CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
This chapter focuses on the background of the study, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, objectives of study, key research questions, and scope of the study / significance of the study, delimitations, and definitions of the key terms.
BACKGROUND OF STUDY
Parenting plays a great role on the psychosocial development of youth. According to Prentice (1990) Parenting is the process of taking on the responsibility for the needs, physical, social, emotional, mental and financial of one or more children (1990:14). Prentice, Hall (1990 Christian parenting in particular is the kind of parenting that proceeds from the foundation of scriptures. According to Brewster (2005) “True holistic development can only be done by Christians or the church” (2005:14). Christian parenting therefore is the parenting process that promotes holistic development of children.
The global challenge of same –sex among Christian communities lays a great challenge upon Christian parenting, says, Trayce (2009). Violence within Christian homes, according to the findings by WHO in 2002 report is very prominent. The World Health Organization report 2002 indicated that in 2000 an estimated 199.000 youth murders took place globally –equivalent to 505 children and young people aged 10-29 years dying on average each day as a result of interpersonal violence. Prentice, Hall (1990) The rate of alcoholism among Christian teens is also an issue of concern if we seeking to understand about Christian parenting. Kelli noted that “One of the biggest dilemmas facing Christian teens today is how to handle the pressure of drinking alcohol.” From the National Clearinghouse for alcohol and Drug information, there are 3 million teens suffering from full –blown alcoholism. So, alcoholism remains a great pressure to Christian parenting since they own youth (teens) who suffer with alcoholism. The challenge of economic strain and poor standard of living has led to the vice of child labor within Christian communities. Child labor is a great challenge to those practicing Christian parenting because it defies the dignity of children from the biblical perspective. The findings prove that child labor is on high increase among Christian homes since there is a high economic drainage among these homes, especially Christian communities within fishing communities, Eddy Joshua, (2009).[1] Christian parenting is highly held accountable for this issue of child labor, because, “the shaping of childhood [more particularly their behavioral and developmental outcomes] is understood in relation to parenting behavior, writes Eddy (2009:32). So, in reflections to the above findings about Christian parenting, the parenting done in the urban churches of Sironko Archdeaconry needs to be examined in light of behavior reflected by many youths in this community.
PROBLEM STATEMENT,
Nigerian is composed of urban churches having Christian households, which are expected to manifest sound Christian parenting, but the increased rate of immorality, early pregnancies, substance and drug abuse, among children from Christian homes raises questions about Christian parenting practices. However field findings show that most of the youths engage in social practices that contradict Christian values, this raises an area of concern. This study is an effort to establish if the Christians are practicing Christian parenting and the effects of their practices on psychosocial development of the youths in the urban area in Sironko Archdeaconry
OBJECTIVES OF STUDY,
The objectives of this research study are:-
- To reflect on the biblical basis and principles of Christian home.
- To investigate if the Christian parents in Nigeria are practicing Christian parenting.
- To determine the effect of their parental practices on the psychosocial development of youth.
- To find out what the church can do to improve on Christian parenting and promote effective psychosocial development of child.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS,
- What is the biblical basis and principles of Christian home?
- Are the Christian parents in Nigerian churches practicing Christian parenting?
- What are their parenting practices and how is it affecting the psychosocial development of a child?
- How can the church improve on the identified gaps in Christian parenting?
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY,
It is the research’s hope that the research findings will help the Christian parents, workers, child advocates in understanding the absolute relationship of parenting and youth development.
The findings will be helpful for other researchers in related field of study.
The researcher seeks to write a manual based on these findings to be used by the Christian leaders in the church to teach and train Christians about Christian parenting.So, this makes the study very significant.
SCOPE OF THE STUDY,
The research assesses the role of parents and children I Christian home.The researcher will also find out the gaps which could be existing within the Christian parenting if is practiced and thus suggest what can be done by the church as a way of improving Christian parenting
DEFINITION OF KEY TERMS,
In this research, the following are the meanings attached to the key terms (words).
Parenting is the process of promoting and supporting the physical, emotional, social, spiritual and intellectual development of a child from infancy to adulthood.[2] In this research, it means the parenting process that develops youths psychosocially
Christian parenting is the parenting done within Christian homes, based on the Christian behaviors. So, in this research, it will mean the process of bring up children, supporting children from childhood into mature adults, using the biblical principles integrated with the external environment of community.
Psychosocial means the psychological development in the social realm, so, according to the Professor of Social psychology, “Psychosocial is the scientific discipline that attempts to understand and explain the thinking, feeling and social behavior of individuals are influenced by actual, imagined or implied presence of others” (Stephen 1996:7).[3] In this research it will mean the progressive development of a person to complete self-centeredness to an ability to live and work with others.
Development on the other hand is the advancement in the stages of life. In this research, development will be looked at as the advancement of the psychological, social, spiritual, emotional, educational life of youth.
In addition, youth in this research refer to the young people including children, teenagers and young adults that are between the ages of 12 to 35 years.
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