Parenting Conference on November 11

The National Parent-Teacher Association of Jamaica (NPTAJ) will be staging a parenting conference next month geared at equipping parents with the tools they need to raise their children.

The one-day conference, to be held at the Montego Bay Community College in St. James on November11, is in collaboration with the Education, Youth and Information Ministry.

It will better enable parents to understand their roles and responsibilities and provide guidance on effective parenting in order to prevent abuse.

Region Four Chairman of the NPTAJ, Neville Wilson, told JIS News that the objective is to improve relations between parents and children.

He emphasised the need for parents to get involved in their children’s education.

“Some (parents) do not recognise that their children can only be successful when they give support to (them) and their schools. Most of them do not understand that we’re at a place now where there must be conversation. Children must be a part of that conversation,” he pointed out.

Mr. Wilson informed that speakers at the conference will include Deputy Commissioner of Police, Novelette Grant; and Psychiatrist at the Cornwall Regional Hospital, Dr. Stennett Davis.

He explained that they will “in a practical way help parents to understand how children think at particular ages and how we can help them to be better children”.

Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid,   in welcoming the event, noted that parents and caregivers have a responsibility to keep children healthy and safe, and not to abuse them.

“Parents and caregivers who offer their children love, acceptance, appreciation, encouragement and guidance provide the most intimate context for the nurturing and protection of children as they develop their personalities and identities, and also as they mature physically, cognitively, emotionally, and socially,” he said.

The Minister noted that the National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC) has Parent Places located across the island that offer training and counselling to assist them to better care for their children.

These are ‘one-stop-shops’ for parenting information, skills training and support on effective parenting. It offers what is described as ‘21st-century parenting’ through quality information and referrals, access to parenting resources and workshops.