Parents urged to build stronger communication ties with children

Parents and guardians have been urged to build stronger communication relations with their children and wards.

Mr. Stephen Ofosu Daffour, Ashanti Regional Director of the Department of Children of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social protection (MOGCSP) who made the call, said building closer ties was a way of increasing children’s, especially adolescents, confidence level.

It also helps to allay all fears and allow children to freely share problems with parents at all times.

Speaking at a durbar to mark this year’s International Day of the Girl-child organized by the Department in Kumasi, Mr Daffour pointed out that lack of proper parent-child communication was one of the major contributory factors of streetism, teenage pregnancy, rape, gender-based violence, school drop-outs and other negative issues, affecting child development.

The Day, which falls on October 11th of every year, is used to recognize girls’ rights and the challenges they faced around the world.

The theme for this year was: “My Voice, Our Equal Future”.

Mr Daffour stressed the need for parents to encourage pregnant girls to go back to school after child delivery.

They should also encourage girls to be assertive, discourage child marriages, and end all forms of violence against girls, women, and children in their homes.

He said parents must be responsible for identifying and developing the potentials of their children in all stages of life, adding that this could help churn out responsible adults.

They should again support and encourage their children even when there was a failure in their efforts.