When we think of the biggest, most important endeavours we have taken on in the course of life, do we ever leave it all on instincts and destinyIJ We’d ask for advice, learn and discover strategies to perform better and practise to achieve the elusive perfection.
Yet for some reason, we feel hesitant to take the same approach to parenting. There is a perception that mothers and fathers should just know what to do instinctively, that everything would fall into place if we just love our children enough. However, it is not always so intuitive which decisions are the right ones.
In the wake of the marathon that every parent is running relentlessly on an everyday basis, the Apeejay School, Bhubaneswar organised a reflective ‘Parent Orientation Programme on a Happy Sunday’ on March 18.
The interactive orientation event took the parents through the finer nuances of being a parent, to understanding the process of parenting in order to value and cherish the parenthood. Different kinds of parenting styles were reflected upon to share context of the unique individual families.
“Children do not come with instruction manuals; one needs personal qualities, knowledge of the subject and past experience to take up this lifelong commitment just like teachers are expected to fulfil the same,” said Rashmi Mantri, Special Educator, in her keynote address as the resource person stressed on an active partnership between the school system and the families, between the teachers and the parents working together as a cohesive unit.
The session concluded with group activities and short films focussing on the key issues faced by the children set the tone of the orientation programme.