AIMED at improving the standard and skills of parenting, Amangwe Village in partnership with Bell Equipment hosted their Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP) programme in Sokhulu recently, where the first group of 30 parents successfully completed the course.
‘It is conducted to equip parents with tools to raise their children and to offer advice and parenting options. It was very well received by all who attended,’ said Amangwe Village Manager, Erna Steynberg.
‘The group included foster and prospective foster parents as well as community members. Raising children is not an easy task especially for grandparents who have raised their own children too,’ she said.
The course consists of five, six-hour sessions and cover topics such as understanding yourself and your child, understanding beliefs and feelings, encouraging and listening to your child, discipline, ways to approach a child and helping children co-operate.
‘I would have never thought that showing respect to your child would help your child respect you in return,’ said a Sokhulu parent who attended the workshop.
‘I used to do everything for my child and would not allow her to do chores at home, if I did, I felt the need to reward her, I’ve learnt that we need to give duties to our children so they learn responsibility and that it is incorrect to reward your child for what he is supposed to do,’ said another.
Amangwe Village will conduct an additional two sessions over the next couple of weeks and will by the end of the programme successfully have trained 90 parents and community workers on the importance of good parenting.
