Thriving at parenting
A Positive Parenting Programme being conducted at the Methodist Children and Youth Centre.
The programme gives parents practical tips on managing parenting problems. - MCYC picture.
By MEL LEE
MY DEAREST WIFE Susanna,
By the time Charis was nine years old, I thought we had gone through
everything a couple could ever expect to experience.
By the grace of God, we were able
to weather the storm in our marital relationship early in our
marriage because of the strength of our love for each other; and
learnt the valuable lesson of saving for a rainy day after my
retrenchment from work. On top of that, we managed to help Mother
through her hip operation and recuperation in a nursing home and
survived a period of frantic search for a student care centre
to look after Charis after school hours.
Through all this we realised the
importance of our network of friends in church who, time and again,
served as our guardian angels, guiding and leading us to the right
people and places during our times of need.
As I was reflecting on this one
day after we found a student care centre, I wondered if Charis
would ever have a sibling. We waited for five years to have her
after all and can wait another few years for a second child. And
what should greet us on our 14th wedding anniversary? The news
that we were going to be parents again! We were ecstatic and expected
Charis to greet the news with excitement as well. But sadly, our
little girl was not thrilled at all.
As days passed and your stomach became more obvious, we saw how
badly affected Charis was. Our usually cheerful girl became sullen
and moody and hardly spoke to us. She would lock herself in her
room the moment she entered the house and refused to join us for
our usual weekend walks in the park nearby. Even her school teachers
expressed concern at the change in her behaviour and falling marks.
When our last-ditch effort to speak to her heart to heart failed,
we turned to her godmother for help.
Once again, our dear and wise
friend, Margaret, did not disappoint us. She pointed us to Covenant
Family Service Centre which operates a parenting hotline. We were
relieved finally to understand Charis' insecurities and we also
received tips on how to help her accept the arrival of her new
sister. We also felt we needed to learn more than basic parenting
skills.
So we were grateful to read in our church bulletin that the Methodist
Children and Youth Centre was offering a Positive Parenting Programme.
Needless to say, we found the sessions enlightening and practical
and we felt more confident to raise our children. To top it all,
Charis softened up and became excited at having a baby sister.
Mel Lee is the Senior Executive (Communications) of the Methodist
Welfare Services.
Editor's Note: The final part in the story of Jin Han and Susanna will be published in the August issue of Methodist Message. Although theirs is a fictional story, it reflects many of the situations encountered by our centres. Any similarities to actual persons, places or situations are purely coincidental.
These centres offer professional advice and support to families
in distress. Core programmes include casework and counselling,
information and referral, preventive and developmental programmes.
* Covenant FSC Tel: 6272-8558 Fax: 6283-6361admin@covenant.mws.org.sg
* Daybreak FSC Tel: 6756-4995 Fax: 6752-4709 admin@daybreak.mws.org.sg
* Kampong Kapor FSC Tel: 6299-7662 Fax: 6294-2116 admin@kampongkapor.mws.org.sg
* Sembawang FSC Tel: 6754-7050 Fax: 6754-0112 admin@sfsc.mws.org.sg
* Tampines FSC Tel 6787-2001 Fax: 6787-4459 admin@tampines.mws.org.sg