Josua Naisele, the acting director of the National Substance Abuse Advisory Council, advised parents against using derogatory language when speaking to their children during his remarks at the Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Fiji Women’s Conference in Lautoka. He emphasized the importance of positive communication, stating, “The words you use hold power, and whatever you say will impact your child.” Naisele encouraged parents to affirm their children by saying they are smart and capable, rather than criticizing them as “idiots” or “slow learners.”
He highlighted that effective communication should be polite and respectful, noting that yelling often leads to children hearing less. “Focus on their strengths, not their weaknesses,” he advised. Additionally, he stressed the significance of being present during conversations, discouraging parents from looking at their phones while their children are speaking.
Naisele pointed out that children typically spend eight hours sleeping, eight hours at school, and eight hours at home, leaving only a limited amount of quality time for parents to engage with them. He urged parents to listen and talk to their children during this precious time.
At the same event, Alice Fong, the Ministry of Education Divisional Counsellor West, shared a troubling statistic that three students from the West took their own lives in a single month this year. Among them were two girls and a boy, with Fong noting that one mother was unaware of her Year 8 daughter’s struggles, exemplified by her trivial response to a serious matter. Fong implored parents, particularly mothers, to foster open communication with their children and prepare them for the challenges of adulthood rather than postponing important discussions until they are older.