Josua Naisele, the acting director of the National Substance Abuse Advisory Council, advised parents against calling their children derogatory names during a speech at the Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Fiji Women’s Conference in Lautoka on Saturday. He emphasized the significant impact of words, stating that affirming a child’s intelligence can foster their confidence and abilities.
“Instead of saying ‘you are an idiot’ or ‘you’re a slow learner,’ he encouraged parents to express supportive messages like ‘you are clever and smart’ on a daily basis,” Naisele said. He stressed the importance of respectful and polite communication, reminding parents that yelling often leads to children hearing less.
Naisele highlighted that parents should concentrate on their children’s strengths while engaging with them meaningfully—pointing out that distractions like phones during conversations can undermine attentiveness. He noted that children typically have eight hours of sleep, school, and home life, leaving only a limited window for quality interaction.
In a related matter, Alice Fong, the Ministry of Education’s Divisional Counsellor for the West, revealed that three students—two girls and a boy—took their lives within one month this year. She shared a concerning incident involving a Year 8 girl from Nadi, whose mother expressed a lack of understanding about her daughter’s struggles, attributing the tragedy to minor issues. Fong implored parents, especially mothers, to engage in meaningful conversations with their children to help prepare them for adulthood, stating that it’s crucial not to wait until they reach university age.