Going back to school after being a parent is an experience worth living. And over 100 parents, who attended the two-day training programme on parenting at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) on Saturday and Sunday, got the opportunity to step into the shoes of their children to know how exactly they feel living in residential schools and what routine they follow.
The programme organised by the Telangana Social Welfare Residential Education Society at Alugunu village on the outskirts of Karimnagar had the parents living in the hostel and attending classes, apart from taking part in other activities.
The usual practice for the educational institutions is to conduct regular parents’ meeting to inform them about their children and the routine they follow. But the two-day in-house session was a first and a unique way of letting parents get a glimpse of their wards’ life in residential schools.
During the programme, the parents attended classes conducted by psychologist Bhairi Naresh of Pragna Centre for Social Change. They were told about the ill-effects of liquor consumption, quarrel before children and the use of abusive language.
Mr. Naresh advised them to spend quality time with their children and motivate the latter to achieve their goals by working hard. This apart, the TSWRES authorities had organised fun games that involved some tips on the importance of a family structure.
Mr. Naresh, explaining the activities that the parents were made to take part, said they held group discussions on solving problems in a family while another session had them reading books that had inspirational stories.
Komuraiah and Ramadevi, a couple who took part in the training programme, said they used to fight in front of their children which they now have decided to stop.
Bhagyalaxmi, another parent talking on the art of parenting, said she earlier used to blame the teachers for the poor performance of her son. “But I have realised that I too have a major role to play in the success of my child,” she said.
