Speaking ahead of a debate held on Monday evening at Newcastle's fortnightly Café Culture event, educational psychologist Liz Todd and her colleague Dr Joel Yoeli said that parents were having more demands placed upon them than ever before, causing many parents to feel inadequate when caring for their children.
Dr Yoeli said, 'Today's children, rather than being emotionally deprived, are often actually over-indulged, where both parents and children care too much.'
The researchers also raised concerns that Government-funded parenting classes could do more harm than good, arguing that a 'one-size fits all approach' will not work.
Dr Todd said, 'Parenting classes can be useful in helping parents bond with other families and network, but it's hard to see how teaching the same thing to everyone will help individuals solve their own problems with their own children. We should work with families with humility, respect, care and the intent to develop a collaborative working relationship, where listening is the key.'
The researchers said that parenting professionals need to have relationships with particular families, which are based on responding to each family's individual concerns.
Dr Todd added, 'We as professionals need to talk to families in ways that are non-blaming, non-judgemental, and acknowledge that people are experts in their own lives.'
