Parenting Seminar: Improving and Strengthening the Parent-Teen Relationships in the Keep-changing and Challenging World

The world is advancing further, and so are the social and technological challenges that follow it. These challenges have become factors that can affect the relationship between parents and teens. Parents should be perceptive when dealing with the changes in teens? behaviors and their own world. With the purpose of equipping parents in their own education process, Universitas Pelita Harapan (UPH) held a parenting seminar with the theme of ?Improving and Strengthening the Parent-Teen Relationship in an Ever-changing and Challenging World.? The seminar was delivered by Elizabeth Mailool, M.Th., counselor and guest lecturer at UPH, on Saturday, 11 April, 2015 at HOPE Counseling Centre, UPH campus. Approximately 70 parents turned out in hopes of improving their teens? quality of life in the more visionary future, with full support from their parents. 

Elizabeth Mailool, M.Th., was delivering the presentation

Elizabeth began the seminar by citing several challenges that threaten teens, such as digital technology, cyber bullying, drugs, and free sex. Parents also should try to understand their teens and their changes (physical and internal) that need an adjustment. According to Elizabeth, the ideal parenting style should be positive parenting, which encourages a warm and supportive relationship, while still being firm and consistent as well as clear with the boundaries made. In addition, parents should realize immediately the changes in adolescents when they are in the phase of independence and want to be free from parental control. Teens basically do not want to be distant from their parents, yet they need a different relationship that involves respect but also will accommodate their own capabilities and new responsibilities.

One participant (a mother) was asking about the right parenting style for her daughter.

This seminar hopefully increased parents? awareness that teens could be their best if they have a solid relationship with their parents. In that way, the parents can then fully support the education process for their children?s future. The parents who came to the seminar gave good feedback and asked questions and advice for dealing with their own children?s behaviors at home. (el)