The acting director of the National Substance Abuse Advisory Council, Josua Naisele, emphasized the importance of positive communication with children during his address at the Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Fiji Women’s Conference in Lautoka. He advised parents against using negative labels such as “idiot” when speaking to their children, asserting that words hold power and can significantly impact a child’s development.
Naisele encouraged parents to express affirmations like “you are clever and smart,” as repetition of positive reinforcement can enhance a child’s self-esteem and intelligence. He stressed the need for respectful and polite communication, warning that yelling often results in less understanding.
He further highlighted the limited quality time parents spend with their children, noting that children typically divide their time equally between sleep, school, and home. “You only have eight hours of quality time with your child, so listen to them and also talk to them,” he advised.
In a concerning report, Alice Fong, a Divisional Counsellor for the Ministry of Education West, revealed that three students had taken their lives in the region within a month. This tragic statistic included two girls and a boy, with Fong reflecting on a particular case of a Year 8 girl from Nadi whose mother failed to fully understand her struggles.
Fong urged parents, especially mothers, to foster open communication with their children and prepare them for adulthood, emphasizing that these conversations cannot be postponed until the child reaches university age.