Community workshop for parents of young children
Interactive session to focus on how to help children process what is happening around them
Modern parenting often takes place at an exhausting pace. Between work schedules, school commitments and the everyday logistics of family life, it becomes easy to fall into what might be called automatic mode – responding quickly, solving problems in the moment, and hoping we are doing enough.
Yet raising children has never been simply about efficiency.
What shapes children most are the quieter things: conversations at the end of the day, the patience shown when emotions run high, the sense that someone is truly present and listening.
Ironically, in an age where information about parenting is everywhere, many parents feel more uncertain than ever. What is often missing are spaces where they can pause, reflect and talk honestly about the realities of raising children.
Parenting was never meant to be done in isolation. Communities have always supported families by sharing experiences, passing on knowledge, and helping parents see situations from different perspectives. In today’s fast-paced society those spaces have become rarer, even as the need for them has grown.
For those working in early childhood education and care, this need is visible every day. The early years are a period of extraordinary development, but they can also bring many questions: behaviour that seems puzzling, emotional reactions that appear sudden, or routines that become unexpectedly difficult. These are not signs of failure – they are part of the landscape of growing up.
It is within that spirit that Child Educare Services – which operates childcare centres and a kindergarten – is hosting a community workshop on Tuesday, April 21. Running from 2.30pm to 3.30pm at Il-Perla Kindergarten, the session is titled ‘From Overwhelmed to Regulated: Supporting Sensory Needs Every Day’. It will be facilitated by Dr Jonathan Borg and is open to parents and caregivers. Childminding will be available for those who need it.
The focus of the workshop – sensory processing – is an area that often lies behind children’s behaviour but is not always widely understood.
When children become overwhelmed, restless, or unusually withdrawn, it is sometimes because their sensory systems are struggling to process what is happening around them. A loud room, certain textures, or busy environments can feel genuinely distressing to a child whose nervous system is working harder than most adults realise.
Understanding this can shift the way adults respond. Rather than interpreting these moments as defiance or difficulty, parents who recognise sensory triggers are better placed to offer the kind of calm, targeted support that helps children regulate – and, over time, build their own coping strategies.
The session will be interactive. Parents will have the opportunity to ask questions, explore practical strategies and connect with other families navigating similar experiences. The intention is not to offer rigid formulas, but to open conversations that families can adapt to their own situations.
Abigail Church is manager at the Child Educare Services, University of Malta. For further information, e-mail enrolment.ces@um.edu.mt or call 2340 3153.