JEDDAH, 15 July 2005 — Maharat Center for children’s cognitive skills development is holding a program called “Be Strong” to help children aged 6 to 11 develop their self-esteem and gain problem-solving skills.
The sessions will be held three days a week — Saturdays, Mondays and Wednesdays — starting tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 12. Ebtisam Al-Arabi, a tutor and counseling specialist and the program director at Maharat, said that the goal is to develop a positive attitude, confidence and communication skills in the child.
“If a child feels weak and loses self-respect,” she said “that will have a negative impact on his attitude and behavior.”
She said that the child would begin to feel helpless and lose enthusiasm and energy and become unhappy.
“Age five is a very critical age in a child’s life because that is when he begins to develop an opinion or belief about himself.
We are starting our program with children aged six to try and instill positive thoughts and attitudes in them,” Al-Arabi told Arab News.
She explained that children develop their self-belief from their family, school, friends and unconscious thoughts.
“Sometimes the family members, including mothers, are unaware how the way they treat their child affects his self-esteem especially if there is more than one child. This becomes reflected in the child’s behavior,” she said.
The program includes activities, field trips and role-playing.
The program is through group tutoring and group therapy but if a child needs more help Al-Arabi said individual sessions could be arranged.
The Maharat Center is planning to provide group counseling to mothers on developing their children’s self-esteem and making them aware of what affects it.
For more information call 665-6218. It is located off Arafat Street in Al-Hamra District.
