Steem4nigeria Accelerator Contest Week 53: Parental Enforcement of Decisions on Children

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The issue of parents enforcing decisions on their children’s career, marriage, or any other variable is a matter of significant debate. In one aspect, parents believe they are more experienced and know what's best for their children. They tend to guide children towards a stable and successful future. On the other hand, children have their own aspirations, talents, and personal preferences, which should be respected.

To set the record straight, there must be a striking balance between parental guidance and individual autonomy, which is usually delicate and complex. These two variables are contrastive, and we should explore their pros and cons by putting into consideration psychological individual choice, culture, and social dimensions. And also to keep in mind the potential effects both are likely to cause afterwards.

Now let's proceed by responding to the contest questions.

Do you think it is okay for parents to influence the decisions of their children?

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Of course, it's very necessary for parents to influence their children's decisions, but this can only be done if the child is underage and cannot discern what's good or bad for him. When children are mature enough to take personal decisions, the parents should allow them to know that, if the decision is bad, the children are mature enough to bear the consequences of their decisions personally.

During the time of marriage or when deciding a course to study in school, what is the role of parents in giving their children guidance?

Parents should serve as guidance, advisors, supporters, and wise counsellors. Parents shouldn't directly involve themselves in choosing and enforcing a course of study; they should rather seek to discover what's the child's ability, talent, and preference, then encourage and support their children to achieve them. It's very frustrating at the end and render the children with the feeling of an unfulfilled, unsatisfied life if children embark on careers or marriages enforced on them by their parents. They should be allowed to make individual choices; if it affects them later, they will learn from their mistakes and make corrections or live with it.

Can a parent actually misguide their children in their decision-making?

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Yes, of course. The more reason I posited that it's a situation of high paradox unless a balance is placed, I may not call it a misguide; it's the unpredictability of life, as life is a mirage. No parent wants bad things for their children; they always want the best. When things outwardly appear good, parents think they should force their children to embrace them for a better tomorrow, but before you know it, things turn around and good intentions become bad ones. This life isn't balance at all.

Do you have any experience with your parents enforcing decisions for you against your will or with someone you know?

I have seen a situation whereby parents forced their son to read medicine and surgery while the son was talented in music and sought to take music as his career, but the parents didn't allow him. After some years of sending him overseas to study as a medical doctor, he came back disappointed, could not work in that capacity, and regretted everything, blaming his parents. He lived an unfulfilled life. He had to recently start afresh as a musician. This was as a result of his parents decision on his career.

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Parental enforcement of decisions about children is always a topic of significant debate. On one side, parents believe they are more experienced and know what is best for their children. Their aim is to guide their children towards a successful future. From another angle, children, especially adults, have their own talents, aspirations, personal dreams to pursue, and preferences that need to be respected. A balance should be put in place between parental enforcement decisions and individual choices and must be considered in a situation that's both delicate and complex. The pros and cons must also be looked into while considering psychological, cultural, and social aspects.

I invite @lhorgic, @sahmie, @okereblessing to join me in this challenge.

Cc: @xcool24