Raising children is essential, not only because of the stage of life in which it takes place most intensely (childhood and adolescence), but also because its effects will last throughout their lives and across all areas of their development.Parenting is a type of educational relationship that develops primarily within the family. It refers to the type of discipline and affection provided (and how that affection is expressed), the type of communication, the level of expectations, and the degree of autonomy given to children.This type of relationship is key to children’s socio-emotional development and health. It is fundamental to their present well-being and essential to their future social, emotional, and cognitive development. It plays a key role in promoting healthy relationships and, above all, in preventing adverse childhood experiences, the use of coercive discipline, and mental health problems both during childhood and adulthood, among others.

Talking about positive parenting means talking about a way of relating to and educating children based on respect and trust, through open and honest communication, where unconditional love prevails alongside clear and consistent boundaries. It means talking about empathy and dialogue, and about healthy ways of facing and resolving problems.I believe all these elements make more sense today than ever. They are the foundations of a cohesive and healthy society, where empathy and dialogue are central values. Concern for others, openness to differences, and the ability to express our ideas firmly but respectfully become fundamental.“The most important thing we can do to prevent serious behavioral problems, emotional difficulties, suffering, and even potential maltreatment of children is to help parents with the most important job in the world: raising the next generation.” — Professor Matt Sanders

Our participants have life stories marked by setbacks and by having disappointed those closest to them (their families), resulting in a loss of trust from those around them and from themselves. It is common to hear them say that they have stopped being trustworthy people. Through the positive parenting program, we provide them with parenting skills that help them partially regain that lost trust. We give them the opportunity to experience a process that strengthens them, providing tools to exercise parenthood in a healthy and safe way.On the other hand, many of them come from experiences of coercive parenting marked by violence, parental substance use, or abandonment. They express that they do not want this for their children and do not want to repeat the same parenting patterns, but they do not know how to do so. Through this workshop and parenting plan—which includes both workshops and activities throughout the year—we help them find alternative paths, change the way they educate their children, and establish themselves as affectionate yet firm, present, and connected fathers, with clear but non-aggressive boundaries.

Changing oneself is not easy. When change involves behaviors, cognitions, emotions, ways of relating to others and choosing whom to relate to, and often changes in work environments and even places of residence, the challenge becomes even greater and requires considerable energy, willingness, effort, and support.In this regard, I believe one of the daily challenges for the technical team is to provide support without taking away participants’ autonomy, to trust them without leaving them on their own, and to remain attentive without making them feel that they are being monitored.On the other hand, among the greatest contextual challenges, I identify the existing paradigms and judgments surrounding our participants. These judgments are loaded with stigma, making genuine inclusion more difficult and creating barriers, sometimes consciously and sometimes unconsciously.

The team is aware of this challenge and therefore addresses it continuously. Team members receive training, there are supervision spaces, and most of the time they work in pairs, precisely to maintain the necessary and healthy balance in providing support.As for the contextual challenges, I believe they are addressed by showing another side—the unknown side—of the participants. Breaking down barriers and challenging preconceived judgments through facts and testimonials from strong, determined, immensely valuable, and courageous people who, despite how difficult it has been and continues to be, are fighting to move forward and change their future.

I return to the first and second points. I believe that investing in emotional education and positive, respectful parenting is essential. Working with parents to develop parenting skills and secure attachments with their children will always be beneficial.Not only will we have more confident and secure parents with lower rates of mental health problems, but we will also help raise future adults who are autonomous, confident, respectful, responsible, empathetic, and capable of listening—people who can make a meaningful contribution to a fairer, more empathetic, dialogue-based, inclusive, and cohesive society.