Parents often feel that handling their children is problematic, the reverse is never asked of children, Associate Professor of Social Work Suphala S. Kotian said here on Saturday.
She was speaking during a special talk organised by The Hindu for parents of students of Chinmaya Vidyalaya, as a part of its Newspaper In Education initiative.
Ms. Kotian said: “We always complain about our children, but have we ever asked them what complains they have about us?”
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She said she had compiled a list of problems that children face from parents, based on the feedback she got from her son and his friends. The topmost among them was that parents do not give their children enough time.
She urged parents to spend time listening to their children.
Ms. Kotian also urged parents to involve their children in decision-making within the house.
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Parents should consult their children about things such as whether they would like to visit relatives.
Parents should follow what they preach to their children. She also urged care-givers to create a loving and stimulating environment as, according to a research, a six-year-old child had the capacity to learn 10 languages.
Children should also be taught to deal with pressure, stress and anxiety, she said.