Hands of Hope organised the first Circle of Security Program in May to June 2022. It was a huge success, thanks to the overwhelming response from participants and the kind and compassionate instructor/facilitator, Dee Lim. We interviewed Dee to get to know her a little better:
Question: Tell us about your professional background and what you do, Dee.
Dee: I have a social work degree from NUS in Singapore. I have been working in Relationships Australia (add link here) for 15 years. I am currently a Community Educator, providing training and running programs in organizations like schools, churches and neighbourhood groups. Besides the Circle of Security Program, I also conduct another program for newly arrived refugees. This program covers parenting in Australia and is aimed at multicultural communities. We provide information about the legal, education and welfare system in Australia so that they know where to go to for further support.
Question: What do you think are the main challenges facing parents today?
With the increasing use of the Internet, parents may find it hard to supervise children’s usage or prevent possible addiction to computer games. Some are unsure on how to control their children’s behaviour around use of the Internet. Parents may find it challenging to assert their authority and take charge of the situation.
Parents are often time-poor, often juggling parenting with work, caring for aged parents and various other responsibilities. As a result, there is little time for self-care. They may feel guilty at doing something for themselves. However, lack of self-care can lead to mental and emotional distress.