Parenting: the art of raising children, and of relating to them in modern society

In this Prishtina Talks presentation, Përparim Blakaj — a specialist in education and child development — takes up in depth the idea of parenting as an art of upbringing and of interaction in modern society. The lecture is compact but wide-ranging: from the definitions of the terms to the fundamentals of successful parenting, and on to the role of the educator as a professional practitioner.

Blakaj begins by clarifying the terms. “Parenting” is the process of raising, bringing up, schooling and interacting in the care and wellbeing of children — physical, emotional, social and spiritual care alike. “Education” is the preparatory process for the development of the individual, and it happens through formal channels (the school) and non-formal and informal ones (outside school — programmes, projects, courses, platforms). He draws a critical distinction: in Albanian society upbringing and schooling are often confused with one another, and both are reduced to “the school” — when in reality the school, however good it is, can never replace the role of the parent as educator, or of the family around the child.

In the central part, Blakaj looks at the family as the basic unit where parenting happens, and identifies the key points of parenting as an idea: love and support as the foundation, active listening and open communication, care for the emotional development of children, and guiding them along the right paths in life. He takes up the concrete challenges of modern parenting too — technology, social media, outside influences — and how parents can manage those realities without losing their central role.

The lecture closes with the professional educator as a support to families and communities, whose role is not to replace the parent but to sustain the process, and with the key things every educator — professional or parent — should keep in mind in dealing with children in modern society.

Some of the points covered: 📌 Defining the terms: parenting, education, interaction 📌 The critical distinction between upbringing and schooling 📌 The formal, non-formal and informal channels of education 📌 The family as the basic unit of parenting 📌 The key points: love, support, active communication 📌 The challenges of modern parenting: technology and social media 📌 The professional educator as a support, not a replacement 📌 Professional practice in the education of children

📍 Prishtina Talks