LEARNING is a constant process, regardless of age. A well-rounded child is raised in a family that holistically experiences life. And so parents, too, must undergo various stages of development concomitant with their children’s growth.
EDUCHILD School for Parents launched at Parents for Education Foundation, Inc. (PAREF) Westbridge School in Iloilo City on Aug. 8, is anchored in guiding young and old couples to become effective parent-leaders of their families.
It is a non-stock, non-profit organization under PAREF whose educational philosophy is inspired by the teachings of St. Josemaria Escriva – integral education and parents as the primary character educators of their children.
In PAREF, the education of children is, first and foremost, the responsibility of parents. Therefore, collaboration and partnership between the school and the home are essential to ensuring the student’s holistic development, which helps them achieve their potential and directs them towards doing good.
“Parenting is not a technical task. What parents do in EDUCHILD is pick up ideas, bring them home, and apply them with their kids. At the end of the day, we are happy to see children who are mature enough. If a child is raised well, they should be able to make major decisions out of freedom and love,” said Atty. Diosdado B. Marasigan, president of EDUCHILD Foundation, Inc.
The PAREF-EDUCHILD School for Parents is the culmination of the installation in the PAREF Schools of Educhild’s Family Transformation Continuum (FTC).
FTC spans through the different phases of a child’s development, from early childhood to middle childhood to adolescence. Each stage calls for parents to have a fresh understanding of their child’s developmental needs — cognitive, socio-emotional, and physiological.
Thus, a parent cannot be stuck with one strategy for the entire duration of their child’s development; to be an effective parent, one has to change strategies at each stage.
EDUCHILD conducts marriage and age-appropriate parenting courses. It also conducts a course for single young professionals. All corresponding to each developmental phase.
“We always hear from parents that they would always know who the PAREF parents are or who attended EDUCHILD because there is always something different. It is not quantitative; we cannot quantify the benefits of the courses, but it’s in the children themselves. I guess the best measure for us is when they discover what their vocations are and with a sense of commitment, when they get married and how they raise their children, or when we see them make use of freedom in the right sense and responsibly,” said Mrs. Noemi Marasigan.
Integral education develops a child into a well-rounded individual by forming all aspects of her person — the physical, social, intellectual, moral, and spiritual — in an atmosphere of love for the truth and respect for dignity and freedom.
“We don’t want to give the impression na ‘yung mga taga-EDUCHILD are perfect parents. We go through phases; we go through struggles. But the good thing is, because of what we learn, okay lang ‘yung mag-commit ng mistakes. And we know we can do something about it; may forgiveness and then merong “bangon ulit.” We don’t expect our children to be perfect, either. That family environment of forgiveness, unity, and overcoming struggles together.” Mrs. Noemi also said.
Atty. Diosdado added: “And the support system — we’re building a community of parents with the same set of values and principles. ‘Di ba merong kasabihan, ‘It takes a village to raise a child’. We help each other raise our children.”
PAREF Westbridge is headed by Executive Director Gino Lacaya, and EDUCHILD Iloilo is headed by Area Chairpersons Mari and Diane Cacho./PN
