Dear Editor
IT is ironical, that after the recent celebration for Mother’s and Father’s Days, we are spotlighting the very important key of responsibility as parents, and the need to protect and safeguard the latter, since it has critical bearing on both the material and spiritual growth and development of the child/children.

It is not for us to believe or not, the stories given by two fathers who recently found themselves in court for criminal offences, for which they were found guilty and given custodial terms. Such a function is entirely the court’s exclusive preserve, and it has been duly exercised, as was to be expected.

In both instances, the excuse given by the accused is that they were committed for the maintenance of children, stealing from a companion and the other for being found with narcotics. It is a defence that used to be very prevalent in our courts, but never attracted much sympathy, if any. The law took its natural course then, as it did again.
Parenthood is perhaps the most important responsibility that can confront every man, or woman. And though many times that its occurrence may not have been planned, or seen to have taken place in the formal ideal setting of a family plan, it signals the possibility that this may take place at some time.

Whether planned or not, becoming a parent means an event that takes the immediate spotlight away from the parent, focusing on the child. The latter must now become the reason that guides and influences the actions of either parent, or both together.
This means a new understanding of the individual’s role, if never before; or together, since parenthood means both a moral and legal responsibility on any of the individual parent, or both, as is the ideal.

There are too many instances in which fathers especially, are engaged in some form of illegality, of varying risks that render them liable to either sudden physical harm, mostly death, or coming into conflict with the law, which will also have its serious consequences, as in the examples of the two fathers, alluded to above. Well meaning, since in their view it satisfies their requirements of being providers; but it still cannot be, since it is illegal, and leads a distorted example of what a responsible parent ought to be. Moreover, the reality of that “good provider” is exposed when it suddenly comes to an end, which is always predictable.

It is recognised that we live in a world that has not been, and is not fair to many, because of the varying circumstances/interventions which have altered dreams, hopes, wishes and aspirations. This means for many, not being able to be materially comfortable, as the more fortunate, because of missed and unavailable opportunities, deprived, to be specific.
However, suffice it that it has always been so, and will continue to be, parents, more so fathers, who are engaged in risky forms of earning/employment, must understand what such means for the future prospects of their family, particularly their children.

In both the short to long-term, fathers must be of the serious realisation that even though there may be psychological pressure and urgency to bring material improvements to the lives of their children, and by extension their family, there are forever risk factors in their illegal endeavours. For not only are such untenable in every way, but it is always their children who suffer from the fall-out from any related untoward consequences. No father, who cares for, and loves his family, must consider providing for them through criminal means.

Thus, it is incumbent upon fathers, those whose daily activities for a dollar fall outside the ambit of the law, begin to take stock of the risks of their trade that weaken both their responsibility and longevity of fatherhood to their children. Although it is said that the world owes us a living, it certainly must not mean–by illegal means for anyone of the parent duo, particularly fathers; or any other relation. A father cannot be of any use to his children, if he is imprisoned.

Regards
Conwell Edmonds