The global day of parenting recognises the “selfless commitment to children and their lifelong sacrifice towards nurturing this relationship”¹. Parenting is a lifelong commitment to the nurturing, care, love and support of children. Parents, caregivers, and families in South Africa find themselves facing challenging socio-economic circumstances, which include poverty, unemployment, food insecurity, family violence, fragmentation of family systems, and increased care responsibilities for women especially. These circumstances all contribute to the ever-increasing stress that parents and caregivers experience. Despite these challenges, the unique and many family structures which are found in our South African context, contribute to the resiliency of families.

It is the family, parents and caregivers that play the central role in child's wellbeing and development. They offer identity, love, care, provision and protection to children and adolescents as well as economic security and stability. However, given the reality of the stressors and challenges that parents and caregivers face, it is not always possible that child wellbeing needs are met. This calls for a need to support, empower and strengthen families through family- and community-based parenting programmes. The majority of parenting programmes, which have a strong evidence base are from high income  Western countries. Thus, innovative, locally developed and evaluated parenting programmes need to be developed for the South African context. There also needs to be a shift in the programme design of parenting interventions, where children – who are at the heart of the family, should be included as part of the intervention. Having children as part of parenting interventions will allow a space for the child’s voice to be heard and to provide a space for parents to better understand the world of their children. This, in turn, could contribute to family cohesion and bonding. The theme of Global Day of Parenting 2024 is that of the Promise of Playful Parenting – encouraging and supporting playful parenting through parenting interventions is needed. It is through play that a child communicates, interacts with, and makes sense of their world. It is also through play that important developmental milestones, including intellectual, social, emotional, and physical are reached.

However, the reality for many South African parents and caregivers is that they don’t have the time to play with their children. For parents and caregivers who experience high levels of unemployment and poverty, finding the time and physical or emotional energy to play with their children can be challenging. This is where parenting programmes need to strengthen and promote social and community networks in order to create safe play spaces for children. The first International Day of Play was celebrated on 11 June 2024 and this day aims to preserve, promote and prioritise play. It is through play that child-caregiver relations and bonds are improved, mental health of both parents and children is uplifted. Thus, it is through play that child and family wellbeing is strengthened. Let us continue to reflect on and create the spaces for both parents and children to thrive during the month that commemorates Global Parenting Day and the International Day of Play.

Dr Jenita Chiba is a lecturer at the Department of Social Work and Criminology.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Pretoria.