THE IMPACT OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN’S WELL-BEING IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

The main purpose of this study is the analysis of the impact of effective communication in the relationship between parents and their children’s wellbeing. The study adopted descriptive survey method with both qualitative and quantitative analysis. 100 respondents were selected to provide response on the questionnaires that was raised for the research. The results revealed that there is positive relationship between effective communication and the relationship between parents and their children’s well-being. The results also revealed that there exists some level of negative relationship between ineffective communication and parent-children relationship. The study however recommended that orientation and education platform should be created and enhance for better understanding of communication towards better parent-children relationship wellbeing.

CHAPTER ONE

1. INTRODUCTION

Greg Duran, (2010).Communication is the bedrock of any relationship in the world today, families, schools and the world at large because information can never be exchanged or transferred without communication. As we know, communication is about sharing of ideas, sending of informations from one person to another, and it could be positive or negative, effective or ineffective. Communication involves a two-way thing; sharing of information that helps develop a common understanding between two parties and both participants have an active role to play in the process. A person transmits a message to ensure that the message is clearly delivered and understood, while the receiver of the message must be an active listener to ensure that the message sent was properly received and understood. Communication takes place only when the listener clearly understands the message that the spokesman is conveying, Communication enables parents and children to express their thoughts and feelings to one another, meaning it is very important for parents to communicate openly and effectively with their children to enable them build trust, develop honesty and respectful relationship and this benefits not only the children but the every member of the family. Effective communication involves conversation or an exchange of information between two or more persons. Effective communication abilities are developed and might be augmented or improved with amplified understanding and practice. For communication to be considered effective there must be message sending and message receiving activities. This can be carried out using both direct and indirect approaches. Effective communication between persons occurs when the message senders and the message receivers understand the message. This can however be achieved either through speech/verbal communication or the use of nonverbal means of communication. Effective communication is an act that is intended to convey meanings from one person or group to another because of the use of signs and semiotic rules that are reciprocally understood. The platform of effective communication can be visual (through the use of eyes), auditory (the use of ears), tactile (such as in Braille through the sense of torch) and haptic and olfactory (use of nose). However, communication in humans is very exceptional for its extensive utilization of theoretical language. This has given room for social development and civilization which are basic concepts that are strongly associated with environments that promotes effective communication among its people. Effective Communication helps strengthen parent-child relationship and increases mutual understanding. In line with this assertion, the manner in which Parents communicate with their children could either make them or mar them. In the light of this assertion it becomes obvious that parents who did not speak to their child about matters of interest at a young age should not expect the child to easily express his/her questions and ideas about issues of interest when that child is of age.

The relationship between parents and their children’s wellbeing is an exceptionally significant element in the personality formation and particularly the socialization of the child from stage of infancy to childhood and the eventual adolescence (Meng, 1998). Children generally go through series of unstable stages with the strongest agility and the biggest catastrophe that are characterized by a sense of independence, criticalness and expectedness along with the physiological maturity. However, any breakdown or lapses in the role and rights of each party (parent and child) is inimical to the survival of the existing relationship between them. In the general context of the parent-children relationship, effective communication can be described as the ability of family members (parents and children) to exchange and interact on their needs, feelings and desires with one another and to give attention to the dynamically changing needs of the children especially in a positive way (Barnes & Olson, 1985). The effectiveness of the communication between parents and their children contributes to the survival of parent–child relationship, which invariably predicts children’s well-being (Broberg, 2012). Several pollsters that have investigated the impact of parent–child relationships on children’s wellbeing, growth and psychological health established that the lack of effective and supportive communication link between parent and children can lead young individuals into a number of social, emotional and health-related unhelpful developmental trajectories (Clayton, 2014). Effective communication in the relationship between parents and their children is a communication point of view that is generally defined by the nature of the family with respect to intimacy and trusting associations. The major goal of effective communication is to understand the interactions of parent-children relationship and the pattern of behaviors of the nuclear family members in different situations. However, open and honest communication brings about an atmosphere that enables parents and their children to make clear their differences as well as love and approbation for one another.