Monday, May 16, 2005

Super Nanny a social worker?

I've been dilligently catching 'Super Nanny' on channel Nine, Australian tv nowadays. It a half an hour show where this Super Nanny goes to family who has difficulties in taking care of their children. Children who are rude, spit in the face of the parents, swear at their parents and refuse to do anything their parents ask them to do, and mind you, these little rascals are barely 10 years old. What do know about the middle finger when u were 10? I knew nothing... Honest!

Anyway, Super Nanny goes to these people's home, observes the situation of the family for one day, identify the problem, comes back with solution the next and does an evaluation of the family progress at the end of the show. Its pretty much like what I'm taught in social work. First do an assessment with the family, find out who's the key players, who's the cause of the problem. Work with the your client (the person who needs help) to set out tasks that works towards the goal. Finally wrap up the session with an evaluation. I am able to identify many of my social work skills in the show, and it really strike me that theory and application can be so closely related.

Today's episodes really inspire me... Super Nanny said something about discipline, many parents nowadays simply give in too much to their children. They are doing this because they are afraid that they cannot get their children to love them. However, what they haven't realise is that they can discipline their kids and get them to love you all the same. As long as you punish the attitudes that are undesirable, explain to them why they are being punished and be at their level.

I guess this applies not only to kids, I'm sure, none of us like to be told what to do and get punish for nothing. We like to know WHY this, WHY that... we're so obsessed with the WHY questions... When you're punished, you'll like to know why too? You like to be given a chance to explain yourself as well. I've just had an interesting conversation with my friend from Hong Kong, that nobody has the rights to tell you what to do. If you find there's something that I did that you think is wrong, tell me, and we'll have a discussion about it. Guess, it's more than a show that teaches you how to teach your kids.

Bottom line: I think I'm really bored... *ArRgGh...*

Posted by Piglet at 9:50 PM

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