From addiction to advocacy: Iris Place Manager urges empathy in parenting

Manager of Iris Place Rehabilitation Centre, Allan Mends, has called on parents to strike a healthy balance between discipline and emotional connection in raising their children.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, April 22, Mr. Mends emphasised that it is possible for parents to adopt a firm, disciplinarian approach while still showing empathy and emotional support.

Sharing his personal journey, Mends revealed that he struggled with substance abuse for 33 years and has been in rehabilitation for the past eight. Despite being raised by strict and religious parents, he still found himself battling addiction.

Drawing from his experience, he highlighted that a rigid, disciplinarian upbringing does not necessarily ensure that children will grow up to be upright and responsible.

Mends urged parents to go beyond enforcing rules by taking time to understand and nurture their children’s emotional needs.

“Curiosity and peer pressure. I was young. I was brought up by a strict disciplinarian. I was brought up with the bible and the cane. I don’t fault my parents, but parents should go that extra mile to get to know the emotional aspect of their kids.

“They should treat their kids as their best friends so they will be able to open up and share,” he advised.

Source: channel1news