Confident parenting: A step towards holistic development of children 

Former President of the nation Shri APJ Abdul Kalam had once said that it is only the teacher and the parent who can bring about a significant change in the world, for they are directly involved in raising the future. It is also wisely said that a child learns more not by what the parents say but instead by what they do.

 Parenting is perhaps the world’s toughest skill and with the rapid strides in technology and the ever-increasing generation gap, the process of parenting is becoming tougher. It is thus highly recommended that the parents get together and share their doubts and experiences, to improve at this skill. It could not get any better if a clinical psychologist gives them suggestions and aids the evolution process.

In sync with this thought, Apeejay Svran Global School organised a workshop on the idea: ‘Confident Parenting That Works’. The workshop held on February 19 was solely organised for the parents of the school-students.

Ms. Mimansa Singh Tanwar, a clinical psychologist (Cognitive Behavioural Therapist) with the Department of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences, Fortis Healthcare presided over as the resource person for the workshop. Ms. Tanwar also heads the Fortis School Mental Health Programme with a deep-rooted passion for enhancing mental health in children.

In the workshop session, Ms. Tanwar postulated various suggestions to parents for enriching their parenting skills. She stated that the art of parenting helps in boosting the morale and maintaining the mental health of the students. In the contemporary scenario, parents are trying to cope up with the challenges of the pandemic as well as managing the studies of their children. Thus, she emphasised on validation and reassurance as the best strategy for all parents. She asserted that parents must be answerable to their children for their actions and decisions.

Ms. Tanwar told the parents that they should always support their child and adopt a positive approach towards an emotionally aroused child. She said, “Parents should seek to find the appropriate opportunity to point out the weakness of their child. This is how the communication and learning process actually works.” She further suggested the parents to show empathy and develop a strong bond with their children especially when they share their feelings at crucial times. She mentioned that engaging in conversations is very important for attention-seeking children.

Ms. Tanwar reminded the parents that they must be well-versed with media literacy skills that focus on evaluation of the self and character-building for it leads to healthy communication. She reminded the parents sternly that they must put a check on bullying behavior as it may gradually lead towards low self-esteem in the child.  The child must be encouraged to emulate positive role-models and avoid imbibing wrong behavior patterns. The child must be self-satisfied and appreciate the achievements of others at the same time. Parents should try to instill calmness in their children. The child’s energies must be channelled towards sports activities as it provides a much-needed outlet and relief.

She highlighted that the parent should try to build a child who is assertive towards his/her needs. The parents must encourage their child to recognise his/her strength in order to take a stride with the right perception and become a goal seeker in life.

After the workshop session, Principal, Mrs. Deepika Arora, presented the vote of thanks. She congratulated Ms. Tanwar for taking out her precious time and presenting a highly emotionally intelligent workshop session for all the parents.

“Behind every young child who believes in himself is a parent who believed in him/her first. Raising confident children is a joint responsibility of the school as well as the parents. We at Apeejay Svràn Global School encourage and support our children so that they can become the best versions of themselves. To put it in the words of Alexandra Eidens (Founder of Big Life Journal), “It’s not about smart children, it’s about happy children, who have the confidence and the courage to learn and pursue things dear to their heart.”

–Mrs Deepika Arora, Principal, Apeejay Svran Global School