A Bangladesh air force jet crashes into a school in Dhaka, killing at least 27 people
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The Standard
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China unveils childcare subsidies in push to boost fertility
Elderly people walk with children at a park in Beijing, China January 12, 2024. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photo
South China Morning Post
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Experts in Hong Kong discuss why gentle parenting is trending and why it may be useful for local families
If you're a parent in 2025, you'll have had a hard time avoiding the term 'gentle parenting'. Whether it's showing up on your social media feed or being demonstrated at play dates, gentle parenthood seems to be the hot topic in parenting circles this year. But what exactly is it? What principles does it stem from? And most importantly, does it work? Advertisement All families are different, from their multiple personalities and varied family structures, to the different needs and schedules of parents and children. On top of this, many different parenting styles exist , with the four most studied approaches being defined as authoritarian, authoritative, permissive and neglectful. Heep Hong Society's educational psychologist Jacqueline To aligns the gentle parenting movement with the authoritative parenting style, an approach coined by psychologist Diana Baumrind in the 1960s that sets clear boundaries and expectations with children, while also being responsive and supportive of their feelings and needs. Jacqueline To, Heep Hong Society's educational psychologist. Photo: Handout 'I think it's kind of like a terminology shift,' she says. '[Gentle parenting] is a recent buzzword, I would say. So there aren't really any specific studies embodying all the principles, but it is very relevant or very related to some of the other kinds of parenting styles that we've always been talking about.' She uses the expression 'gentle but firm', to highlight how the values of empathy and boundary-setting can coexist without being opposed. Dr Natalie Loong, a clinical psychologist at Central Minds, defines the approach as one that 'centres empathy, respect and emotional connection within the parent-child relationship'. She says 'in line with global trends, gentle parenting principles are gaining interest in parts of Asia, particularly among younger, urban parents, with millennials often leading the shift'. Advertisement Some experts suggest that the rising appeal of softer parenting techniques reflects a broader desire among parents to raise their children differently from how they themselves were raised. 'In many Asian cultures, traditional parenting has emphasised obedience, discipline and respect for hierarchy,' Loong adds. 'In response, some younger parents may be embracing gentle parenting and similar approaches as a way to break from the practices they experienced growing up.'
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- South China Morning Post
Singapore sinkhole rescue sparks calls for migrant worker safety reforms
The migrant workers who rescued a woman trapped in a sinkhole on a Singapore road over the weekend have drawn widespread praise, but their actions have also reignited debate over the conditions these labourers face, especially the contentious issue of transporting them in the backs of lorries. The rare incident occurred on Saturday evening along Tanjong Katong Road South, when a black Mazda was swallowed sideways into a three-metre (10-foot) deep cavity filled with murky water. Video footage circulating on social media showed workers sprinting to the scene and pulling the female driver to safety using a rope. One of the men involved, construction foreman Pitchai Udaiyappan Subbiah, was seen directing efforts from the roadside. Rather than jumping in, which he said would have left them unable to climb out, Subbiah instructed others to toss a nylon rope into the hole, then helped them hoist the woman up. After the rescue, he lent her his phone to call her daughter. By Monday, authorities had filled in the hole and were compacting the ground further, according to local lawmaker Goh Pei Ming. Additional safety tests would be conducted before the road could be reopened, he said. Dipa Swaminathan, founder of migrant worker charity ItsRainingRaincoats, noted this was the second recent case of foreign workers stepping in as first responders to save lives in Singapore. In April, a group of migrant labourers helped evacuate children from the second floor of a shophouse in River Valley after a fire broke out. 'This is just the second incident in recent months, but there have been countless over the years. If they see a crisis developing in front of them, they will never ever look the other way or walk the other way, they will come in to help,' she told This Week in Asia.
