Parents’ Perception of Child Rearing as a Gender Issue in Marital Relationship: Implications to Social Health

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine parents’ perception of child rearing as a gender issue in marital relationship in Imo State: implications to social health. It focussed on gender issues in education of children,.training in home management, emotional health, family relationship, and religious upbringing. The descriptive research design was used to present parents’ perception of gender issues in child rearing in marital relationship. The results of the study were used to decipher the social health implications in family settings. The population of the study constituted of child rearing parentswithin thearea of study. The sample was 120 parents randomly sampled from four selected towns of the Local Government Area which was basically an urban setting. A questionnaire was used for data collection. The study revealed that gender issue sin children education demahd that both parents should take responsibility for children education (72%),. Both should be involved in the discipline of the children (54%). Fathers should teach children masculine home chores. Both should teach the children emotional stability (57.5%), to love (62.5%), be respectful (60%), and should inculcate self acceptance in children (54%).Both should take responsibility for their religious upbringing. Mothers should teach them effective communication (42%.).Fathers have less emotional toles yhan mothers The study revealed that gender of respondents influenced their perception of parental responsibilities in the education and dev[opment of emotional health of children. It was recommended that parents should define their parental roles in marriage instead of generating issues that affect the social health of their children.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n5p61