Never too late to learn

Taoaba reads to his granddaughter.

In 2023, ChildFund held workshops on positive parenting, and Taoaba was one of the parents from Betio who was invited to participate since he had children at his home under the age of five.

Taoaba, a father to six children and grandfather to two grandchildren, was born on the island of Tabiteuea Maiaki but has been brought up on Betio, Tarawa.

As the head of the family, Taoaba’s main role is the caregiver and provider. He became a father at the age of 35 and became a grandfather at the age of 53. As a grandfather, he knows that parenting is the most challenging role, especially for him and his wife.

“I raised my kids with love and care but for my wife, she was quite the opposite. She was strict in disciplining our children and sometimes our children became defensive, and this leads them to be disrespectful,” he says.

Taoaba thought that he really knew how to do parenting but while attending the workshop, he learned new things that are important and valuable especially in raising a child.

Firstly, being an active listener is crucial for parents, so that their children can be feel that you care about them and when they get older, they can openly share what they feel. Secondly, it is important as well for parents to spend some time reading with their kids to build a strong bond with them. Lastly, to avoid using physical punishment to our children because it might negatively impact their welfare.

“I thought I knew how to do parenting but after attending the workshop I now know that there are many things that I have just missed out in raising my children.”

He was grateful for the opportunity to attend the workshop and thinks it’s very important, but he feels sorry that it’s too late for him to apply this new knowledge with his children as his last child is now 15 years old.

“I’m too late now to apply these new parenting skills to my children, but I’m a grandfather and I’m going to apply this to my grandchildren and to pass on this message to my family.”

Finally, Taoaba encourages people who are given the opportunity to attend a ChildFund workshop as he believes that it can be very helpful for parents in raising their children now and in the future.