The family is the basic unit of society. Primarily responsible for societal integration and intrinsically responsible for the welfare of members, the inculcation of norms and values, and the promotion of culture and continuity, ‘family’ has been renowned as a very important medium for the actualization of personal and group goals.

For humans, a family is started with the coming together of a man and a woman from where offspring are produced. From birth, children become dependents, relying on the capacity, class, and ability of guardians to provide, enhance and sustain their survival. Overtime, ideologies, beliefs, and outlook for living converge on the platform provided by parents with reconnaissance for engagements, confidence building, and religious associations determined by the family.

Historically, and from the standpoint of societal expectations, how a child makes that transition from dependency to independence will never be totally extricated from the platform that is available from childhood. For direction and association, ultimately, the strength of exposure and purpose takes root from the atmosphere that has been made available from birth.

Today, irrespective of the aspiration and the discovery of purpose made in adulthood by a member of a family, parenthood plays a vital role in self-discovery, confidence building, and impact at the developmental stages.

In Proverbs 22:6, the Holy Bible gives a clear purpose for the existence of parenthood. “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Unfortunately, today, the success rate of parenting seems to be at the lowest ebb with clear direction for living, productivity, and moral sanity lagging largely due to the fast pace of digital evolution and information communication globally today. ICT in itself has proved critical to the ease of living and the introduction of innovative tools that enhance commerce, trade, and finance. Nevertheless, it can also serve as a destructive instrument depending on its regulation.

While there is no rule book to the mode and structure of parenting a child, overall, the expectations are that direction for living is anchored on guidance. This forms the basic civil expectations as also upheld by law and therefore the attention of parents is first called by enforcement agents when children get involved in misdemeanors or break the law.

There are pointers to the failure of parenting today, no thanks to early exposure to moral vices, telecommunication, and peer pressure. Interestingly, our society hasn’t turned a blind eye, nor has it taken for granted the role of guidance in bringing up children that will be morally sound and fit for purpose, this is why streaming and TV companies include parental control in the various functionalities to regulate the exposure of children to contents that are inimical to their sane development. Universities have promulgated dress codes into a code of conduct to also reduce the rate of moral decadence and specifically improper dressing today.

In Africa, no thanks to early marriages of girls and a large void made possible due to the death of one or both parents, or divorce there is a vicious circle of abandonment of a child who at best is left to him/herself to interpret morality and living. Peer pressure has also found an enabling ground on the back of the absence of clear direction, love, and guidance. The pursuit of money and ambition now takes prominence with career attainment and actualization by professionals called ‘career parents’. Self-businessmen and women lose sight of the direction of children as they get involved in family businesses and self-struggle at a very young age and in the process get exposed to inimical vices.

Who bears the brunt of failed parenting? The society that has played host to all families. The unborn children will be transitioned into a failed society and the unborn generation of offspring yet unborn.

Currently, there is no replacement for the guidance offered by a parent. Where that is lacking, peer, technology, religious fanaticism and a host of other attractive spots will take that void. Parents in the least should ensure to stay close to their children, understand their unique makeup, their passion, and drive and provide the required support and guidance for a beautiful young adulthood. The world is full of so many evils already. Let’s ensure that the institution called parenthood doesn’t get lax such that children struggle to reap from the experiences of the older. Technology provides learning and exposure at little cost today. Parenthood is at risk but never relinquished!