THE EDITOR, Sir:
I READ with interest Dr. Ralph Thompson's presentation as summarised. I agree with placing special emphasis on early childhood education but my contention is that we are not teaching parents to be parents or making them responsible as parents.
When I practised as a psychologist in Mandeville and by extension Southern Jamaica, what I learnt was that most parents whose children were referred for behaviour or educational problems did not understand basic growth and developmental issues and so lived their lives comparing their children to others.
I agree that the State must help but we, the educated and knowing, must start parenting classes. You may say that they are not going to come out, for example, to a Wednesday evening meeting, but let us catch them at church on Sabbath or Sunday. Let us walk to the bars and prayer meetings and educate our parents. Let us use the dancehall medium also.
As a special educator in the '80s and '90s, I invited myself to church and club meetings by sending them letters stating that I would like to teach them about persons with disabilities. Most of the organisations, mostly churches, called me in to speak to their young people or women or men's group meetings.
This is what we need to do... this is what we must do... Too many of us are 'qualified' and are not sharing our knowledge. Let us start to teach parents to be parents. Serious Jamaicans, educational institutions, counselling programmes, pastors... please take up the challenge and give back to our communities by helping parents to parent.
I am, etc.,
ORLEAN BROWN EARLE, Ph.D.
obrownie@hotmail.com
Providenciales
Turks and Caicos Islands
Via Go-Jamaica
