DOHA: Yelling at a child is the most common form of domestic violence against kids in Arab homes and it’s more prevalent than beating, a child rehabilitation expert has said.
Dr Musfer Al Qahtani, an expert in child rehabilitation, said Arab parents were yelling more at their children and they did not understand the devastating effects it had on their children.
“Yelling shuts down the communication with your children, it severs the bond you have developed and makes the child stay away from you instead of bringing him closer,” he said.
He said that yelling could involve cursing and calling children bad names and this verbal disciplining increased their risks of falling into depression at a young age.
Al Qahtani was presenting a paper on “The negative effects of satellite televisions on children’s behaviour” at Qatar Charity hall.
The session, attended by several parents, was organised by the Qatar Foundation for Social Protection and Rehabilitation as part of the celebration of World Children’s Day.
He said parents needed to take their responsibilities to children more seriously, protect them from all kinds of violence at home and outside and also watch their behaviour, taking a preventive measure to guide them on what is right and wrong.
“Asking children not to smoke is much easier than asking them to stop after they have picked up the habit.”
Al Qahtani also warned parents about the satellite televisions in their homes and said the first five years were the worst for children to stay longer on satellite televisions as these were the years when a child’s personality was formed depending on his surrounding environment.
Satellite televisions are diverting children from activities such as playing and connecting with family and friends and also affect their performance in schools.
He said satellite TV stations were broadcasting programmes like Witchcrafts and atheism in their home that could create doubts in children’s minds about the existence of God.
The satellite channels were also criticised for creating false personalities like Spider man, who have become models for most children discarding the noble personalities of the prophets and other good people.
He said some cartoon programmes for children were promoting a culture of violence and several kids were eager to put in practice whatever they saw cartoon characters doing.
Satellite channels have also led to creating a crime-ridden society through their programmes and news they broadcast, he said.
“Those who watch TV more often see the world to be more violent than it is,” he said.
The foundation is organising activities to celebrate World Children’s Day, including papers on topics such as the rights of children and children as victims of domestic violence to be presented at various centres.
Other activities include children’s dramas, competitions and gifts to exemplary children.
The Peninsula
