RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD

PONSIBLE PARENTHOOD is the expected responsibility of parents in the process of raising and nurturing their children from infancy into becoming a responsible a adult. It is also the ability of the parents to respond to the needs and aspirations of their children.

Essentially, it means preparedness on the part of the parents to provide for their children those basic things that will enable such children to be responsible to meeting their own needs and that of the society in general.

ROLES  AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF RESPONSIBLE PARENTS.

1. PROVISION OF BASIC NEEDS: Parents are expected to provide their children with the basic needs of life such as food, clothes and shelter.
2. PROVISION OF EDUCATION: It is also the responsibility of every parent to provide sound education for their children.
3. ADEQUATE TRAINING: Parents are equally expected to give their children good home training.
4. DISCIPLINE: The child must be punished when he does something bad. Parents also have to design a good means of disciplining their children for wrongdoing as a corrective measure
5. PROVISION OF GOOD HOME: Responsible parents owe their children the duty of providing well and conducive environment for their children to dwell.
6. PROVIDING PROTECTION: Responsible parents will always seek for the protection of their children.
7. DEVELOP MUTUAL RESPECT: Parents must develop mutual respect mutual with their children. They should respect the feelings, opinion and privacy of their children.

IMPORTANCE OF RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD TO NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

1. RESPONSIBLE CITIZENRY: If parents are responsible, the children will turn out to become good and responsible children.
2. REDUCED CRIME RATE: Crime rate will reduce in the country if parents guide their wards towards responsible adulthood.
3. RAISING HEALTHY CHILDREN: Responsible parenthood will promote healthy, dedicated and committed citizens who will be ready to work towards the economic, social and political growth of the country.
4. RAISING FUTURE LEADERS: Responsible parenthood will also ensure the upbringing of children who will become future leaders of the country. Good upbringing will ensure positive leadership in our country.
5. PEACE WILL REIGN IN THE SOCIETY: Responsible parenthood will ensure peace, order and tranquility in the society when parents give proper and good education to their children.

TYPES OF PARENTS

There are five types of parents viz:

1. BIOLOGICAL PARENT: This is a parent that has a genetic relationship with a child. It is that parent that gave birth to the child. He is related to the child by blood.
2. ADOPTIVE PARENT: This is that parent who through legal means take voluntary responsibility for another person’s child. He takes the child as his own.
3. FOSTER PARENTS: This is a person who provides parental care to a child not related to him or her by blood or by legal ties.
4. STEP PARENT: This is the type of parent in which either the father or the mother has remarried.
5. SINGLE PARENT: A single parent could be a mother or a father who is related to the child by blood or through adoption. He takes the sole duty of bringing up the child.