Give the children a listen
Why we must not ignore the heeds of the young
By Poch Eulalia
At A Glance
- Children must be taught how to think, not what to think. — Margaret Mead
As absurd as some statements that come from children may be, it’s important to listen to what they have to say. Children often communicate their needs in unconventional ways. After all, they view the world in a different light compared to grownups. They tend to see and feel things that we either take for granted or have forgotten.
To address this, Save the Children Philippines held a love letter challenge on social media on Valentine’s Day by asking kids and teens to write a love letter to their parents. In the letters, they explain how they desire to be loved more. With the #LoveLetterChallenge campaign still ongoing, here are two that stand out from the crowd.
“Please po when mad, don’t shout. I’ll try to do better po,” writes one. “Mama, this is what I want to say: I love you! Even if sometimes you scream at me with your angry face, I love you for a thousand years,” writes another. Reading these letters makes anyone realize just how vulnerable children can be. When parents get angry and shout at them, it might leave them confused if they aren’t aware of why their actions could possibly be frowned upon.
Based on Save the Children Philippines’ recent digital survey on positive parenting, a significant majority (58 percent) of respondents do not believe that physical or verbal punishment ensures children will grow up unruly. More than 70 percent believe it’s possible to discipline children without resorting to punishment.
Save the Children Philippines has been advocating the shift to positive parenting as an approach that emphasizes growth and learning by providing responsive and intentional care and clear, consistent rules and expectations through open communication with children.
“Filipino children themselves desire positive change in their homes and seek closer connections with their families, without the use of physical or humiliating punishment,” said Save the Children Philippines’ advocacy manager Emma Salmani. “We hope the parents listen to what children have to say. As part of our Positive Parenting campaign, we ultimately want to bring families closer together.”