CHA BABA CHA MAMA

Cha baba Cha Mama is your typical child's play where children role-play their family structure. Nyef nyef alert: If your liberal house has two babas and no mama,I can guarantee you NO Kenyan parent will love your child's influence as a playmate. Children's innermost thoughts are revealed when they play.Children are innocently mirror a society,which could be anything from your househelp's accent to those cartoons that Ezekiel Mutua banned;even the gay lions if you are overtly controlling like that. 

Children are so innocently speak their mind,that is ,until they start to see that line of shame and truth. Once in a while, play with them.Pass the baton of these games we had-we, the Facebook generation,are failing terribly at this.Other times let them roam free(even though you have your corner eye on them).Once in a while,designate a playspot within the confines of your watchful eye and enjoy the drama that is Cha Baba cha Mama.

Children's mirrors are their games, counsellor's tap into it and call it play therapy. So children act out parental roles inspired by parents,the babysitters (from the TV that you leave them locked up with or househelps) or the neighbours. If I reflect on my childhood days correctly,Cha Baba Cha Mama offers insight on how I understood the family unit.The queen bee or king lion usually assigned roles.These two would most likely be the parents and take up that role with the authority that comes with it.It's comical watching kids feign arguments, act bossy and play that chauvinism-feminism card,innocently of course.

The next great thing to these roles would be either firstborn/siblings uncle/aunts/house guests(you will have the stage when summoned for a visit).The remaining roles would never be fought for but rather against-the maid,furniture, hawkers, watchman.It basically said,"In this game you are to be seen ocassionally, dangling at the periphery of our worlds." It was like being the donkey in a Christmas play.If children could and still cry about these roles,it makes you wonder what was and is being subtly communicated  by their parents in the latter's interaction with these characters in real life.A friend had me cracked up enough to write this story.Ati they don't own a table in their house because they always played "table" in this Kenyan version of house

Cha baba cha mama was basically a play with stage appearances that were fun as long as you were on stage.Baba had to find a space and partition it into rooms,building cars (out of clay),cars which he would drive to work to return with household items

(recycled trash).Mama had to arrange the house and fend for the children, the latter mimicking baby monkeys.If real-life mom was a gossip or Facebook addict,expect that Cha Mama Mom to do the same.If real-life Dad hid behind newspapers and remotes to avoid his parenting role,please applaud the kids who take after that Cha baba Dad.

As you struggle to remember which role you played,get a laugh out of it.Maybe you attended a wedding of lovebirds who sowed their love at this stage.Just a warning:Get worried when a particular pair of kids always assigns themselves the Mom-Dad role like Daphne & Fred of Scoobydoo sleuths. In today's world,get anxious when Mom-Dad assignees go to a secluded  bedroom.Which reminds me,how do you react when you find two kids innocently in the act?Another story for another day.