Parenting Programmes

The MSF (Ministry of Social and Family Development) and the Education Ministry will launch two programmes – Signposts and Triple P (Positive Parenting Programme). These programmes will help improve the behaviour of children and ease the anxieties of parenting. In these programmes, parents are expected to attend many seminars, sessions and consultations so they will learn some tools that can promote their children’s positive behaviour.

Parenting is not easy but if you are stern about it, you will surely succeed. Effective parenting means changing your style so you can improve the behaviour of your children. It is not too late to consider effective parenting. Better start now. Here are some tips that you can consider:

1. Decide where you want to start

It is important that you know where to start. Some parents may not know where to start the change but actually, it is simple. You have to start where your child is at risk. Do not start by thinking that you can change all of him/her because you will be unsuccessful.

2. Clarify the changes

As a parent, you only want a positive behaviour from your child but sometimes, things turn out differently. If your child’s response is not good, you have to change the response but you have to clarify the change that you want. You need to explain it.

3. Grab the opportunity

If you are worried that your children might do something destructive or cruel, you have to grab the opportunity and learn to manage it. What does this mean? For example, if your son continuously acquires speeding tickets, you have to grab the opportunity and take away the car.

4. Do not expect empathy

Unfortunately, appealing to the empathy of your teen or child will not work. The empathy of children and teens are not yet fully developed. If you appeal to their empathy, you will not expect any changes because children and teens operate on their self interest. They will not care about others.