| Abstract [eng] |
The laws in force in the Republic of Lithuania emphasize that parents must be able to perform their duties properly. However, we notice that the accelerating pace of life, technology, has significantly changed the daily life of family, as well as the active involvement of mothers into the labour market, processes of emigration, globalization and so on. So, it is difficult for parents to perform their duty to be parents on their own way. Therefore, parental education becomes especially important in this case. The object of the research – the need and opportunities for development of parenting skills of parents raising pre-school children. The aim of the research – to reveal the needs and opportunities for development of parenting skills of parents raising pre-school children. Research tasks: 1. To analyze the need and possibilities of parenting skills development from the theoretical point of view. 2. To reveal the opinion of teachers about the need and possibilities of parenting skills development of parents raising pre-school children. 3. To investigate parents‘ opinion about the need and possibilities of their parenting skills development. 4. On the basis of the research to prepare recommendations for the pedagogues of Klaipeda city pre-school education institutions on how to improve the process of parenting skills development, according to parents‘ needs. Research methods – analysis of scientific literature, analysis of documents, written survey of parents and teachers, analysis of quantative data. Two quantative studies were performed. The study involved fifty pre-school teachers and fifty parents from Klaipeda city. Most of educators, who participated in the research, are aged fifty one-sixty, have twenty years or more of pedagogical experience, and acquired the qualification category of a teacher methodologist. Also, many parents, aged thirty one-thirty five, have a university degree (bachelor‘s degree) and are curently raising one pre-school child. According to the educators, who participated in the study, opinion, parents lack knowledge and skills on how to deal with difficulties related to the child‘s impulsive behavior, the child‘s emotions, anxiety and increased child‘s activity. Parents stated that they lack following parenting knowledges and skills: difficult adaptation of the child in the pre-school educational institution, obstruction of the child, somatic complaints of the child without a clear medical reason, etc. However, many parents indicated that they have not participated in any parenting skills development and support program. Also, parents faced with the problems of children‘s educating and upbringing , almost never turned to the specialist of the center providing assistance to children and family in Klaipeda city and „Parents line“. It turned out that parents rasing pre-school children tend to improve their parenting skills and knowledge through self – education: they often discuss with other parents, educators, read articles online, and sometimes pedagogical and psychological literature. Quantative research has revealed that pedagogical parenting skills development is often organised by a group educator and speech therapist in pre-school educational institutions. Very rarely- psychologist and quests lecturers, almost never- a special educator. Parents are educated in various forms (group, individual, collective) in educational institutions. But both of them- teachers and parents – indicated that the most acceptable form of parents educating is individual (individual conversations, phone conversations, etc.). Many parents indicated that the pre-school educational institutions partially lack the following modern methods of education: opportunities to participate in virtual lectures and opportunities to observeand participate in virtual parents meetings. Parents also need the educational content about the child‘s achievements and how to solve the child‘s individual problems. |
