Balance Love and Discipline in Children’s Upbringing – Catholic Counsellor Tells Parents
Parenting Advice on Raising Resilient and Well-Behaved Children
- Parents should balance love with firm discipline to raise well-rounded children
- Allowing children to express emotions like crying helps build their emotional resilience
- Early influences—including parental health, home environment, and parenting style—shape a child’s development
Rev. Father Dr. Peter Akosah, a Catholic Priest and Counsellor, has called on parents to strike a healthy balance between love and discipline when raising their children.
Speaking during an interview on the Ghana Se Sen Morning Show on Lawson TV/Radio, he emphasized that this balance is crucial to a child’s emotional and behavioral development.
According to Fr. Akosah, the critical stage of child development spans from ages 1 to 11, a period during which the foundation for a child’s future personality and maturity is laid. He stressed that parental influence plays a key role, not only through upbringing but also through the parents’ health and habits before and during conception.
“Whatever we eat as partners before conception can affect the child’s development,” Fr. Akosah explained. He warned that unhealthy lifestyles may lead to behavioral issues such as domineering attitudes or delinquency in children. Besides biological factors, external influences like the school environment and siblings also contribute significantly to shaping a child’s behavior.
Fr. Akosah highlighted the importance of understanding different parenting styles—authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive—and encouraged parents to adopt an authoritative style that fosters open communication and emotional connection with their children.
“Create a strong bond with your child so they feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings,” he advised. “When discipline is necessary, apply it with care and understanding.”
On the topic of emotional expression, Fr. Akosah emphasized that parents should allow their children to cry and express frustration. “If a child cries because you didn’t give them what they asked for, let them cry,” he said. “Crying is a natural part of emotional growth and helps children develop resilience.”
He cautioned parents against suppressing children’s emotions, explaining that doing so could lead to emotional immaturity later in life. Instead, parents should calmly explain boundaries to help children understand limits and develop maturity.
In conclusion, Rev. Father Dr. Peter Akosah reminded parents that raising emotionally healthy and well-behaved children requires both love and discipline. By combining firm boundaries with empathy and open communication, parents can nurture children who grow into balanced, resilient adults.
