Family Resilience Is Important to Benefit from the Demographic Bonus

The role of the family in supporting the nation to benefit from the demographic bonus needs attention. Strong families support quality parenting to produce superior young generations.

The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI. The original article can be found in Ketangguhan Keluarga Penting untuk Mendapat Manfaat Bonus Demografi

FAKHRI FADLURROHMAN

Three children were playing with gadgets while on vacation with their family in Banteng Park, Jakarta, on Sunday (2/7/2023).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS - Family resilience is needed to support the preparation of happy, prosperous, and capable human resources to face the challenges of change. Various national issues related to children, youth, and the elderly can be addressed by supporting the resilience and toughness of families.

If the human quality is good, Indonesia, which will have more productive age population, will reap the benefits of a demographic bonus. This is not only aimed at achieving economic progress, but also happiness and prosperity. Thus, quality family care needs to be an important concern.

It was revealed in a webinar entitled "National Resilience Starts From Home" which was held by the Suluh Keluarga Academy on Saturday (5/8/2023). The speakers were representatives from the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture (Kemenko PMK), National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek), National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), as well as several family education practitioners.

A healthy, smart, happy, and morally upright generation can be realized from a strong, happy, and prosperous family.

Assistant Deputy of Family Resilience and Prosperity of the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture, Mustikorini Indrijatiningrum, stated that human development first stems from the family. Improving the quality of human resources (HR) is one way to improve the quality of life and welfare as well as human dignity and values, and policy direction supporting the resilience of individuals and families as the driving force behind development is crucial. This is to ensure that no one is left behind in development.

The government has created indicators for the success of family development through the Family Development Index (iBangga), which consists of three dimensions: independence, peace, and happiness. The goal is to realize high-quality family development. The iBangga achievement in 2021 is 54.01, in 2022 (56.07), and the target is to reach 61 in 2024.

"One of the strategic issues in developing human resources is family resilience and welfare. This is because a healthy, intelligent, cheerful, and moral generation can be realized from a strong, happy, and prosperous family," said Indri.

According to him, the state is present by ensuring that families can support themselves and maintain their family. Family resilience can be realized through quality interactions between family members.

Also read: Quality Families for the sake of Excellence Generation

"In this digital era, the space for interaction has shifted from the physical world to the virtual world. This presents a challenge in maintaining family resilience. Good family resilience is a fundamental basis for achieving national resilience. Strong families can increase national resilience through education and health that impacts the human development index, which requires the role of parents and all family members," said Indri.

Similarly, with regards to the utilization of technology, families have an important role. In 2023, internet users have reached 77 percent of the total population. The number of active social media users is more than 167 million people or about 60 percent.

However, the Ministry of Communication and Informatics as of 1 July 2023 has blocked more than 3.6 million negative content, such as pornography, online gambling, online fraud, and hoax news. "Family is also the key to wisely utilizing digital technology with good digital literacy to avoid various crimes in the digital space," said Indri.

Avoid social problems

Deputy of Human Development, Society, and Culture at the National Development Planning Agency/Bappenas, Amich Alhumami, stated that there are currently around 70.759 million households recorded. Well-functioning families can avoid various social problems and violence among children and women. In fact, families can become a determining force to prepare excellent and high-quality human resources.

”How important the social issues facing the nation are also seen in relation to family upbringing and family resilience. By strengthening the base of the smallest institution, namely the family, it can support the development of a good and quality nation," he continued.

Also read: The Role of Parents in Parenting is Irreplaceable

Amich presented various family conditions in Indonesia. The divorce rate tends to increase, reaching 452,443 cases in 2022. The causes range from constant disputes or quarrels, economic factors, one party leaving their partner, to issues of domestic violence or alcoholism.

There is also a problem of child marriage under the age of 15 or before the age of 18. In fact, in 2022, which is still during the Covid-19 pandemic, there were 830 cases of child marriage dispensation.

KOMPAS/ABDULLAH FIKRI ASHRI

The atmosphere of the formation of the Joint Movement Team to Prevent Divorce or Geber Ceper in Cirebon Regency, West Java, on Tuesday (30/5/2023).

Advances in digital technology also put children at risk. About 45 percent of the 2,777 children aged 14-24 years have experienced cyber bullying. This risk is due to the younger age of social media users, the longer the duration of using social media, an average of 60-180 minutes a day.

Likewise the threat of alcohol consumption to drug abuse. The largest distribution of drug use in the past year was in the age group 25-49 years, both men and women, in rural and urban areas. Health cases that threaten one of them are HIV among productive age groups.

"Strengthening the family is important as the forefront of social development and people's welfare," said Amich.

Character education

The Head of the Curriculum Standards Agency, Educational Assessment of the Ministry of Education and Culture and Research Technology, Anindito Aditomo, stated that the role of families, especially parents, is important during a child's pre-school years and throughout their schooling. Furthermore, with the Merdeka Belajar policy, educational transformation is being carried out to anticipate rapid changes that occur in various sectors of life.

"The paradigm of parents also needs to change to support children in mastering basic skills and character. The goal of independent learning is no longer to burden children with a lot of learning material, but to strengthen their skills and character that prepare them to face the future, namely strengthening critical thinking, independence, moral and spiritual values, creativity, social collaboration, global citizenship, as well as literacy and numeracy. Parents support their children starting from the first 1,000 days until they go to school," said Anindito.

KOMPAS/ESTER LINCE NAPITUPULU

Wida Muhadjir Effendy reads books to children. Reading books also instills character in children in the family.

Anindito elaborated that parents need to ensure a family environment that lays the foundation for better thinking and emotional skills, as the impact will make children more prepared to absorb information at school.

"The gap on the first day of school has already occurred. This depends on the role of the family / home environment which is able to lay the foundation for children to be ready for structured learning. The family does not focus on the mechanical ability of children to read and write, but rather habits of reading, paying attention to specific information, and the ability to manage emotions. All of this is first built within the family," explained Anindito.

The Chairman of the Indonesian Child Protection Agency, Seto Mulyadi, stated that child-friendly families must continue to be developed. By creating a pleasant family environment, children can grow and develop well while their rights are protected.

Winner Profile Founder Irwan Amrun said that a family that is strong and ready to face future challenges must be a concern. Families must also be agile or agile to face changes and learn from challenges to develop.

Also read: Conscious Choice of Educating Children through Home Schooling

"Developing resilience in children from home will create a winner's mental profile in children. Don't worry about failing, as long as you can get up," said Irwan.

Director of Suluh Keluarga Academy and Secretary General of the Alternative School and Education Association (Asah Pena), Lovely B, said that empowering families enables parents to play a quality role, including in their children's education. More and more parents are consciously choosing home education for their children.

"Especially to ensure character education, the family is the first and primary place for children to learn the values ​​of goodness and life," said Lovely.