Parents are being challenged to involve and closely monitor their children during school holidays and all the time to avert cases of misconduct or children indulging in crime or drug and substance abuse.
The parents are further urged to play their parenting roles seriously so that they bridge the gap between them and their children.
Consultant Clinical Psychologist Soud Alli Tengah- PhD notes that some parents have created a gap between themselves and their children, a situation that has triggered various challenges facing minors specifically in the Coast region.
Speaking in Mombasa on Saturday, Tengah who is also the Mental Health Innovations and Research (MEHIR) Founder, further said that the current transformation in the digital world has exposed children to many societal evils and without their parental care, guidance and continued open discussions, the young generation may face a myriad challenges that will hinder their proper growth.
“With the current quick advancement in technology and social media, children are free to access whatever they want. Without parental guidance and care, this technology can turn tragic, as we have witnessed. So, we truly need proper parenting at all times,” reiterated the Mental Health practitioner.
Though Mr Tengah is in admittance that the economic hardships have resulted into minimal times together between parents and their children. Parents should however, create time, and have family discussions in order to gauge their children’s behaviours.
Strangers
“Parents have become strangers to their own children, same applies to their children who see their parents as total strangers to them as well. This can only be solved through continuous engagements between parents and their children and for parents to monitor their children’s whereabouts,” added Tengah.
Tengah says the parenting role should not be left to teachers but instead parents should always embrace their children.
The professional Consultant Clinical Psychologist says the current generation remains vulnerable and with many societal issues if not advised, guided and led through the right path, they may tumble or remain visionless.
The mental health expert who has been engaging parents in various occasions in bid to enable them play their parental roles seriously noted that mental health issue has affected larger population including parents and their children, thus the need for continuous engagement to curtail the adverse effects and impact of mental health challenges.
Tengah, through the Mental Health Research and Innovations is propagating for work place wellness and performance, suicide prevention and psychotherapy, trauma prevention as some of the various aspects that can negatively impact the mental health being of an individual.