Linking poor parenting to rise in crime

IT WAS a rude shock for me to have eavesdropped or subtly listened to a discussion between a daughter and her mother. The occasion was visiting day of my last daughter who is currently in her Senior Secondary School, class three of one of the secondary schools. The girl in question, l gathered, was in Senior Secondary School, class two.

  The mother wanted to see one of the girls’ teachers to express her gratitude for how she has been taking good care of her daughter. Her daughter asked her not to bother promising to inform the teacher about the gesture from the mother.  Desperately,the woman desired to meet the teacher one- on-one but the daughter vehemently refused. When the mother insisted and wanted to hop out of  her pleasure car, the daughter now  said :” mummy you want to come down on this? No, mummy, your skirt is too short and our teachers frown at this. “Therein, the woman didn’t know when she said:”My daughter, you are right; l ‘m sorry”. Apparently, suspecting  l heard what transpired, the woman looked at me askance. Certainly, l felt for the woman and so many questions confronted me: What kind of moral does this woman teach her child or children? What lesson can she offer to her children? What is our society turning into? No doubt, this is sad and most disheartening.

   Obviously, the upsurge of crime amongst youths in our nation should be attributed to parents’ faulty upbringing  of their children and wards. Most parents are like the woman who wore short skirt to her child’s  school. Definitely, anyone who wants to instill discipline on children should be disciplined. There is no way one gives what he or she does not have. Bad children, of course, metamorphosed into bad youths. Parents must get it right when the children are still in kindergarten or primary school, otherwise, when this children become adolescents, it becomes extremely difficult to mould them to better citizens.                              

  It’s quite sickening upstairs and disturbing at the rate young people engage in ritual killing, drug taking, drug trafficking and other vices in other to make quick money. ln recent time, a lot of youths have been reported to engage in ritual killings for the purpose of making quick money. This is lamentable! One may ask: Where did parents get it wrong? I think that upbringing of children should not be left for teachers alone. This ought to be a joint venture or efforts with parents and even the  church. But sincerely, parents need to put more effort, particularly, mothers. At tender ages, children are more attached to their mothers than fathers. This does not mean that fathers are exonerated whenever a child is found wanting. Parents must unite in upbringing of their children. There should not be discordant voices. One voice  character before their children or wards, respectively.

from the two means a lot. Therefore, parents and guardians should try as much as possible to exhibit good character before their children or wards, respectively.

  Certainly, youth engagement in drug abuse, rape, cultism, ritual killing and other vices is usually traced to bad parenting. Parents, teachers and clergymen should be more committed to the upbringing of children for a better society in the country. When you fail to inculcate discipline and moral values in your child or ward, the peer group will step in to “train” your child for you.                           

      Parents need to be sensitive to what their children need; the company they keep and their attitudinal change. There is absolute need to have well- groomed and disciplined children for a good society. When your child buys expensive car or phone and he or she is still in school, get to know how he or she managed to buy it. lf you fail to ask your child questions and caution him or her, then you are failing in your obligations. Definitely, you are supposed to be an accomplice when the child turns to a criminal. We must go back to basics; remember how our old parents instilled discipline on us and be prayerful at all times. Government too has a role to play. Industries and factories urgently need to be reinvigorated for ailing ones while new ones should be established to engage our youths meaningfully.           

  A stitch in time saves nine.