Instil honesty, respect among children - Professor Dornyo urges parents
Radiant Parenting, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has hosted over 400 parents and caregivers at PIWC Atomic for a parenting conference on the theme, “Raising World Changers in a Changing World.”
Professor Rev. Samuel Oheneba Dornyo of the University of Counselling and Psychology, who spoke on the topic “Raising World Changers in a Changing World,” highlighted the challenge of raising children in a generation where technology advances, while values decline.
He therefore called on parents to ground their children in truth, love and faith, outlining five essential pillars.
First, he urged parents to help shape strong values by instilling honesty, respect, gratitude and a strong work ethic.
Second, he encouraged them to cultivate purpose by helping children discover their God-given calling and talents.
Participants in the conference
He further called on parents to help their children build resilience by teaching them the courage to rise after failure through healthy emotional expression and perseverance.
The fourth essential pillar, he pointed out, was to nurture faith by modelling authentic spirituality and restoring family worship.
Finally, Rev. Dornyo asked parents to help model service by instilling humility and empathy through acts of service.
He concluded by emphasising the power of life-giving words to build a sense of identity and courage in children.
Guiding children in digital age
Dr Prince Boakye-Sekyerehene from the University of Ghana, Department of Computer Science, who spoke on “Raising world changers, the impact of the digital world”, noted that every click shapes identity.
He, therefore, urged parents to become "digital shepherds," guiding with wisdom and love rather than just monitoring.
His advice was to shift from controlling to connecting, fostering trust through open discussions about online content, and ultimately raising children to be problem-solvers, not just consumers.
A call to investment
A panel discussion on “The Cost of Raising World Changers,” moderated by Mina Lassey, featured heartfelt stories from Ruth Quayson, Gladys Otae Addo, Ben Larbi, and David Ansong, who all shared firsthand perspectives on the emotional, financial, and spiritual investments required for parenting.
The founder of Radiant Parenting, Gifty Agyemang, urged parents to raise the next generation with intention, asserting that the future depends on it.
