Inspiring Arab parents to build healthy relationships with their children
Parenting is challenging at the best of times, but with large parts of the Arab World suffering the effects of war, economic turmoil, and social unrest, raising children can feel like an impossible task. For families living through dark times, SAT-7’s online parenting workshops are a beacon of light, sharing wisdom, hope, and love.
It is clear from the flood of positive feedback to the sessions led by Amal Ghaly that the workshops are having a positive impact on the daily life of parents who attend.
“For the first time, I won’t let people’s negative words affect me,” said one participant. “I learned from the lecture to be calmer and to speak positively to my children,” said another.
The workshops have a stimulating format. Visual elements on screen, such as diagrams and images, help to hold viewers’ attention, while practical exercises and question-and-answer sessions allow parents to engage with the material.
Amal Ghaly has plenty of experience in helping parents to work towards a healthier family life. She is the author of First Year of Parenting and is a qualified counsellor and coach who is currently studying marital counselling. She started the workshops for SAT-7 in August and they have been running weekly to support families since the escalation of conflict in Lebanon.
Each session focuses on a particular topic relating to healthy parenting – such as understanding teenagers, managing stress, and mental health – with most workshops getting between 50 and 100 live participants. But the impact spreads beyond the live event, with tens of thousands of viewers watching each session after it is reposted online.
HEALING AND LOVING
Amal is particularly interested in addressing psychological issues the parents may be carrying that, when healed, can help family members to love each other better.
In one episode about showing love to your children, Amal explains how “healing and dealing with [your own] childhood experiences” can transform your ability to love your own children. “Parents who show love to their children are the ones who understand what they experienced as children and what effect it had on them,” she said.
In a region where traditional styles of parenting can create an unhealthy family dynamic, Amal is encouraging a style of parenting based on intimacy, communication, and love.
“Show love to your child by being present and understanding of what they are experiencing,” she says in one episode. “Show them that you understand their feelings, because this shows that you accept them as a human being. When they are in pain, show them that you understand their pain, because this validates their feelings and shows them that they are of value to you.”
Many of the participants have been helped to see the profound value of what they do and to parent their children in a calmer, more loving way.
“Thank you for reminding me of the beautiful things I do,” one mother wrote. “With all the service and busyness… I had forgotten what was inside me. Thank you, Amal.”
After a recent session, one parent reflected, “I learned to connect with myself more, try to understand myself better, and create a daily schedule to help me stay on top of things. Now I know how to control my anger, and I will always be grateful.”