PERCEIVED PREPAREDNESS FOR PARENTING AMONG PERSONS INTENDING TO MARRY IN IBADAN NORTH AND AKINYELE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS, OYO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Good parenting is important for the overall development of children. In Nigeria, the level of preparedness for parenthood among persons intending to marry has not been adequately studied. This study was therefore designed to assess the level of preparedness for parenting among persons intending to marry in Ibadan north and Akinyele Local Government areas (LGAs). A three-stage sampling technique was used to select 300 persons intending to marry from two churches, two mosques and one marriage registry in each of the local LGAs. A validated semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Eight focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted. Preparedness for parenting was measured using variables which includes perception of confidence, attendance of parenting education and awareness of parental roles and responsibilities data were analyzed using content analysis, descriptive statistics and chi-square. Respondents’ mean age were 23.3 ± 4.5 years, 63.2% were males and majority (92.0%) had tertiary education while 5.3% had secondary education. The respondents included Christians (74.3%), Muslims (22.7%) and adherent of traditional religion (2.0%). Forty-eight percent were of the opinion that parents are to be blamed for adolescents’ indulgence in anti-social and high-risk behavior. The view of 65.7% was that parents were no longer playing their parenting roles as expected and 61.0% blamed the situation on lack of proper education on parenthood. Self -assessment among respondents revealed that forty-eight percent of the respondents were prepared for parenthood, 33.7% were partially prepared and 18.0% were unprepared for parenting. Among respondents who were partially prepared, 54.9% males and 45.1% were females (p<0.05), about 74.0% of those aged 28-32 years perceived themselves to be well prepared for parenthood than those aged 23-27 years (43.6%) and those aged 18-22 years (41.6%) (p<0.05). More respondent opting for church wedding (64.3%) were well prepared for parenthood compare with those for civil (33.7%) and mosque marriage (18.4%) (p<0.05). The perception of being prepared for parenthood varied by level of education as follow: no formal education (25.0%); primary (28.5%) secondary (33.3%) and tertiary education (46.7%) (p<0.05). About 37.0% of the respondents had ever attended any educational session on parenting; this consisted of 59.8% males and 40.2% females. More Christians (89.3%) attended any pre-marriage education session than Moslems (8.0%) and adherents traditional religion (2.7%) (p<0.05). The FGD discussants disclosed that many parents were not discharging their roles and responsibilities due to poor preparedness for parenthood. Most FGD discussants revealed that they themselves were not prepared enough for parenthood, It was their view that education on parenthood be provided for persons intending to marry. Inadequate preparedness for parenthood was common among the study population. Education on parenthood through pre-marriage classes, workshops and public enlightenment programme, should be provided for persons intending to marry. In addition, advocacy and training are needed to influence persons who conduct marriages in churches, mosques, marriage registries and communities, to be providing intending couples with parenthood education.