Bullying and Children’s Mental Health Are Parents’ Main Concerns, According to IPB University Family Experts

Amidst the rapid pace of digitalization and modernization, parents’ concerns about their children’s well-being are increasing. According to a 2024 Ipsos survey, 37 percent of parents stated that their biggest concern was their children’s mental health, followed by 35 percent who were concerned about bullying.

In response to this, Prof Dwi Hastuti, a family science expert at IPB University, said that this situation already falls under the category of an “early warning.”

“Parental concerns exceeding 30 percent are certainly a warning sign. Ideally, no parent should feel worried because the environment should be safe for children,” she said.

According to Prof Dwi, the high level of concern indicates a major challenge in the parenting process. In today’s era, children are greatly influenced by the behavior portrayed in social media, films, and songs that may contain content that is not appropriate for their age, such as pornography and violence.

“Children who are not educated and raised by parents who are aware of such exposure will be easily influenced. Especially if the school and community environment reinforces violent or immoral behavior,” she explained.

She emphasized that the family is the main foundation for shaping a child’s character, although schools, society, and the government also have a big responsibility in supporting the morality of the younger generation.

To ensure the moral and emotional development of children, Prof Dwi emphasized the importance of providing positive emotions from an early age in order to form emotional attachment and a healthy self-concept. She also emphasized the implementation of character education.

Prof Dwi proposed the implementation of a tiered parenting program based on urgency: primary, secondary, and tertiary. For example, at the primary level, promotional measures such as socialization and education are needed to prevent moral damage to children.

“The secondary level involves preventive measures, namely providing consultation and counseling services to children in need. The tertiary level is more curative, providing social rehabilitation services to children who are addicted to drugs or by implementing family-based care alternatives,” she explained.

Prof Dwi added that strengthening parenting must accommodate spiritual and religious values. Messages about love, empathy, and responsibility need to be continuously conveyed through various communication channels so that they are embedded in the consciousness of the younger generation.

Conversely, negative values such as materialism, arrogance, and hate speech need to be replaced with The God Command Theory—the belief that every human action will be rewarded by God.

“Families, schools, and the government must work together to overcome the moral crisis facing the nation’s children. With collaboration and strong moral values, we can create a generation with noble character and high competitiveness without losing their identity,” concluded Prof Dwi Hastuti. (dh) (IAAS/ASY)