There is a great work to be done by parents and all mature adults at this point in the lives of their children and younger ones. Much still needs to be done, especially in the area of life modelling.
One of the greatest disadvantages of social media in this generation is that young people who have access to it often follow or become fans of individuals who, if care is not taken, may negatively influence their life choices, either now or in the future.
Just last Thursday, I was so disturbed that I wrote a short piece about people who promote toxic gender wars on social media. Sadly, they have built an army of fans who willingly submit to their misleading teachings. The irony is that many of these so-called influencers are working for their pockets and chasing clout. Whatever they preach, they likely do not practise it.
Parents must therefore be concerned about the kinds of voices their children listen to online. Unfortunately, even some adults, both male and female, have allowed themselves to be indoctrinated by these false teachings about the personalities of men and women that circulate widely on social media.
Take, for instance, someone sitting in the comfort of his home might post things like:
* Four ways to know your girlfriend is a hookup girl
* Five ways to check if your girlfriend is cheating
* Six ways to test your girlfriend
Or in another form:
* If your boyfriend doesn’t drop 30m, don’t give him access to your body
* Five ways to make your boyfriend pay all your bills
These kinds of teachings are misleading, yet your children may be watching them. They create a culture of insecurity and suspicion. For example, a young man indoctrinated by “four ways to know your girlfriend is cheating” will likely live in constant suspicion, undermining his relationships. Likewise, young women who absorb the message that “a boyfriend must provide all your needs” may be drawn into unhealthy dependence and risky choices.
But what happened to teachings like:
* Five ways to be a faithful partner
* Five ways to work hard as a lady without depending on any man
* Five ways to cultivate self-discipline
* Five ways to be content with what you have
Such values rarely trend because they do not attract followers or money for these influencers. Instead, the opposite sells, and sadly, they are cashing out while misleading many.
As one of the moral consciences of society, I believe people like me should not remain silent about these false teachings. They do more harm than good to the moral fabric of our society.
Parents and mature adults must model good values and intentionally teach their children about life issues such as sex education, the value of hard work, self-discipline, and integrity. These lessons will equip them to sift truth from falsehood when they encounter harmful content online.
Let us not allow strangers, who are only after fame and money, to sit comfortably in their homes and mislead our wards. We must stay ten steps ahead of them.
© Chinedu Vincent Okoro is a British Council Action Research grantee, Rotarian, educator, poet, and advocate for social change and mental health. He holds a Master of Education in Advanced Teaching from the University of the People, Pasadena, California, USA. He writes from Olumawu School, Abuja.
