Audience of the lecture listening to Dr Anne Rifkin
The Office of Education Research (OER), in collaboration with the National Library Board, held an Education in the City lecture on sensitive parenting on Friday, 1 November 2019.
During this installment, speakers shared on the importance of sensitive caregiving for a child’s development and offered advice on what parents and caregivers can do to build quality relationships with their children. The lecture attracted a turnout of over 60 attendees.
OER Senior Research Scientist Dr Anne Rifkin started the session with a presentation on how caregivers’ interactions with children impacts the latter’s brain and socioemotional development. She also explained that children who experience sensitive care in their early years are less likely to exhibit behavioural issues and more likely to feel secure about themselves and have good executive functioning abilities and positive social relationships. Additionally, Dr Rifkin highlighted the need for parents and caregivers to also take care of themselves in order for them to consistently provide sensitive care to children.
Dr Anne Rifkin giving her presentation
Academic Director and Senior Principal of St James’ Preschool Services Dr Jacqueline Chung then shared on the ‘mental diet’ that children need to receive through their interactions with parents and caregivers. Elements of this ‘mental diet’ include communication (e.g., making eye contact, responding appropriately to a child’s needs and wishes), encouragement (e.g., giving children opportunities to do things that they can succeed in and praising their efforts) and behavioural regulation (e.g., teaching children to plan their actions sensibly to get what they want). Dr Chung also encouraged parents to mediate between children and their surroundings to nurture their curiosity about the world around them but cautioned against over-mediation to give children space to engage in independent exploration of the environment.
The lecture concluded with a Q&A session moderated by OER Research Scientist Dr Ng Ee Lynn. Some of the questions posed include the role of domestic helpers as caregivers, differences between parenting girls and boys and managing children with poor self-regulation skills.
SOURCE
https://www.nie.edu.sg/news-detail/education-in-the-city-sensitive-parenting
