Triple P: Why This Parenting Program Can Lower Your Parenting Stress

Two years ago, a parenting program was launched and had a tremendous impact among parents. This parenting program involves commending a child on good behavior and agreeing on a gaming schedule.

Because the Triple P (Positive Parenting Programme) pilot has become apparently effective in helping parents handle their children better while lowering parenting stress, the program will be extended to more schools according to a report on The Straits Times.

Drawing on social learning, cognitive behavioral and developmental theory, the Triple P is designed to prepare parents with the needed skills and confidence to be self-sufficient and to be able to efficiently manage family issues with less ongoing support as cited on The Triple P.

Created in Australia, the Triple P was first introduced in twenty academes in Singapore in 2014. Just the previous year, the number of schools was increased to fifty, and 118 this year. Triple P will be offered in 178 schools by 2018.

The MSF (Ministry of Social and Family Development), in an assessment study of 535 parents, discovered that Triple P actually decreased the cases of behavioral problems among schoolchildren up to 33% according to The Straits Times. Parents really felt better equipped in dealing with their children. In addition, parents reported that their stress levels fell by up 38%. 5,500 parents have so far taken part in the pilot of Triple P.

Promoting children's psychological, social and emotional competence is the main target of Triple P parenting techniques. There are actually five levels of intervention. Parents are required to fill out a questionnaire in order to determine the level of support they need.

The Ministry of Social and Family Development has initially launched levels 2 and 3 that involve dealing with children who may have mild behavioral problems as well as those kids with mild to moderate problems correspondingly. In cases where families need more intense support, MSF also runs levels 4 and 5.

"There are no bad kids but there are kids with bad behaviours. So separate the child from his behaviour and start to look at what can be done," Evelyn Khong said. Khong is a Triple P trainer and a principal consultant at Fei Yue Community Services.

Simple tips include spending time with children outside of doing schoolwork to understand them.

Parents with children in Primary 3, Primary 4, Secondary 1 or Secondary 2 are offered with Triple P. At these stages, children goes through different phases of their lives and along with that different challenges seem to appear according to Tan Chuan-Jin of Minister for Social and Family Development. Tan Chuan-Jin attended a dialogue session with Triple P trainers.

"Talking to the trainers has reinforced my conviction that this is really quite compelling," Tan Chuan-Jin said. "When we have children, they don't come with an instruction booklet so we actually all learn by watching our parents, watching others and reading books. But parenting is also a skill that we need to learn," he added.