Listen to the children, expert urges parents
IN a bid to further safeguard Jamaica’s children, United States-based co-occuring disorder professional Celeste Wesley Carpenter has called for the nation to listen to its children in order to better serve them.
Speaking on the topic, Demystifying the grand assumption: When the children do hear, see and imitate at the Safeguarding Children’s Conference held on May 15 at the Mona Visitors’ Lodge, Wesley Carpenter said as parents and leaders it is important to possess integrity in all aspects of our lives and listen to our children to meet their needs.
“Many times we don’t remember that children hear, see and speak. Sometimes we’ve got to get back to being a child to hear a child. They will be affected negatively if we don’t teach them the proper meaning of things,” she said.
Wesley Carpenter explained that many times parents become distracted from children for various reasons, which can have a negative effect on their well-being.
“Distractions can come from inappropriate activities such as drugs and mental health symptoms, love as a means to escape depression which parents may be facing and other things. Through life we’re affected by attachments and a lack thereof,” she said.
Subsequently, the co-occuring disorder professional said there should be developmental tools and guides available to parents for each stage of their children’s lives.
She said many times we tell children to run to safety but ‘safety’ may be what they are running from, therefore there needs to be more effective measures in place to protect them.
“Do programmes in schools. Have signs in bathrooms with call numbers for children who may be facing different forms of abuse. Many times it’s too dangerous going to the police department as they fear their neighbours see them and contact parents, who may be the abusers,” she said.
Wesley Carpenter further urged the Government to utlitise international interns and programmes if there is indeed a shortage of professionals to assist children in difficult situations.
