CHILD HEALTH DEVELOPMENT: ARE PARENTAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS NEEDED?

Managing a family is the biggest responsibility one could think of. From the definition of a family, as the basic unit of society, one would note that everything begin with a family.
For example; responsible verses irresponsible citizenship, lazy and unproductive verses productive citizens, risky sex behaviors verses safer and health sex behaviors etcetera.

It would be at family level that most credible judgments would be made about any aspiring community leader. If one failed as head of the family or has never experienced such headship, then, there could be a reason to worry. So many dynamics of management learnt at this level would help anyone through bigger management systems.

Indeed, heads of the family do require so much to succeed. Certain knowledge and skills would be needed before joining family life. Entry would call for answers to different questions before deciding like when to marry, with whom to have children, when to have children and how many children, what would it take, what benefits, what health (cultural, religious, social, economic) values must be followed, what would be parents’ roles and responsibilities etcetera.

However, there are some people, who can be so shocking that one would wonder why they became parents. The fellows would seem as though were either raped or indecisive by nature so much that like remotest organisms never plan.

Again, they are the kinds, who say, “the gods will care, I must produce for my husband.” And, interestingly, would sound as though live a life of no purpose, so “helpless” that he or she brings forth life “without reason.”

Certain misfortune could befall a family, for example; anti-family community lifestyle, anti-family government policies or absence of supportive ones, poverty, death of one or both parents, terminal illness afflicting any of the parents, which could jeopardize amount of attention given to a child and go on to adversely affect family relations -leading to instability.

But most negative circumstances could mainly arise from seemingly “accidental” incidences that characterize no planning, no healthy family and marital values free families from lasting conflicts and trauma, and absence of national policy for healthy cultural, religious and family values –to steer families to harmony and stability.

Irresponsible parenthood would see some guardians alcoholic, abusing drugs, fighting before children, trading insults, neglecting children, showing no family concern, no responsibility, no cooperation between parents, no communication or just poor, no time for the family support and moral development, no family planning, engaging in risky sex behaviors, inconsistent disciplining or not at all bothered about child misconduct, practicing divide and rule in the family –favoring some against others and promoting child rivalry.

In turn children would make similar brand of behaviors as their parents to later start bullying school mates, fighting and assaulting others, abusing drugs and alcohol, changing love partners like balanced food diet, while other childhood development problems that may not have obvious relationship with poor parenting or parent misbehavior.

These might, for example, be poor mental and physical growth or development, homosexuality, irresistible behaviors –including sexual, poor academic and occupational function, poor interpersonal relationships, serial murdering and other criminal acts, prostitution, teenage pregnancies and related vulnerabilities, suicide and potentially at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS.

Other than just making babies as by-the-way, a parent must have planned to do so, and for the entire parenting life. It should never have been by accident as some people might say. Instead, people ought to be in control of their sex life so that ancestry troubles are checked.

But, as for a parent, time must be taken to teach children values that are important to them now, and later in future. For instance; take time to pass on information about positive clan or traditional values, constructive religious or spiritual values, life-supportive health values, gender and social values etcetera.

Imagery tentacles have to be spread at all times about child’s possible needs and action taken. Nature of influences impacting children must be identified every time and again through child’s development stages, and helping children distinguish early in life what would be best for them.

The child would need to understand life, identify usual challenges in life and demonstrate ability to overcome such obstacles using lessons learnt and embedded right down in child’s memory center -as relayed to him or her by parent.

Children, whose parents spent friendly time with them, would tend to be confident as they are able to anticipate possible scenes, yet troubling -in future and be in position to negotiate their way with ease. This could come along with an element of being bright, strongly analytical and above all; seemingly capable of leading others.



Jacob Waiswa
Situation Health Analyst
www.situationhealthanalysis.blogspot.com