By Opesika Tetteh Puplampu
Kasseh-Ada, Aug. 20, GNA -Naana Adikie Manyeyo I, Queen Mother of the Adibiawe Clan and President of the Ada Queen Mothers Consortium, has urged parents to give equal attention, care and guidance to both male and female children to promote unity, mutual support and responsible upbringing.
Naana Manyeyo said raising boys and girls with equal care and responsibility would help them understand one another, resist negative external influences, and develop into responsible adults.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), she cautioned parents against favouring or sidelining either boys or girls, saying such practices could create divisions, resentment, and feelings of inferiority among children.
She said parents must create a home environment where sons and daughters are nurtured equally and encouraged to understand, support, and share in one another’s challenges.
“As Queen Mothers, the Consortium is committed to prioritising girl-child education, but we are also involving the boys in educating the girls. This helps the boys to understand why they must protect the girls and appreciate what the future holds for both of them,” she explained.
According to her, treating children fairly would also enable parents to identify and correct negative behaviours early, thereby helping to shape them into responsible and well-rounded adults.
“So, we believe in ‘He or She.’ We, the Queens, can do our best by talking to the girls, but when we turn our backs, a boy can undo everything we have done and make our efforts fruitless. That is why we are involving the boys,” she said.
Naana Manyeyo also expressed concern about some parental practices that could expose teenage girls to irresponsible behaviour.
She said some parents placed financial demands on their teenage daughters who were still in school, including asking them for money to prepare meals, without considering the possible sources of such money.
“Some parents will not even bother when they see their teenage girls with mobile phones. They may even use the phones to make calls without asking where the phones came from or how the girl obtained airtime,” she lamented.
She urged parents to take a keen interest in the activities, friendships, and general wellbeing of their children, saying children would eventually become the caregivers of their parents and therefore needed to be properly nurtured.
She encouraged parents to provide the necessary guidance and supervision while maintaining open communication with their children to enable them to make responsible choices as they grew.
GNA
Edited by Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo/Linda Asante Agyei
Reporter: Opesika Tetteh Puplampu, GNA