Family stories, family time: Strong families improve parent and child wellbeing in Footprints in Time

Abstract

Parents and carers often say children learn about being Aboriginal or a Torres Strait Islander through family: "Listens to stories from relatives and his dad", "family history", "read dreamtime stories, watch Aboriginal TV programs together", "the family in the community" and "relationships and where they belong". Children in the study learn about being Indigenous from Mums and Dads, grandparents, teachers, aunties, uncles and Indigenous leaders and elders. Strong relationships and good support from extended family help Footprints in Time parents and carers maintain their own social and emotional wellbeing and that of their children. Analysis of Wave 5 data indicates those parents and carers who reported strong relationships and personal resilience in Wave 4 of the study had greater confidence in their parenting skills in Wave 5. In 2012 the LSIC children, who were around 8 years old, were asked who they would go to: if they were hurt or sick, sad, for help with homework, to talk about something good, about bullying, or to learn about being Aboriginal or a Torres Strait Islander. Children most often selected their mothers and fathers but grandmothers and teachers were also popular choices. More than a quarter of all children nominated more than one person they would go to, especially when something good had happened.