Post 8: Pilot assessment and final days in Meghalaya
After the preparation of the pilot, the Parental counseling sessions took place on July 16 and 18 in Ummulong Village’s CHC in Thadlaskein Block. Both sessions started at 1:00 PM, with an approximate duration of 150 minutes in the first session and 165 minutes in the second/final session, including a 30-minute lunch break each day. Twenty-five mothers participated in the first session and twenty-three in the second session. No fathers showed up. The results were fantastic. The activities performed during the sessions showed that mothers internalized various concepts explained by the counselors. For example, mothers seemed more aware of the importance of communicating sensitive topics with their children. Through group presentations and role plays, they highlighted the importance of active listening and employed some tips that the counselor recommended when having difficult conversations, like getting close to the teenager or avoiding getting angry with him/her, and being kind and not
