‘You are the best person in your child’s life to teach them positive values’

About 20 Mitchell's Plain parents graduated, last month, from a seven-week course on how to improve their relationships with their children.

The free course, which ran at the Parent Centre at Highlands Primary School, in Woodlands, taught the parents how to better hear, see, understand and guide their children, said facilitator Berenice Scott.

"We want parents to learn factors that contribute and manage their children’s behaviour. We unlearn the mistakes and unhelpful ways we interact and raise our children. Then we will re-learn new ways of thinking and behaving that will benefit our children and ourselves and help them grow, develop and reach their potential,“ she said.

At the last session, on Wednesday November 22, Ms Scott discussed family values, beliefs and the importance of family meetings.

The 40-year-old non-profit organisation was started primarily to reduce the incidents of child abuse through the promotion of better parenting.

“Now we know we need to stop, think and respond instead of react, which is what we would have done before this course,” Ms Scott said.

Children would not adopt a value they did not see their parents practise, she said.

“You are the best person in your child’s life to teach them positive values. If you want your child to be honest and sincere you need to be honest and sincere."

Jason Hess, a father of two girls from Portland, said since completing the course his family was more mindful of each other and able to communicate about their feelings and emotions.

“Our challenges are now being dealt with with a high degree of knowledge, which enhances the levels of confidence,” he said.

Mother of four Mishkah Moose, from Lentegeur, said the course had been helpful.

“We had to unlearn certain things we grew up seeing our parents do and unquestionably thinking it must be right if my parents did it that way.

“I've learned of the different perspectives that ‘different’ households use to handle problems or their children.

“We learned no one is wrong, it is in the ‘how’ we say or do it that matters,” she said.

Ms Moose said she was listening to her children to understand and better cope with their challenges.

“I can now teach my children these tools that the parent centre has taught us, and, in turn, they can one day use it to deal with their children. And also for me to use it on my grandchildren one day.”

For more information about the training, call the Parent Centre at 021 762 0116.