Karupuswamy's parent meetings

Karupuswamy has been concerned with children’s rights since he was in high school. He helped children with their homework, so they could keep up and did not have to quit school. He also participated in trainings about children’s rights, in the evenings after school. Because of those trainings he learned a lot about the problems that children are facing. Especially violence against children is a problem he often encounters. He is hoping for violence free & and children friendly families, schools, and communities. What is the problem?  Karupuswamy sees too much emotional and/or physical abuse of children in his community. This are often parents hitting their children, to punish them when for example they have misbehaved. This form of abuse is seen as normal, as a result, no action is being taken against it. Children often don’t understand where the abuse is coming from, which can lead to confusion, insecurity, and stress. It has big consequences on the personal development of the children. What is Karupuswamy’s solution? Karupuswamy wants to educate parents about positive, and child friendly ways of punishing children when they have misbehaved. He also wants to open the discussion about the negative impact of the abuse that is currently used as a punishment. Parents often don’t know any better, their own parents raised them the same way. That is why it is important to show them that it is also possible to raise their children differently. Karupuswamy will organize weekly meetings with parents and their children, to look at the behavior of children and their needs. The other way around, he also wants to look at the behavior of parents and their expectations. In this way parents and children will learn to understand each other, so they can better adapt to each other. Next to that, he wants to organize a lecture for parents, in which they will learn more about positive and child friendly parenting. He wants to be supported with this by professionals, to make sure they can pass on enough knowledge together. What is the goal?  Karupuswamy’s goal will be achieved when parents will understand the negative consequences of violence against children, stop using it, and start raising their children in a more positive way. How does Karupuswamy work?  Karupuswamy is the project leader. He is starting his project by developing teaching material with his friends, like stickers and posters. He is curious about what the responses of the parents will be, as this has been a habit for years. Who does Karupuswamy need?   Young people that have the same opinion about violence against children as he does. Help of the local children’s rights organizations. Professionals that voluntarily want to help with passing on their knowledge. What does he need? A printer to print the teaching material.