Parenting Amidst Pandemic: A Basis for a Positive Discipline Parent Education Program

This research aims to determine the parenting styles, parenting issues and concerns, and the coping strategies of the respondents amidst the pandemic among the selected parents of students in one of the public junior high schools in Lucena City. The data gathered served as a basis for developing a positive discipline education program for parents. The study respondents were the selected parents or guardians of Grade 7-10. The findings revealed that most parent-respondents are in the age bracket of 36-40, female, with P10,000 and below family income, unemployed, having their mother as their guardian, and having three or more children in the family. They strongly agree that they practice a balanced and overbearing parenting style. They identified the issues and concerns during a pandemic such as jobs and finance, learning modality in the new normal, behavioral changes among their children, and managing them. The coping strategies of the parent-respondents to resolve the arising issues and concerns amidst pandemic are utilized meaning-focused strategy, social support strategy, self-control, and self-management strategies. It was also revealed that parent-respondents have the same parenting style practices regardless of age. However, they differ in terms of permissive parenting style between male and female; in term of uninvolved parenting style across their educational attainment; in terms of permissive and uninvolved parenting styles and family income; and in terms of permissive parenting style and employment status and relationship between parents and their children. Thus, various recommendations are drawn, including adopting and implementing the Positive Discipline Parent Education Program among schools and parents, and were also encouraged to participate in training and workshops.