Uganda, May 4 -- As the school holiday starts, many parents find themselves facing a familiar dilemma of how to keep their children engaged and productive. It is easy for parents to slip into the routine of assigning tasks to their children without much thought.

Few of us ever sit with these children and plan together. Often, children perceive household chores as a form of coercion rather than a shared responsibility. They may comply out of fear of repercussions rather than a genuine understanding of the value of work.

As parents, it is essential to recognise the potential consequences of this dynamic. Children who feel coerced or compelled to perform the tasks may look at it as a burden and develop feelings of resentment, self-doubt, a...