The need for parents to take responsibility

By Chris Onokpegu
Firstly, I want to appreciate God for His faithfulness and all that He has done thus far in our midst and in the lives of our children.
I also want to thank our parents for their cooperation and support towards the school. You will not labour in vain but enjoy the fruits of your labour. God Almighty will reward you richly in the name of Jesus, Amen.
The Bible says in Psalms 127:3 that: “Lo children are an heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is his reward.” The Bible verse indicates that God value children very well and that is why we must take good care of them.
It is pertinent to note that God is the owner of these children while we are mere caretakers and as caretakers, we must take responsibility.
However, research has shown that the trainings of children nowadays are being left in the hands of teachers and the school at large while most parents shy away from their responsibilities.
Many of them are no longer taking responsibility hence the many problems in the society today and because of that, many children have gone wild. They do all sorts of things that ordinarily they shouldn’t have, if their parents were responsible or have taken responsibility.
Some parents believe that taking their children to school is enough to mould them but they forgot that most of the times are spent at home with them. Even if they spend most or parts of their times in school, as parents, we should be able to teach them some basic and necessary things. The teachers or school cannot teach them everything.
Meanwhile, many parents claim to be too busy with their works hence they don’t have time for their children, they don’t even have time to check their note books let alone know whether they even went to school. Some children have adopted the style of taking extra clothes along with them which they change to as soon as they leave home, to visit their friends because they know definitely that their parents will not ask whether they went to school or not.
There is need for parents to always give attention to their children. The moment parents claim to be too busy and they don’t get their children attention, they will get it from strangers and that is what had led to many female children getting impregnated today.

As parent(s) you must ensure that your children are respectable. They must see the need to always greet people that are older than them. Parents must monitor what they wear and watch. Most of the ills in the country today are caused by what the children watch on televisions except for those who have access to other means.
Research has shown that most children today don’t know how to do house chores. Most parents prefer to engage the house helps/maids/nannies than make use of their children hence they don’t know how to sweep, wash dishes or clothes, cook, etc while the maids know how to do everything.
When the child grows up, she also engages a maid who does everything at home for her including cooking. Some women have lost their husbands to maids because of their inability to cook for their husbands or do other basic things that are expected of a wife.
So, as parents, there is need to train up the child the way they should go and when he/she is old, he/she will not depart from it, according to what the Bible says in Proverbs 22:6. Even though a Yoruba proverb says that the training of a child is in the hands of society but that does not mean that the parents shouldn’t take the sole responsibility.
If all parents decide to take responsibility and do what is expected of them, most of the problems in the country today will not only reduce but disappear into thin air. The lack of care by parents is the reason why we have armed robbers, terrorists, bandits, wife-beaters, ritualists, urchins, criminals everywhere but if the parents had taken responsibility, they would have groom better children and made them know the implications of what they were about going into.
Although, research also shows that most problems in the society are caused by children who grew up without parents due to death or negligence, those who are serving as parents/guardians to these children should do a lot more to give these children the required supports otherwise, they will grow up to hunt them one day.

However, as the general election is approaching, there is need for parents to monitor the activities of their children because this is the period that politicians use other people’s children for campaigns and negative vices while they keep their children abroad so that nothing or nobody can harm them.
They pay money and give arms to people’s children to fight their opponents in the name of politicking. If parents monitor and call their children to order, they won’t see anybody to use for their nefarious acts and the implication is that the election and atmosphere will be peaceful.
Pastors and other religious leaders should always teach the doctrine of Christ in churches, organize talkshows/seminars for the teenagers and youths on the need to live right and avoid wayward lives. There is also need to ensure that they are skillful-engaged while they also help to facilitate scholarship for those who want to further their education to reduce the level of frustration and depression in the society.
Government on its part should also take responsibility otherwise they will continue to groom criminals in the society. A responsive and responsibility should be interested in its youths since they are the future of tomorrow and the ones to take over the reins of power.
Finally, once again, as parents, there is need for us to take responsibility. It must not be left in the hands of teachers or strangers otherwise we might live to regret for the rest of our lives but that will not be our portion in Jesus name. Congratulations to all the wonderful parents out there who are helping to shape the world.
And for those who are about being parents, please ensure that you help groom a better society by taking responsibility and also training up your children the proper way with the fear of God.