The Apeejay School here conducted a parents orientation programme, "Self-Reliance to Roots and Wings” on Saturday with 230 parents of LKG to Standard-VIII students attending it.
School Principal Dr Sasmita Tripathy welcomed resource person Dr Poly Sengupta. The counselling session brought forward effective parenting and the advantages associated with it.
“Why parenting?” was the opening question. The resource person said parents have an important responsibility. Effective parenting is not easy. It is a journey of trial and error. Towards the end, it is joyous to be parents when they enjoy the bliss of parenthood. Every child is unique with different abilities, which parents should help develop. Happy children are normally healthy and energetic engaging in constructive activities. Good parenting demands that parents remain non-judgemental; that is not to be harsh when the child fails to come up to their expectations.
She said a different classification of preparing and presenting a child in the society is 'The Push'. What and how the Push is and what ought to be done was made clear with the help of a documentary film by David Menally. The film showcased a frightened eaglet being taught to fly by the mother eagle. The message that came through was ‘Push’ is needed in order to give a fillip to boost self-reliance.
The workshop induced interactive parleys between the parents and the resource person. A parent voiced his concern of his son’s preoccupation with the modern-day gizmos whilst ignoring studies. The resource person pointed out the father’s flaw in parenting by having allowed this habit to develop in his son and today it is too late and, hence, the resentment. He has to curb the habit at the ‘Roots’.
A mother pointed out that her daughter in Class-II is very intelligent and completes her studies on time but refuses to write any answers. Dr Sengupta suggested she consult a special educator as some children have a problem with writing. Another interesting observation came from a mother who had promised her six-year-old child a wrist watch that the child demanded if she learned to tell time, assuming she would fail to learn. But the determined daughter learnt in no time and now demanded her gift. The mother feels she is too young to own one. The resource person advised her to fulfil her daughter’s wish for she should keep her promise; otherwise, a wrong idea would be generated.