Dear Editor,
For years it has been argued that the Caribbean family structure is one that is "unstructured". This may be the result of us having diverse and always-emerging family patterns. The nuclear family is seen as ideal by many, but when you look at our reality there are many single-parent families; in most cases headed by the mother. What impact does this have on our youth development?
Needless to say, there are many impacts this may have on youth development. The positive side is that these single-parent homes may impact the children in a way that they may want to be the agent of change for their families. They, therefore, push to be the best in all they do to achieve their highest potential and ultimately become the star of that family.
The negative is that most mothers within single-parent families may be weak and are yet to develop assertive parenting skills of which their child or children may take advantage. This is indeed sad, as these children basically become their own parents and do whatever they like because there is no authoritative figure in their lives. These children may become a part of little cliques and succumb to negative peer pressure of substance abuse and start engaging in risky sexual encounters.
While we want to encourage nuclear family practices in our society, it must be noted that people will, in most cases, go against the norm. So even the growing practice of females becoming liberated and having children on their own, without a male being directly involved, must be taken into consideration.
We should be facilitating youth development at the community level through social groups, youth information centres, after-school programmes, and counselling intervention to address some of the issues that may arise with regards to these youths.
Jason Madden
SRHR Youth Advocate
Family matters and youth development
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For years it has been argued that the Caribbean family structure is one that is "unstructured". This may be the result of us having diverse and always-emerging family patterns. The nuclear family is seen as ideal by many, but when you look at our reality there are many single-parent families; in most cases headed by the mother. What impact does this have on our youth development?
Needless to say, there are many impacts this may have on youth development. The positive side is that these single-parent homes may impact the children in a way that they may want to be the agent of change for their families. They, therefore, push to be the best in all they do to achieve their highest potential and ultimately become the star of that family.
The negative is that most mothers within single-parent families may be weak and are yet to develop assertive parenting skills of which their child or children may take advantage. This is indeed sad, as these children basically become their own parents and do whatever they like because there is no authoritative figure in their lives. These children may become a part of little cliques and succumb to negative peer pressure of substance abuse and start engaging in risky sexual encounters.
While we want to encourage nuclear family practices in our society, it must be noted that people will, in most cases, go against the norm. So even the growing practice of females becoming liberated and having children on their own, without a male being directly involved, must be taken into consideration.
We should be facilitating youth development at the community level through social groups, youth information centres, after-school programmes, and counselling intervention to address some of the issues that may arise with regards to these youths.
Jason Madden
SRHR Youth Advocate
Family matters and youth development
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