15 tips for Dubai parents from KHDA's webinar on positive parenting

Dubai: Dubai's Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), working with the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children (DFWAC), hosted a webinar on positive parenting, led by clinical and rehabilitation psychologist Anita Sunil.

With more than 30 years of cross-cultural experience across India, Oman and the UAE, Anita distilled decades of practice into simple, actionable advice for parents and caregivers to build stronger connections and calmer homes and make kids resilient.

Here are 15 takeaways from the 90-minute session moderated by Asma Dalmook of KHDA.

1. Ditch the "leash" rules

Set clear expectations, but frame them as guardrails for safety, not commands. Anita said a rule stated as a demand changes how a child receives it.

2. Talk, don't lecture

Communication should be a two-way dialogue, not a one-way instruction. Children need to feel heard, not just spoken at.

3. Know your own blueprint

Reflect on how you were raised and how it shapes your instincts today. Anita explained that most parents carry an inherited "blueprint" they never consciously chose.

4. Get on the same page

If you're co-parenting, align with your partner on rules and boundaries before enforcing them. Mixed signals confuse children.

5. Plan the structure, not just the rule

Want a screen-free dinner table? Anita recommended setting up the environment and routine to support it, rather than simply issuing an instruction.

6. Know the need behind the behaviour

An older child refusing to help isn't necessarily defiant; they may be absorbed in their own developmental need. Look for the "why" first.

7. Connect before you correct

Children who feel understood become far more receptive to guidance. This was Anita's central message of the entire session.

8. Swap praise for encouragement

Praise like "well done" can leave children feeling valued only for results. Anita said encouragement, which highlights effort, builds lasting confidence instead.

9. Discipline isn't punishment

Discipline should teach responsibility and problem-solving. Punishment, by contrast, tends to only cause harm without guiding a child forward.

10. Regulate yourself first

A calm, self-regulated adult helps raise a self-regulated child. Manage your own reaction before addressing a child's behaviour.

11. Name the emotion

Teach children, even very young ones, to identify what they're feeling. Anita called this a foundational step in helping them manage big emotions.

12. Make rules together, not for them

Involve children in setting household rules where possible. This builds clarity and a sense of shared responsibility.

13. Practise saying no

Role-play assertive phrases with your child, such as "no, I am not comfortable with that", to help them handle peer pressure with confidence.

14. Be a role model online too

Model the same healthy screen habits you expect from your children, especially during "digital parenting" moments.

15. Prioritise your own self-care

Anita, also a self-care specialist, urged caregivers to make space for themselves, recommending small rituals such as a quiet coffee, a favourite song or simply naming their own feelings, so they have the capacity to show up for their children, again and again.

The session closed with a reminder that self-care is not optional for parents. Anita gave attendees light-hearted homework: listening to "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music, watching how children open up on The Ellen Show featuring Steve Harvey, and taking an online love languages quiz with their partner.

She left participants with a final message: the goal of positive parenting is not perfect behaviour, but connection and consistently showing up for your child, amid all the demands of everyday life.