NAMSAI, 22 Jun: The Birds and Bees Talk (TBBT), Namsai organised a ‘Parent kit orientation programme’ on Saturday at the Town Club here, during which the parents of the students of the Government Secondary School here were sensitised to the changes (physical, cognitive, emotional, mental, social, sexual), as well as the challenges encountered by adolescents during the transition phase from childhood to adulthood.
The programme was inaugurated by Deputy Director of School Education Pokdey Yomgam, who encouraged the parents to make the most of the awareness session and strive to become good role models for their children. He further emphasised the need to motivate the students to excel in their academics and follow their dreams to succeed in life.
The main purpose of involving the parents in the awareness session was to sensitise them to the adolescent stage. Parents and family as the primary institution of socialisation play an important role in shaping the behaviour, attitude and values in a growing child. It is pertinent that parents understand the foundational role in shaping the future and life of their children. Their influence begins even before birth and continues throughout childhood, adolescence and early adulthood. Parents play a key role in providing emotional support, instilling values and ethics, creating a learning environment, making informed decision by helping children differentiate between right and wrong, building confidence and self-esteem, and ensuring physical and mental well-being.
The session was facilitated by TBBT district lead Senya Aboh, who engaged with the parents by introducing them to the concept of adolescence, the kind of changes that an adolescents go through, the challenges that come with the adolescent stage, and finally the ways through which parents can support adolescents during this critical phase of transition.
Through the parents’ awareness session, TBBT hopes to foster a healthy relationship of understanding between parents and children, to build a strong support system, and to reduce stigma and encourage open communication about adolescent issues.
Towards the end of the programme, each parent was given a parent-kit box, containing informative booklets on adolescent health, menstrual hygiene, mental health, internet safety, and substance abuse.
The Birds and Bees Talk project under Plan India is an adolescent life skill programme aimed to empower adolescents with healthy, positive attitude and values, and to help them navigate the challenges of growing up by inculcating in them informed decision-making. (DIPRO)
