Social/Kiddies
Adolescents’ Health:Rivers Hosts National Campaign, Next Month
Over the years, Rivers State has been in the forefront among states in Nigeria, in promoting adolescent health. It is no wonder that the State has now been chosen by the Paediatric Association of Nigeria to host its first ever Adolescents and Young People’s Health campaign in Nigeria.
The campaign which has been tentatively fixed for next month in Port Harcourt is expected to attract adolescents, young people and parents to chart a way forward for the young, vulnerable and impressive minds.
Disclosing this in an exclusive interview with The Tide on the sidelines of the Third Quarter meeting of the Adolescents and Young People Technical Working Group of Rivers State Ministryof Health, the Chairperson of the group, Professor Ndieuto Akani stated that the key role and emphasis which Rivers State has made over the years on adolescents and young people was key in selecting the venue.
Prof Akani who is also the Head, Adolescent Section of the Paediatric Association of Nigeria said, “Rivers State was chosen by the association because the state has been viewed as the point where adolescent health has been promoted for years in Nigeria.
She also stated that the adolescent campaign is an off-shoot of the 1.8 billion young people for change campaign which took place round the globe from October 11 — 12 , 2023, noting that adolescents from different countries had spoken out their minds on what they want concerning their health and well-being.
“Here, in Nigeria, the Paediatric Association of Nigeria will hold its adolescents and young people’s campaign in Rivers State to help achieve policies, investments and actions on adolescents, health and well-being in Nigeria.
Prof. Akani however, called on government, partners and stakeholders to identify with the upcoming programme, upcoming adding that adolescents, paediatricians and health officers would attend the programme from other states in Nigeria.
She also urged the Rivers State Technical Working Group on Adolescents and Young People to collaborate with the Paediatric Association of Nigeria to flag off the 1.8 billion campaign on adolescents in the State.
Meanwhile, at the one-day third quarter and Young People Technical Working Group (AYPTWG) meeting held at Emerald Hotel in Port Harcourt, the Chairperson of the group, Professor Ndieuto Akani commended volunteers working in the three committees identified as priority areas as it concerns adolescent health in the State.
“Last year, we had a workshop with the Federal Ministry of Health in attendance. We identified three top problems confronting adolescents in Rivers State. These are drug abuse/ alcoholism, teenage pregnancy / unsafe abortion and violence and cultism. We went ahead to develop possible ways to solve these problems. Today, we now have volunteers to work in these three committees, to help achieve workable results.
Also, last year, we identified the need to involve parents and guardians in solving problems confronting adolescents. Parents have to know that they are part of these problems. They are the ones suffering it and we will achieve success faster if the parents are involved”, Akani, noted.”
According to her, “Since last year, the group has been soliciting for sponsorship for a parental conference in Rivers State. We had talked with the Ministry of Women Affairs, we also want to involve the Ministry of Youth Development and Ministry of Information and Communications. We are ready for the parental conference once we get sponsorship”.
In her remarks at the meeting, the Desk Officer, Adolescents and Young People Technical Working Group, Rivers State Ministry of Health, Mrs Mbreba Wokoma expressed satisfaction with the inputs of professional members that have volunteered to help tackle the three thematic areas affecting adolescents in the State.
She called on stakeholders, Non-Govermental Organisations (NGOs) and partners especially working within the space to help see how these problems affecting adolescents in the State can be reduced to the barest minimum.
According to her, “we are advocating a parental conference as part of the avenues to best minimise issues faced by adolescents and young people in the State.
Also, we are ready to work with the Paediatric Association of Nigeria for the adolescents campaign next month”.
A communique is expected to be released on the outcome of the one – day meeting.
Meanwhile, it is important to note that as of today, the world has more young people than at any time in history. Yet , most of today’s 1.8 billion adolescents and youths (ages 10 – 24 ) fall short of potential current policy and investment approaches which fail to meet their needs.
At the first ever Global Forum for Adolescents ( the world’s largest gathering for adolescent well-being) which took place on 11-12 October, 2023 online, is a bold global movement asking young people what they want for their health and wellbeing and building demand for decision makers to transform their answers into policies for world leaders to adopt and implement.
By: Ibinabo Ogolo
Social/Kiddies
Children And Basics Of Family
It is the idea of God that family should exit. Children form part of the family. God loves family so much that Jesus was born into the family of Joseph.
Everyone’s family is good and important. Children should not look down on their family whether they are rich or poor.
Children should respect and honour their family and foster love among their siblings. They should work together and make peace in the family. They should always stand in the gap. It is good for family members to carry all along since everyone may not be doing well.
The Christianity that children learn is practised in family. Faith-based organisations do a great job in moulding children’s character. Those are the behaviours that children exhibit towards siblings in family.
Every child born in a family is there for a purpose. A baby born into a family is supplying something. It may be joy, wealth and so on. Everyone is important in a family.
Adolescents who have graduated from school but may not be contributing financially can do one or two things at home. You can engage in preparing meals at home while parents are away for a job or business. Contributing in house chores will go a long way to relieve parents of stress after a day’s job.
What do you contribute to your family, especially during holidays both in nuclear and extended family?
The family you were born is constant but friends are temporary. You can decide not to continue in friendship but you cannot cut off your family. No matter how bad you think your family is and you decide to leave home, you must surely return. Your friends can harbour you for a while.
The child’s first identity comes from the family. What the child learns first comes from the family.
Family is the centre of love and care. People have started playing down on marriage because of neglect on basics of family. Marriage starts today and and the next few months, it is threatened. Respect for family plays a crucial role in marriage.
No child grows without parental control and influence. If a child refuses to grow without taking instructions from parents, he may grow up being wild. There are consequences when children do not obey their parents. There are those who want to be rebellious against their parents. They should know that their length of days are tied to their parents.
Your bioligical parents know you more than every other person. There is the wisdom and knowledge your parents have that you do not so it is proper to listen to them before choosing carriers both in academics and job. A young man or woman can choose who to get married to, but a greater role in the choice of who to marry and the marriage proper comes from the parents.
They know what is best for you. No matter how modern trends will influence you and prove it wrong, parent is the key. No one can love you more than your parents because they are your blood.
A lot of parents have been traumatised due to the fact that children they nurtured and trained turned their back on them at older age. Children should not abandon their parents for any reason.
As you grow up, situations may arise in marriage when you decide it is over with your spouse, but no matter the level of provocation with your parents, they will not despise you. Parents will also play a role in that regard. Problem arises in every family but how it is handled matters a lot.
Some children honour their mentors more than their parents. Although there are parents who shy away from their responsibilities. It is important that parents take full responsibility of their children. You cannot bring a child to the planet earth and refuse to perform roles as a parent. But parents may not quantify what they spent from childhood to adolescence. That is a blessing children cannot get from another person.
There are people who have attributed their failure in life to the fact that their parents, especially mothers are witchcraft. It is wrong to feel that your mother is instrumental to your failure in life. The only way to success is hardwork.
Let money not determine the level of love for your parents. Wherever a child goes, family is constant.
Eunice Choko-Kayode
Social/Kiddies
Who Should Name A Child?
Naturally, when a child is born, it is the role of the father and mother to decide a suitable name for the child. The husband and wife normally discuss and suggest the English or vernacular name of the baby.
But sometimes, when a baby comes into a family, grandparents hearts are usually filled with joy to the extent that they want to answer present, by giving their own names not minding the fact that the biological parents have given theirs.
This happens mostly when the marriage is an inter-tribal one. It also happens even in intra-tribal marriage. Grandparents want equal representation as far as naming a child is concerned. They also have special names as a result of circumstances surrounding the birth of the child.
This is still happening till date.
A lot of people have viewed this in different ways but there is nothing wrong about it. The most important thing is that the child bears as many names as he or she can. But one thing is certain, the child must bear one name in school.
Should circumstance determine a child’s name?
Women who are more emotional are always eager to name their children considering the circumstances surrounding the child’s conception and arrival.
The issue of grandparents naming a child comes up mostly when it is the first of the family.
In naming children by some parents in the olden days, they named their children according to the days in the week in which they were born, like Sunday, Monday, Friday and so on.
You may be shocked to hear that whether a child is given 10 names by parents or grandparents, when he or she grows up, will decide to change. There are several cases where some persons decided to change especially when they feel that the names given by their parents and grandparents do not give them joy. If they are not doing well in life, they may claim that their misfortune is caused by the name their parents.
Social/Kiddies
Children’s Performance Can Make Or Mar Them
Competition among children in schools be it primary, (kindergarten) and secondary come in different forms. It can be Mathematics , debate, quiz, spelling bee,competition, from organisations like Cowbell, multi-national companies, faith-based organisations among others.
They are organised mostly for selected intelligent ones, the best among their peers to represent a class, school or group. Prizes are normally set aside for the best as well as consolation prizes for runners-up at the end of each session.
The question is, are children willing to accept defeat when they fail? As parents, guardians, can you encourage your children or wards to accept defeat instead of shouting and comparing them with others who may be performing better either in schools or outside.
Some parents may be blaming their children for not doing well in competitions. They will like to tell their children if others who may perform better have ten heads. Those group of parents blame their children for every failure.
For your children to do better in competition, the parents too must have emotional intelligence. When you continue to blame your children for failure, how intelligent are you?
Some parents always want their children to be in the 1st position and unhappy whenever they secure 2nd position. There were instances where children smashed their trophies because they never got the position they wanted to get and their parents supported them.
Children should be able to accept it whether they win or not. They should be encouraged for every performance. Discourage the issue of “shame, shame, shame, shame”.
A parent says she always tells her children to win even if they will fail. Always give them the mentality that they can win. Children should be given the impression that they can win prizes and laurels in every competition.
Parents should not isolate their children from others in the neighbourhood. Allow them to play with others. Don’t threaten your children that you may not pay their schools fees if they fail. Comparing them with others may encourage or discourage them.
Coming first or getting award as a first class student from the university sometimes does not mean that the person is the best. And if the child does not merit any award in the lower classes, does not mean that he can not merit first class also.
It should be noted that coming first in academic competition may not really mean that the competitor will be the best at work place or business.
Accepting defeat is a way to move higher. Even if a child who competed with others did not come first, there are consolation prizes for runners-up. When you advise the child to accept defeat, you are encouraging her to win in next competition.
Remember all children cannot be on the same knowledge level Their learning abilities defer.
Eunice Choko-Kayode