PARENTING AND RESPONSIBILITIES By Victor Obinwa

 

PARENTING AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Author 08105790391

By Victor Obinwa

+2348105790391

In this article we are going to discuss in details the issues concerning parenting and responsibilities.

The reason for this is because in our society today, many parents have failed in their responsibilities to their children and this has led to increase in immorality and child labor as the order of the day. You hardly find a modern family that is built with the main family culture and respect which has brought about conflicts and separation amongst families in the name of western culture. Indeed, western culture has done a lot of good to us in terms of the way we think, act, communicate and also helped us to do away with cultures that has to do with encroaching in the rights of individuals in a given society, indiscriminate killing and shedding of innocent blood all in the name of culture and religion. Continue Reading............

In our society today we have abused the good intention of western culture and more especially in some families; they have abused the good intention of western culture and forgotten the family norms we are known for all in the name of western culture and to some people, fighting for gender equality in the wrong direction.

You can say that a parent is a care giver of a child or a father and a mother while parenting refers to the intricacies of raising a child and not exclusively for a biological relationship.

Responsibilities and duties of parents to their children

One of the ways to become a good parent is to understand who a parent is and the responsibilities that comes with parenthood.

A child needs to be guided on what to and what not to accept and those not to accept. It is also the duty of parents to guarantee protection of their children especially from negative effects against their wills.

Doing for your children what they are capable of doing for themselves

Many times, our children ask us to do something for them that we know they are capable of doing on their own. It calls for parents to let them be aware that they are no longer responsible for those things.

For example, your grade-schooler might not make his bed perfectly the first time, but practice (and doing it imperfectly several times) is what he needs to get to the point where he can do it on his own. Am not saying to stop preparing breakfast for your child once she’s old enough to pour her own cereal or to never do anything to help your kids out in a pinch. What I am saying is to let your kids struggle sometimes. Try your best to give them increasing levels of responsibilty; it will help in striking a balance.

Educating them on the cultural and religious values

It is your duty as a parent to call your children and educate them on cultural and religious values. They should be educated because they have the right to know the good and bad ways of the culture so that tomorrow they wouldn’t break the rules guiding the society all in the name of “I was not been told” always remember to remind them of the values we hold dearly until it sticks to their memory.

Teaching the children on time

As a parent, it is your duty to teach and educate them on time. For example,

When a child is up to 5,6,7 years he or she should know how to sweep the house, make his or her bed and wash the plates, but in a situation where by they don’t know all these things, he or she has the tendency of being lazy because as at 12 -14 years , a child is supposed to get used to doing the house chores by himself or herself whatever that the child is being taught from childhood and whatever the child is being taught during ,he or she grows up getting used to it.

Teaching your child to function independently

One of the roles of parents is teaching the child to appropriate skills and allowing the child to function independently. At a time, your child needs to learn how to emotionally soothe him or self, tie his shoes, wash his clothes and cope when someone teases him. He will need to develop and acquire more skills. He needs to know how to type a paper, drive a car say no to drugs and know that you mustn’t have all you wished for in life. And he needs to know that as he grows up, the level of his responsibility will grow throughout his life.

Teaching them respect

It is your duty as a parent to teach your children to respect each other because, part of the reasons why some families especially the children are torn in between each other is because of lack of respect. You can not talk about love and peace co existing in a family without respect. Respect is the most important ingredient they should grow up with and they should learn to respect their elder siblings and why it is important to do so, this shouldn’t be extended to you their parents and elder siblings only, it should also be extended to your working aids and elders living around the community. And also, know that the major ingredient that fosters peace and love in the family and community is respect.

Learn to say no to your kids

Don’t get used to saying yes and giving your kids all, they wished and asked for. Always learn to say no because by doing so you are making them know that they mustn’t have all they wished for. If not, they have the tendency of going to any extent to getting whatever they want if not given to them when they need it even if it means stealing or killing for it that is,if they don’t have it at the desired time they will be faced with the temption of applying all possible means to get them.

Teach them to be responsible for their actions

It is your duty to teach them to be responsible for their actions and to some extent fend for themselves incase, you are not there at the moment. For example, in a situation where by a child brings back a poor result back home, it is your duty as a parent to make the child know that even if he has a bad teacher, that should be the more reason him or her should study harder rather than blaming the teacher. And also, to some extent in life, allow him or her to face his/ her challenges. The reason is this, if the child doesn’t learn to be responsible at childhood, he or she will never learn to be a responsible man or woman in future.

Provide quality education for your children

It is your duty to provide your children with quality and not quantity education before any skill acquisition. Make sure you have a skill and take him or her through the skill he or she has passion for, not what you have passion for.

Learn from the mistakes they make

As parents, you should learn from the mistakes the children make as that would tell you how they think and behave when situation comes up. That is the more reason why you should always be with them as they grow up.

Discipline them when necessary

Whenever they do something wrong, don’t hesitate to discipline them but while disciplining the child, give him or her reason why he or she is being disciplined.

When ever they are in trouble be type of parent your children would see as a solution to their problem. Learn not be mean or the type of parent they wouldn’t want to run to because you are fast in conclusion and you are always assuming you know where they are landing all in the name of (you have been in the world before them). Learn to listen to them to the end of their story or problem and make the right judgements. Don’t always cut them off while talking because it makes them feel bad and will never want to talk to you about anything and always be open to them so that they will have the confidence of telling you things about them self and make you their role model and their best friend.

Treat your children equally

Always learn to treat your children equally. There shouldn’t be any special treatment given to any members of the family because when this happens, you are causing confusion and separation within the children. You might not notice it when you are alive but what will become of them when you are called to answer your creator. That is why as parents you must learn to treat them equally with love and respect for each other.

Providing financial assistance

It is the duty of parents to provide financial assistance to their children when needed. Don’t be the type of parents will always assume for example, using Nigeria as a case study, where we have national youth service corps where the government pays the individuals a certain amount of money which sometimes, cant do anything for them or will finish before time but because you are the type that works in assumption, and the child knowing you do so will not tell you if he or she needs assistance so therefore, you are exposing the child into the rays of immorality child labor and bad life all in the name of struggling to survive. Always ask them of their financial need at all times till the child is old enough to carter for him or her self.

Conclusion

Decades of research have demonstrated that the parent-child dyad and the environment of the family which includes all primary caregivers are at the foundation of children’s well- being and healthy development. From birth, children are learning and rely on parents and the other caregivers in their lives to protect and care for them. The impact of parents may never be greater than during the earliest years of life, when a child’s brain is rapidly developing and when nearly all of her or his experiences are created and shaped by parents and the family environment. Parents help children build and refine their knowledge and skills, charting a trajectory for their health and well-being during childhood and beyond.