The pivotal role of the Parent-Teacher Association

Jan 25, 2014 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
In my recent contacts with parents of teenagers I was overwhelmed by the common complaints which most of them expressed, some of which are:-
“These children nowadays bent in one way and, no matter what you say, they got their own way.”
“I decide to leave them by themselves, as any talk don’t seem to get through to them.”
“These modern children only worrying with TV and cell phone, and don’t care ‘bout schoolwork.”
“I does doan worry. I just do me work and leave them with dey stupidness.”
“I try hard enough, and is time to take a rest. Let dem try deh.”
Those of us who have profited from training in child and education psychology, and had the experience to use this to improve the behaviour of the children in our care, whether our own offspring or our students, will see the common thread in these complaints of a singular lack of the necessary techniques to deal with our young. It paints for us a daunting picture of our society when these children grow up to take over the reins of the various entities in our nation.
I am now positing that some definite and urgent action of national proportions should be embarked on to arrest this decline in the standards of the behaviour of our children. I think the natural channel which we can use to impart any of the needed skills and other requirements to parents is the Parent-Teacher Association, which is supposed to be a normal institution connected with each school.
I am therefore appealing to the Ministry of Education, the Education Officers in each region, and the administrators of the individual schools to initiate some programme towards this objective. I am sure that each of these institutions will appreciate that such a project will also help to improve discipline in schools and therefore make their work lighter and more effective.
In the meantime, I would like to pass on to parents some thoughts on how they can immediately start to develop their parenting skills and so improve their relationships with their children.
1. A weekly family conference in which problems are related and plans for future activities made, and in which everyone has a say in their resolution.
2. Regular one-on-one sessions with each child and one parent, in which the child and parent share thoughts on what has taken place and how these can be resolved.
3. Attempts at discipline must be based on rules set before, so it is clear when violations occur and what will result from these.
4. When children are convinced that they are loved, their views respected, and their interest is being sought, they will nearly always respond positively. It is therefore imperative that we spend time with them, give them our full attention at times, and demonstrate our love and interest physically by hugs, pats, and compliments for things well done.
Roy Paul

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The pivotal role of the Parent-Teacher Association

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