Lagos – Some children development experts, on Sunday, in Lagos, attributed the cause of teenage pregnancy to the absence of counselling or limited guidance from parents.
The respondents told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that teenagers were likely to become pregnant if they had no guidance or had very limited advice from their parents.
According to the experts, most of the parents are so busy with their day to day activities that they do not provide the needed assistance for their young ones.
Dr Mary Aide, a public health expert at the Salib Hospital, Lagos, said stressed the need for parents to be more concerned with the affairs of their children and help them make good decisions on moral issues.
“Unavailability of parents could pose behavioural hazards in growing up children.
“They do not have time to teach them on how to make decisions on sex related issues and various other problems they are facing.
“Children, while growing, especially females, ask friends for advice when their parents are not available and advice from fellow teenagers may not be wise enough.
“Teenagers need adequate attention, sometimes they want to express their feelings to someone, especially their parents but their busy schedules will not allow them to pay attention,’’ she said.
Mrs Ruth Martins, a teenage counsellor, said many teenagers engaged in sexual activity early in life because their parents were never around to discuss sex education with them.
“Most of these teenagers are misinformed by friends on sex education and this may result to unwanted pregnancy.
“During adolescence, teenagers often feel the pressure to make friends and mix with their peers but most of the time, these teenagers let their friends influence their decision to have sex.
“I am advising parents, who are in the habit of leaving home early and coming back late just in the name of making ends meet to be cautious.
“ If you make this money, is it not these same children you will spend it on, so find time to always sit with your children and chat with them.
“Ask them about their friends in school; play with them so that they can open up to you on pressures in school at home,”she said.
According to her, it is pertinent to bring up the subject of sex subtly with the children, so that they will be comfortable enough to open up and ask questions about it.
Also contributing, the Proprietor, Glorade Flower Group of Schools, Mr Adesiji Moses, accused parents of neglecting their primary duties at home.
“Most parents have abandoned their duties to teachers, they expect teachers to teach their wards everything.
“Truly, the work of a teacher is to teach the children in school but what happens after school, particularly at weekends and during holidays
“Within this short period, parents should nurture their children.
“Some teenagers do not fully understand the biological and emotional aspects associated with sex, so parents should teach them, as this may be more effective than teachers’ lessons.
He also attributed the increasing cases of teenage pregnancy in the country to the lackadaisical attitude of many parents towards the upbringing of their children and wards.
