ABSTRACT
Many parents occupy time and space with their children but do not know or understand their children. Parents at all socioeconomic levels in our society today are under tremendous stresses from economic and societal demands and from time commitments required to maintain their standards of living and lifestyles. These commitments take parents away from their children physically and emotionally and thus place great stress on children, because their parents are unable to fulfill their needs for emotional nurturing. That so many parents are unaware of their children’s emotional needs and lack the skills necessary to interact effectively on an emotional level with their children is both frightening and depressing. Parenting is so much more than a biological happening. Children need time for emotional sharing with their parents, and parents need to know how to respond in facilitative ways if
the necessary relationship is to develop. Unfortunately, many parents are basically not acquainted with their children because they have not taken time to be with their children in such a way as to allow them to be the persons they are.
