The moment you become a parent, it seems that having 24 hours in a day is never enough. From the moment you wake up, you rush to get breakfast ready for the kids before seeing them off to school or childcare. And then there’s that long stretch of time that you spend at work, leaving you only a few hours before and after work to spend with your kids on a typical work day.
In a survey conducted by 3 students from NTU’s Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, 74% of parents reported that they spend only 3 to 4 hours with their kids on a daily basis. Why is this so? Because they are at work for the better half of the day.
In addition, 23% of parents regretted not developing a shared hobby with their kids – activities that may help build up their kids’ problem solving-abilities and social intelligence. It is widely believed that these qualities go a long way in boosting children’s brain power.
To address these issues faced by parents, a social campaign was reportedly introduced by 3 NTU undergraduates.
Enter The Happiness Revolution
According to local news reports, The Happiness Revolution: Best Gift for Your Child movement was launched to encourage parents to share their ideas on the best ways to spend time with their kids and improve their mental well-being.
Since the launch of the campaign in January 2014, over 300 parents have pledged to provide the best gift for their kids to help them lead a happier and more fulfilling life.
In a report on Asia One News, 23-year-old Joyce Lim, one of the team members behind the campaign, shared: “Children learn to manage their emotions by observing how other family members express and manage their emotions.” She added that parents play a critical role in modelling how their kids should respond to strong feelings.
Thoughts from the experts
When asked about the lack of quality parent-child bonding that is prevalent these days, experts cited a culture of digital and electronic distraction as an obstacle.
Child psychologist Anne Chua said that parents should initiate activities that would encourage kids to improve their social skills. She suggested “something as simple as a quiz or treasure hunt where kids interact with their peers and learn how to negotiate decisions.”
For more information on The Happiness Revolution campaign, visit the website or connect with them on Facebook.
Reference:
https://news.asiaone.com/news/diva/most-parents-regret-working-too-much-during-childrens-early-years