Involve children in conversations: Expert
Involve children in conversations: Expert
JAKARTA (JP): Parents' failure to involve children in conversations is the cause of many Indonesians' inability to express their ideas, an expert said yesterday.
Dr. Lily I. Rilantono, chairperson of the Communication Forum for the Promotion and Development of the Indonesian Child, said people often think that expressing ideas is a skill limited only to adults.
"This is why many parents don't try to include children in conversations," explained Lily, who is also an expert on children's heart surgery.
Lily added that an ability to express ideas is also an indicator to the success of a child's education. She said: "Children who are able to express ideas show that they receive good education," said Lily.
Lily announced yesterday the forum will hold a three-day meeting on child welfare, starting on Friday. Some 180 experts on children, many of whom are the forum's members, will attend the gathering which will be opened by Coordinating Minister for Social Welfare Azwar Anas.
Other speakers at the meeting are Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M, Minister of National Development Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita, and Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security Soesilo Soedarman.
The gathering will be opened at the home affairs ministry, but the meeting will be conducted at Safari Garden Hotel in Cisarua, Bogor.
"One of our agendas is a discussion about child workers," deputy chairman of the forum, Soesanto Martodiharjo, said.
Lily said that it is difficult to reduce the number of child workers in Indonesia.
"The rapid economic growth is not followed by improvement in people's income, and that is why some children have to work," she said.
The number of child workers in Indonesia has increased along with the growing population. A 1993 survey put the number of Indonesian working children at 2.6 million, 2.31 million of which live in rural areas.
In a critical tone, Lily spoke about the multitude of seminars held to only talk about children, but did nothing to improve their lot.
"Those people discussed the physical development or the achievements of children, but failed to pay attention to the children's mental development such as their inability to socialize or express ideas," she said.
She explained that the forum, a non-governmental organization established in 1984 with 11 branches nationwide, has several departments which campaign for more attention towards children's mental development.
She said the government has succeeded in reducing the rates of infant mortality and school dropouts, but pointed out that there are other urgent problems besides physical growth.
"Children today face different problems, including how to improve their quality," she said. (31)