Reflecting on Our Interactive Parent Evening
Parenting comes with unique challenges, especially in today’s diverse and ever-changing world.
How do we balance screen time, foster independence, and create space for both family time and individual play? These were some of the key topics explored during our recent Interactive Parent Evening, led by Martine van den Bos, an orthopedagogue at the GGD and a mother of four.
Parenting in a Diverse World: Understanding, Choices, and Growth
Parenting is a journey filled with choices—shaped by our cultural background, personal values, and the ever-evolving needs of our children. How do we raise independent children while setting boundaries? How do we navigate screen time and encourage meaningful play? These were some of the central themes of our recent Interactive Parent Evening, where parents came together to reflect on the dynamics of parenting in a diverse world.
We explored key questions, such as:
🔹 What aspects of your culture do you want to hold on to, and what are you willing to let go?
🔹 How do children learn best—through repetition, action and response, or example and guidance?
🔹 What is the right balance between family time and alone time?
Parents shared their own experiences, discussing strategies for managing screen time, fostering autonomy, and supporting children in learning through play. A key lesson from the evening was that there is no single right way to parent—our approaches evolve based on our experiences, culture, and family dynamics.
For those looking for additional support, the Positive Parenting course provided by the GGD is free for residents of Haarlemmermeer. More details and registration for the English-language version are available here or via cursus@vrk.nl.
"Sometimes, parenting feels like a battle. Positive Parenting can offer support"