Despite the autumn chill, our 36th Parent School was filled with warmth on October 16, 2025, as families gathered to explore teen communication through positive psychology.
"Seeing everyone choose to be here in person means so much," opened Ms. Toni Dong, THIS Vice Principal of Operation. "We established the Parent School hoping to create this exact kind of platform – one that supports not only our children's growth but, just as importantly, the growth of us parents ourselves."
Parent representative Mr. Lu shared insights from the Parent Council Well-being Team. "At our school, well-being is our foremost core value," he shared, “A recent parent survey revealed shared concerns – from academic anxiety and social integration to emotional fluctuations and parent-child communication. These genuine challenges are precisely why we come together.”
Mr. Zhang Peng from Tsinghua University captivated the audience, using humor and relatable case studies to explore the fascinating world of Positive Psychology.
Key Takeaways:
Move Beyond 'Control,' Embrace 'Connection': Rewards and punishments that worked in earlier years often fail with adolescents because teens crave understanding, not control.
"Love is What Makes a Mother": Classic psychological experiments show that baby monkeys prefer a soft, cuddly "mother" surrogate over one that merely provides food. In our era of material abundance, the most precious gifts we can offer our children are steady emotional support and genuine connection.
Seeing the "Invisible Gorilla": Often, by focusing solely on grades (like counting basketball passes), we miss significant changes in our children's emotional state (like a gorilla walking through the scene). We must look beyond the "report card filter" to truly see the child.
Depositing "Happiness" into the Relationship "Bank": The "Three Good Things" practice, validated by over 1.5 million people globally, is a fantastic investment in the family emotional bank. Recording three small positive things daily builds resilience against negativity.
Mr. Zhang concluded that the essence of education isn't avoiding conflict, but ensuring we have enough positive shared experiences to repair and nurture the relationship afterwards.
In addition to the parents on site feeling greatly inspired, thousands more joined via live stream. One excited parent shared with us: "I listened to the entire session. Mr. Zhang's presentation was relaxed and engaging—completely free from any lecturing or patronizing tone. The suggestions he offered were practical and easy for parents to implement."
During the Q&A session, parents raised pointed, real-world questions, which, through Mr. Zhang's expertise became valuable learning moments for all.
On Emotional Release: A child vents by hitting cardboard boxes in their room? Mr. Zhang affirmed this is a normal emotional outlet, if not harmful to self and others. He suggested parents develop more healthier ways of letting out emotions with children together.
On Online Gaming: Discovered your child secretly playing mature-rated games? "Guidance" is always wiser than "Restriction." Understand their needs from the game and establish rules together.
On Communication Techniques: Should you tell your child about these new "strategies"? Authenticity is the only technique that matters. Be open about your learning and invite them to try "Three Good Things" with you.
After the dynamic exchange, THIS Executive Principal Ms. Zhu Ying made the concluding remarks. Principal Zhu offered profound insights, reframing Confucian wisdom: "The past is like flowing water" reminds us to sometimes "let go," allowing educational anxieties to flow away. "Do not neglect any good deed, no matter how small" urges us to discover and cherish life's "small yet certain blessings".
We understand that there are no standard answers in education - every family is navigating its own unique path. That's exactly why we need this warm, supportive community and an event like Parent School. Here at THIS, questions can be openly shared, experiences sincerely passed along, and the challenges of growth transformed into shared learning opportunities.
Our journey of growth continues in November. Let's keep moving forward together in this community built on trust and mutual support. We all believe that the best education always happens where hearts connect most closely.
