The First Lady of Enugu State, Mrs. Nkechinyere Mbah, has called on parents to be watchful and intentional in raising their children, noting that their formative years have a lot to do with the kind of society the nation builds.

She gave the piece of advice in Enugu while addressing participants at the weekend “Intentional Parenting Summit” at the weekend.

The First Lady, who was represented by Mrs. wife of the Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Mrs Chinyere Ugwu, said parenting entailed more than providing food, shelter, and clothing, stating that it required commitment to shaping the moral and spiritual growth of children.

Mrs Mbah noted that today’s children, if left unchecked, could be distracted by social media influence, negative peer pressure, violence, neglect, and emotional instability, adding that a child who is loved and properly nurtured at home is more likely to become responsible, respectful, and resilient.

“When we strengthen families, we strengthen the state. When we support the parents, we secure our children. And when we invest in the home, we are investing in the future. Let us rise to the core of this theme: every parent must be committed; every home must be nurturing and every child must be protected and empowered.

“Our homes are the first classrooms for our children. They learn values, behavior, respect, responsibility, and confidence from what they see and experience at home. That is why a stable, loving, and disciplined home remains one of the strongest foundations for a healthy society.

“As parents, we must understand that children are not only to be corrected; they are to be nurtured. They are not only to be provided for; they are to be listened to. The way we raise them shapes the kind of family we have, the kind of state we build, and indeed, the kind of Nigeria we will bequeath to the next generation,” she said.

In her remarks, the Convener of the Summit, Dr. Chisom Ugwu, said the purpose was to charge parents to take the training and nurturing of their children seriously, given the high level of moral decadence in society today.

She advised that the training a child receives at home reflects the kind of society we will have, insisting that many of the problems bedeviling society today start from poor parenting at home.

“We must help those around us to raise better children because we are seeing issues everywhere, and every problem starts from the home.

“If you can change the home, then we can change the environment. Do it intentionally,” Dr. Ugwu said.

Adding his voice, a resource person, Kunle Ologe, said many of society’s problems today stem from poor parenting, which he linked to the failure of parents to attend marriage counseling, asserting that good marriages produce good parenting.

He decried a situation where younger people learn more from social media than from elders, and warned that children should not be allowed to choose how they grow, but must be tutored by knowledgeable older ones.

“We need to focus more on education. Not just book education, but education for family life.

“This should be included in the curriculum from primary to secondary school and even university.

“If this is not done, you will have adults who have careers and know how to work, but know nothing about family life,” he stressed.