October 8, 2021 | St. John’s, Antigua | Benjamin Rasool
The South Leeward of Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (SLC) hosted a virtual parenting seminar from September 8 - 10, 2021. The seminar was a timely initiative of the Family Ministries department under the directorship of Dr. Mark Braithwaite. With over 300 participants, it was attended by a cross-section of persons from within the Conference, regionally and internationally.
The program was hosted by Benjamin Rasool and Brenda Gordon-Rasool from Montserrat. Several persons participated in the preliminaries leading up the feature presenter, Dr. Judith Josiah-Martin. Each night, Dr. Josiah-Martin delivered captivating, informative and intriguing presentations.
On the opening night, Dr. Josiah-Martin presented on the topic, ‘Speaking to Children’. The topic was delivered in a dynamic manner. Dr. Josiah-Martin explored parenting styles, which included the authoritarian, authoritative, neglectful and permissive. At the end of the presentation, it was concluded that the authoritative parenting style was the most acceptable.
The second night featured the topic, ‘Embracing Vulnerabilities’. This session revealed that parenting exposes the parents’ own weaknesses and vulnerabilities.
On the final night, Dr. Josiah-Martin dealt with the topic, ‘The Impact of Early-childhood Practices on Children.’ Here, the presenter highlighted that the parent’s own early-childhood experiences shape their attitudes toward childrearing. Another point of emphasis was that parenting is transformational and has the potential to change the past through present parenting practices.
Dr. Josiah-Martin equipped participants with relevant information and practical skills that can be utilized to improve the parent/child relationship in various parenting conditions and circumstances. The Conference is grateful to Dr. Josiah-Martin for such an exhilarating series of presentations. The participants benefited from the vast knowledge imparted, seeking to become better parents who intend to build better families.