The Importance of Parents’ Role in Fostering Critical Thinking and Empathy in Children

The Bincang Inspiratif podcast returns with an insightful discussion on the crucial role parents play in nurturing critical thinking and empathy in their children. In this episode, we are joined by Shahnaz Haque, a well-known figure and mother of three, who shares her personal experiences in guiding her children to develop critical, analytical, and creative thinking skills from a young age.

A key theme in this conversation is how technological advancements, particularly artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT, are increasingly shaping the way children learn. While AI can be a useful resource, Shahnaz emphasizes that direct interaction between parents and children remains essential for fostering their social and emotional development.

This episode also highlights the pivotal role of parents as their children’s first educators, especially in helping them manage emotions, establish positive habits, and cultivate empathy. Additionally, the discussion explores how unresolved emotional issues in parents can influence their parenting styles and, in turn, affect their children’s growth.

Throughout the conversation, Shahnaz encourages parents, teachers, and the wider community to embrace Ki Hajar Dewantara’s Tri Pusat Pendidikan (Three Education Centers) philosophy, which promotes collaboration between family, school, and the broader community to create a supportive learning environment.

Teachers are encouraged to create a fun learning environment to spark students’ interest in learning.

When children feel safe to explore new ideas and learn from their mistakes, they are better equipped to grow into resilient individuals capable of tackling future challenges.

Don’t miss out on this conversation and listen to it here: