Exceptional parenting session in Sydney to understand the minds of teenagers

A special parenting session, 'Understanding Teenage Language—The Hope of Understanding Your Language', was held in Sydney, Australia, to sensitize parents to the thoughts, behaviors, and feelings of teenagers growing up abroad. It discussed ways to bridge the generation gap, listen carefully to children, and strengthen family relationships.

Parents from the Bangladeshi community attended a two-hour session organised by the Notre Dame College Alumni Association Australia (NDCAAA) at the Emerald Hills Community Centre in Sydney on Sunday morning (October 11). The event was moderated by psychologist John Martin.

The discussion highlighted the challenges faced by Bangladeshi parents in raising their children in a different culture and social environment abroad. Particularly, the issues of changing children's behavior and thinking during adolescence, understanding their feelings, and reducing emotional distance from their parents are important.

John Martin says that parents often unknowingly behave in ways that can increase the distance between them and their children. Family relationships can be improved by listening carefully to children, giving importance to their feelings, and responding appropriately to the situation.

Role-play brings out real-life images

One of the highlights of the session was the role-play and live Q&A sessions. Real-life situations were portrayed through role-plays to explain the misunderstandings and communication barriers between parents and teenagers.

Arina, Swarg, Tanim and Ruby participated in the role-play. They acted out various family situations. Later, John Martin explained how to respond positively to those situations and build effective communication with the child.

During this time, participating parents also shared their daily life experiences and problems. The entire event became lively through discussions, Q&A, laughter, and emotional sharing of experiences.

'I don't want to be a difficult parent, I want to be a friend to my children'

Speaking at the event, NDCAAA President Saymon Hossain said that the main objective of this event is to bridge the language and cultural gap between expatriate parents and their children. Even though parents grow up in different countries and cultures, their children are growing up in an Australian environment. Therefore, it is important to understand the world and thoughts of their children and not be strict guardians, but to try to become friends.

He also said that there is no substitute for mutual respect, empathy, and effective communication to build a good relationship with children.

The breakfast was sponsored by Kenthurst-based organization 'The Hills Grove' as part of its support for the event. Gratitude is expressed to the NDCAAA executive committee members and participating community members for their cooperation in making the event a success.

The organizers said they plan to continue such initiatives on parenting, children's mental development, and family communication in the future. They also expressed their hope to organize the next session in 2027.

The message conveyed by the event is that it is equally important to understand the feelings and thoughts of children while building their future abroad. The panelists opined that parents can strengthen their relationship with children by listening carefully, respecting their feelings, and allowing them to develop their individuality.