Stakeholders Harp on Good Parenting For Children’s Success

Some stakeholders, on Saturday, identified good parenting as one of the key determinants of children’ future success.

The stakeholders, who spoke at a Parents’ Summit held in in Eruwa, Oyo State, said that good parenting would put children on the right direction, thereby enhancing the realization of their potentials.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the maiden edition of the summit was organised by an NGO, Centre for Advocacy, Leadership and Development in Africa (CALDA).

The event also witnessed the unveiling of a ‘Scholar Book Club’ which is a new initiative to inculcating reading habitat in teenagers.

NAN also reports that the summit, with the theme: “Igniting Lifelong Learning Journeys, had in attendance teachers (both serving and retired), parents, community leaders and guardians and counsellors, among others.

Speaking on the topic: ‘Tools for Effective Learning in the 21st Century’, the stakeholders said that parents had important roles to play in the lives of their children.

According to them, it is parents who shape their children’s lives and everyday experiences, which has major impacts on the children’s cognitive, academic and socio-emotional development.

Mrs Deborah Akinbola, a marriage counsellor and
Mr Olalekan Onike, a lecturer at Oyo State College of Agriculture, Igboora, said children were more likely to experience success in their life endeavours if their home environment was supportive.

Akinbola particularly said that parental involvement in the education of children should include provision of safe and healthy environment as well as appropriate learning experiences and support.

“Equipping children for a lifelong success is paramount but it must be deliberate efforts of the parents. So parents must be willing to perform their roles and give much attention to their children,” she said.

Akinbola, who noted that many parents had neglected their children and concentrated on their personal affairs, urged them to always assist their children in building self- esteem and discovering their talents.

Onike, on his own, stressed the need for home factor in the life of any child, adding that parents’ roles were also pertinent to his/her overall success and wellbeing.

He enjoined parents to monitor their children’s day-to-day activities to avoid bad peer influence.

The CALDA Founder, Olawale Ojewola, said that the summit was aimed at raising a generation of transformative leaders that would take charge of the nation’s affairs in the future.

Ojewola said that the summit has afforded the stakeholders, especially parents, the opportunity of identifying their respective roles in preparing children for future engagements.

Speaking on the unveiling of a ‘Scholar Book Club’, the CALDA founder said all critical stakeholders, including parents as well as religious, traditional, community leaders must embrace the initiative, in order to achieve the purpose of the initiative.

He hinted that weekly book reading programme would be organised in churches, mosques, schools and community centres within Eruwa, adding that it would be taken to other part of the state and the country at large.

He solicited for assistance from kind-hearted individuals in terms of funding books and other educational materials so as to bring them closer to the beneficiaries.

In their separate remarks, Mr Fatai Oseni, Chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers, Ibarapa-East branch; Chief Samuel Oladeni, Secretary, Eruwa Council of Elders and Chief Gabriel Ayankunle, a retired principal, said the summit would enhance educational development in Eruwa and the entire state.

Oseni said the summit was laudable and would go a long way in encouraging children to have more focus on their education.

“It is known fact that parenting is an essential part in the success of a child, but in recent time, parenting which ought to be process of educating a child from birth to adulthood is no more there again.

“Many parents do not have time for their children again and this development is very inimical to the success of a child in the society.

“So as a result, this programme will go a long way to encourage parents to be more focus in the education of their children,” he said

On his part, Oladeni urged parents to prioritise the education of their children and ensure that they give necessary support that would contribute to their children success in school.

Ayakunle said the organiser has been contributing his quota to the development of education in the town and call on others to emulate Ojewola in promoting education development in the community.

NAN also reports that primary and secondary school pupils/students, drawn from public and private schools in Ibarapa-East council area, attended the programme. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)