Rasbert Turner, Portmore Star Writer

The Power of Faith Ministries and the National Council for Drug Abuse (NCDA) have joined forces to arm parents with the necessary skills to deal with the problem of indiscipline.

A parenting workshop held at the Power of Faith Complex in the Portmore town centre last Saturday was to show the way forward.

David Gordon from the NCDA told parents who turned out that it is necessary for intervention as the 1997 Ken Douglas survey said there is an increase in use of drugs in the 12 to 17 age group. Gordon, a field officer for the NCDA, said the 2006 National School Survey listed peer pressure and stress as the two main reasons why that age group uses drugs.

He told THE PORTMORE STAR that ganja smoking tops the list with cigarette and alcohol following close behind.

Making the job easier

The coming together with local groups would make the job of the parents easier as most of the children are socialised in the church.

Lameta Lugg, a counselling officer at the Power of Faith Counselling Centre, endorsed the views of Gordon. "Effective communication with your child can be a turning point in their lives oftentimes. Peer pressure robs them of proper direction and drugs and other elements can hurt them," Lugg told the audience. "There is also the need for parents to be taught how to relate to their children, as this is also very important for good harmony in the family."

A number of the participants told THE PORTMORE STAR that the workshop has been very good for them. "This is very important for me being a young parent. I take my hat off to the organisers of the seminars and workshop. It makes me so much more aware of what makes effective parenting," Sharon Goulbourne said.

Michael Hutchinson told THE PORTMORE STAR that the aim of the exercise is to empower parents on how the get the best out of their children.