time.

It wasnt untill they started telling me that they are going to the washroom at home that it occured to me. They are getting it. Im so very proud of them.

Sometimes something will happen at Bakhitas school and she will tell me before the school lets me know. I pick up the phone and call them. You should hear them trying to give me excuses.

Now they know.Anything I need to know in school happens and they call me at home,work and my cell.I like that.

I talk to them too about talking to strangers.I explain the dangers and also the good side. I tell them for example that if we ever went to the mall and God forbid they got lost,they should go to a store and talk to the strangers that are behind the cashiers register with a name tag on them. Read the name and remember it.Do not at any one time leave the spot and make sure there are people walking by. If they cannot help,Ask them to call the police for you and call my cell.Even the littlest one knows our home and cell phone numbers. Our home address to0. That is a must.

Just thought I should share.

Lets hear it from the fathers, mothers and like Kaswiti puts it,grannys, step-parents and those who have cared for children too. You know,the aunts,uncles,friends, godparents etc etc.

Good guys keep it up!!

One day some of these guys coming up with this excelent ideas ill just have to come to my small piece of "ruthanju" and feast on my guavas & unripe mangoes.

Those old days when we could go hunting on neigbours unripe mangoes on trees and no one could ask you coz all the village boys were on the loot for the fruit in the whole village.

But chill out on the selfish boy he will wait untill you are all on the tree and he will unleash the tommis "dogs" wawawawa!!
The chase and the screams is are adorable i still miss them days.

Anyway!! Thats not the point!!! There's one thing we are all failling as parents and to my understanding it is very vital to our children as a future stake holders in the society

We are not teaching our children our own LANGUAGE.Or rather we dont let them ecxercise on the kikuyu language.We always speak to them in either swahili,english or even some parents are doing sheng together with the kids.

I find it a big shame and very embarasing when the kids cannot express themselves in kikuyu before their folks.

One can be embarassed on a gathering, You are from a kikuyu in name and origin but unware
of your self.

The case of intermarried couple are in exception here but not compleately unblamable they just have to work out the mordalities

Honestly and am not braging about this my kids always know that when i get home i dont care to whom they are talking to but the language is definetely not foreign its kikuyu unless its friends or neigbhours.

Please whoever agrees with me tell me we all need to do this for the sake of our name kikuyu

Thaai Gikuyu na mumbi!!!