The married men and women’s fellowships of The Fountain of Life Church, on Saturday, August 17, 2019, held a joint session to discuss parenting.
The programme kicked off with a short presentation by RedHanded; a digital security and service solutions. They shared different ways parents can protect their home and wards from domestic staff who could be dangerous. Mr. Seyi Adekanye, the CEO of RedHanded, informed parents at the meeting that their organization helps parents search database of any domestic staff which serves as a first-hand decision when they intend to employ and also rate the outsourced services.
According to Mr. Adekanye, it is typical for people to gloss over the need for such security solutions, especially if they have never had a bad experience. Parents were thereafter encouraged to send ‘Yes’ to 0809 091 0411 to register or visit www.RedHanded.ng for more information.
Pastor Tinu Olashore also reiterated the need for security and safety in homes, noting that some experiences could be so embarrassing that parents would not even be able to share. She noted that getting this solution is about protecting our children and the home, because times have changed. Years ago, parents relied on close relatives to cater for or assist in the home, but nowadays strangers are brought into the home. She emphasized the need to be wise about carrying out due diligence before employing such persons.
The presentation was followed by the teaching on parenting led by Bro Seyi Sowemimo, president of the Bishop’s Court fellowship. After reading from the books of Genesis 2: 21-25, Bro Seyi Sowemimo took time to speak on God’s design for the family. He noted that at creation, both the man and woman were naked yet not ashamed because when God looked at the man and the woman, He sees what just what He made. Referring to Jesus’ words in the Bible, “I and my Father are one…”, he explained that God is modelling the trait of working together in harmony. Furthermore, he posited that just as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work together, so should the father, the mother and the children in any home.
Reading from Psalm 127: 3-5, and Proverbs 22:6, Bro. Sowemimo further added that parenting is not a course of study in any university (like medicine, engineering, etc.), or a vocational skills training programme in business or art. He defined parenting as a natural love and mutual understanding between parents and children. He said it is the process of promoting the spiritual, emotional, physical, financial and intellectual development of a child from infancy to adulthood. He further noted that the primary caretakers of children are often their biological parents.
He went on to say that preparing for parenting is easier than the journey itself – the decision to become a parent is actually much easier that parenting itself. Many have fallen short in the area of parenting, hence the reason for the joint meeting. Noting that just as most things come with instruction manuals like cars, gadgets, the Bible serves as the best guide for parenting.
When speaking on parenting styles, Br Sowemimo encouraged parents to understand theirs and their children’s character traits as this will help in determining how they raise their children and confront difficulties.
Following Bro. Sowemimo’s expose on the topic, the floor was opened for discussions on parenting experiences. Shared experiences at the meeting include children manipulating parents, parents not being consistent in discipline, parenting as a team work and not competition, etc. The need for both parents to be in one accord and have a common front was reiterated. Parents were also encouraged to address the mental health of their children to enable them handle pressures properly and not go into depression, drug addiction, or suicide.
He observed that family dynamics also impact on children’s emotional stability, especially teenagers and admonished parents to spend time with their children. He added that such times could be used to address peer pressures, social media issues, and other pertinent issues related to the children’s wellbeing. The meeting closed with prayers for grace for effective parenting.
Reported by Iboro Tonye-Edet & Yemi Ajuwon
