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An Assessment of the Challenges Facing Twenty-First Century Christian Parents in the Moral Upbringing of Children in Taraba State, Nigeria

Kinrimam Kefas Istifanus, Prof. Emmanuel Gana

Abstract

This study examined the assessment of the challenges confronting twenty-first century Christian parents in the moral upbringing of children in Taraba State, Nigeria. The moral training of children has long been considered a central responsibility of parents within Christian homes, where biblical teachings, religious discipline, and moral instruction form the basis for shaping the character and behaviour of young people. The population of Christian parents in the state was estimated at 1,623,062, from which a random sample of 981 respondents was selected. The research adopted a descriptive survey design, and a structured questionnaire served as the main instrument for data collection. The results indicated that socio-cultural and technological influences represent significant challenges for twenty-first century Christian parents in guiding the moral development of children in Taraba State, with a cumulative mean score of 3.66. The study therefore concluded that rapid socio-cultural transformation and technological advancement pose considerable difficulties for Christian parents in fulfilling their responsibility of moral upbringing. Based on these findings, it was recommended that Christian parents should deliberately supervise and regulate their children’s engagement with social media and digital technologies while offering consistent moral and spiritual direction grounded in biblical principles. In addition, churches and Christian organizations should conduct regular parenting seminars and moral education programmes to equip parents with practical strategies for addressing contemporary socio-cultural influences affecting children’s moral development. Key Words: Twenty-First Century, Christian Parents, Moral Upbringing, Taraba State P-ISSN 2695 2416

Keywords

Twenty-First CenturyChristian ParentsMoral UpbringingTaraba State P-ISSN 2695 2416

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