Emotional Abuse: Modern parents friendly, but less attentive – Foundation

Emotional Abuse: Modern parents friendly, but less attentive – Foundation
NAN-HG-6
Abuse
By Vivian Ihechu
Lagos, Dec. 20, 2017 (NAN) The Youth Empowerment Foundation (YEF), a youth focused NGO, says there is urgent need to fill the gap of emotional emptiness in youths, especially the girl-child, as modern parents have become less attentive to their children.
Mrs Iwalola Akin-Jimoh, the Executive Secretary of YEF, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Wednesday that present day parents were friendlier than their own parents but less sensitive to the emotional needs of children.
Akin-Jimoh spoke on the side lines of a talent exhibition of Skills for Life (S4L) project organised by YEF in collaboration with Devcoms.
“One of the gaps we have noticed through our work with girls is that a lot of parents don’t make out time to discuss a lot of issues with their children.
“Though our own generation of parents is friendlier than our own parents who were always quick to mete out physical punishment, what we the current generation of parents don’t do is to actually listen.
“Parents need to listen a lot to their children when they want to discuss issues with them, even if the children don’t discuss, parents should initiate conversations.
“Ensure that your child seeks you out to freely have a conversation with you; if you don’t make out time, it is nothing but emotional abuse.
“If a child is not able to engage and express themselves with you, there is a great tendency that such child is vulnerable to being exposed to abuse, especially emotional abuse,’’ she said.
According to Akin-Jimoh, children who are exposed to this kind of abuse tend not to communicate, relate well with people, their peers and may not do well in school.
“If there is no smooth communication and attention and a child is physically or sexually abused, there will be a problem with the child telling the parents.
“Some of these can go on for years without the parents knowing of it; also, if a child is communicating and he or she feels a parent is not attentive, it is a problem on its own.’’
The executive secretary therefore advised parents to create avenues for discussion with their children.
“When children come back from school, ask them what happened, ask about their friends and classmates; even when they come back from church and mosque, you need to ask them what happened.
“It is important to have all those conversation because if you don’t talk to them or communicate with them, someone else will do that outside.
“Then, the danger is that whoever communicates with them, will communicate whatever will be of benefit to him or her, rather than what will be of benefit to the child.
“Learn to listen to, communicate and trust your child; also ensure that he or she does not develop the feeling that the parent is not attentive,’’ Akin-Jimoh said. (NAN)
VIV/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola