23 September 2012

“The mother-child relationship is paradoxical. It requires the most intense love on the mother’s side, yet this very love must help the child grow away from the mother, to become fully independent.”  – Erich Fromm

For a child, parents are protectors, role models and friends.  For a parent, parenting is a complex activity that requires a balance between love and structure.  During Sis. Low Mi Yen’s sharing last Sunday, various parenting styles affecting a child’s mental health and qualities were discussed.  To foster good mental health in a child, parents as adults are required to first nurture positive qualities within themselves!

In many families, stress is brought home from the office by working parents.  Sis. Mi Yen suggested that a way to reduce this is to “do something” before heading home, such as going to the gym or meditation.  The World Health Organization (WHO), in one of their reports, came up with the following recommendations to overcome stress:

1. Minimum 20 minutes of “me-time” a day.
2. Sufficient sleep (at least 6 hours a day).
3. Eat healthily.

Let us all do our part, whether as parents or children, in contributing to our family’s well-being!