Two recent parenting talks helped educate and equip young parents.
Contributed By Eunice Lee
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| PHOTO COURTESY OF LEE CHUEN BUAN | |
Two parenting talks, organized by two different groups of parents, were held last weekend. “Journey Of The Super Parent” and “A Parenting Workshop” shared similar objectives and goals: to empower parents with young children to be better parents.
Organizer of “Journey of the Super Parent” Sherine Lee, a working mother with a 10-month old baby girl, noted a growing base of young working parents with busy lifestyles, who needed to discover the fundamentals of parent-child relationships. With that in mind, she set out organize talks on how to deal with the common problems and issues faced by these parents, including: how to juggle more effectively between work and family, and understanding the needs of young children.
“Journey” was held at The Riverwalk and facilitated by professional speaker, Celine Veron Chai. The 31 parents present learned about the different personality make-up of every individual, whether parent or child; and how to handle negative behavior and situations in an appropriate and tactful manner that suits the child’s personality. Other topics in the three-hour workshop included a glimpse into child development stages, one’s values in parenting, what children really need, and the qualities of the Super Parent, which are: Sacrificial, Unconditional, Patient, Exemplary and Reasonable.
Dynamic and inspiring, Chai’s presentation was highly interactive through the use of unique training tools and games. Participants were able to internalize the lessons and at the same time, enjoy themselves. “Parents sometimes forget that their children have different needs at different stages. Their needs are ever changing,” said Chai. “So as parents, we need to come up with creative ways to meet their needs at various stages in their lives.”
Rachel Tan, mother of two children aged 8 months and 4 years, said, “I like what Celine taught about the ‘Total Truth Process’; that discipline need not end with anger and hurt from both child and parent, but we can go beyond that and end instead, with love and forgiveness. I am going to try adopting a different approach when it comes to discipline, by using what I’ve learned here in the workshop.”
Parents at “A Parenting Workshop,” at The Seaview’s function room also picked up practical skills.
Speaker for this workshop was worklife expert, Karen Chan, who taught about feeding, breastfeeding and bottle-feeding, giving practical tips on napping and sleep patterns, dealing with transition, and caregivers.
Her talk also dealt with common issues that often have parents in a fix, such as, freedom of expression versus self control, common sleeping problems, meal times, discipline, as well as setting boundaries for toddlers.
Organizer, Evelyn Kwek, a mother of two young children, was pleased at the end of the day, commenting that the objectives of the workshop, which was for parents to pick up useful tips and to tap into this support network, were successfully met.
Said Oona Lloyd, a 35-year old mother of two young children (and another on the way), “The biggest challenge I face as a mother right now is to work with my children to find the most effective and loving way to teach them discipline and self control.”
Added Lloyd, “Discussions amongst parents about the issues and challenges they face, along with tips from the experts, are all extremely useful.”
Through workshops like these, young parents walk away with effective parenting strategies and the right tools to balance their work, and create a positive home environment that is emotionally and physically conducive for their child to grow up in.
~ Additional reporting by Lee Chuen Buan & Evelyn Kwek
