Parental Care is Child Care

PARENTAL CARE IS CHILD
CARE: FAMILY
EMPOWERMENT AND CHILD
CARE IN NIGERIA
BY
ABIMBOLA OLUGBENGA FAYOMI
BOLANLE CLARA SIMEON-FAYOMI
TEMITOPE FAVOUR JIBOYE
(Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria)

BACKGROUND
In many ways, the pattern of childcare that is been
practiced by any people can be influenced by many
factors. One of which is the significance that are ascribed
to children. Children are held in very high esteem in
many cultures of the world.
In Yoruba culture, a union that is blessed with children is
highly honoured while tension is pervasive in a union
without children. The Yoruba express their joy and the
value they ascribe to children in many ways. One of such
is the lavish ceremony that often characterize the naming
of the new born child.

BACKGROUND … contd
The Yorubas’ also express their perspectives
through their proverbs and wise sayings e.g.
Olomololaye, Obaoke jenbitemi – meaning the
world belongs to a man/woman that is blessed
with the fruit of the womb, God of heaven bless me
with one.

Another wise saying common among Yorubas’ is
omoniyi, omonide, omonisinsinkunnisin meaning my
child is my honour, he is my gold, he is the object of
my worship.
Some culture in Nigeria actually deitify children, in
Benin City for instance, twins are worshiped because
they believe they have certain mystic powers (orisa
ibeji).

Some religion accord children certain honor and
privileges because they believe they are close to
God due to their innocence and sinlessness, such
religion involve them in important aspect of
worship and sacrifice.
Another factor that may determine childcare
pattern is the expectation of the parents from
children.

Yorubas express the expectation about the
future of a child through the name they
give to their child e.g. Olugbenga meaning
God has elevated me through this child,
Owolabi meaning I have just begat my
wealth, and so on.
Giving the esteemed and honourable
position that children occupy among
Yoruba families, it is curious to imagine
that a Yoruba parent will willfully abuse
his or her child.

In this regard, what constitute abuse could
be a question of perception, coloured by
culture and other socio-economic factors of
individuals. Given this background, this
paper aims at achieving the following
objectives.

OBJECTIVES
Investigate the cultural dimensions to
childcare among household heads in
Osun State
Determine the influence of economic
status of household heads on their
perspectives on childcare.
Establish the relationship between gender
and childcare practices of household
heads in Osun State

HYPOTHESES
There is no significant relationship between
culture and childcare practice among
household heads in Osun State.
the economic status and household heads and
their perspectives on childcare.
gender and childcare practices among
household heads in Osun State

METHODOLOGY
 The study population comprised of head of
households in Osun State of Southwestern Nigeria.
Both primary and secondary data sources were
employed. Primary data was elicited through
structured interview schedule administered on 50
household heads that were purposively selected
based on gender, ethnicity and perceived economic
status Data were analyzed through inferential
statistical statistical tools.

RESULTS
Gender n %
Male
Female
Total
34
16
50
68
32
100
Age Group
25 – 49 years
50 and above
Total
31
19
50
62
38
100
Academic Qualifications
No formal education
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary
Total
3
4
26
17
50
6
8
52
34
100
Occupation
Trading
Farming
Private Sector Employee
Civil Servant
Total
18
6
9
17
50
36
12
18
34
100
Source: Field Survey, 2015
SECTION A: DEMOGRAPHIC DATA
Table 1: Distribution of respondents by Gender, Age Group, Academic Qualifications and Occupation
n = 50

INTERPRETATION … TABLE 1
From the table above, it can be deduced that 34 respondents representing
68% were male while 32% were female. 31 respondents representing 62%
were between 25 – 49 years of age while the 19 respondents representing
38% were 50 years and above.
Also, 3 respondents representing 6% had no formal education, 4
respondents representing 8% had only primary education, 26 respondents
representing 52% had secondary education while the remaining 17
respondents representing 34% were graduates. Furthermore, 18
respondents representing 36% were traders, 6 respondents representing
12% were farmers, 9 respondents representing 18% were private sector
employees while the remaining 17 respondents representing 34% were civil
servants.

Table 2: Distribution of respondents by Marital Status, Number of years of
marriage, Type of Marriage and Number of Children
Marital Status n %
Single
Married
Widowed
Widower
Total
1
41
7
1
50
2
82
14
2
100
Number of years of marriage
< 5 years
5 – 10 years
10 – 20 years
Total
8
33
9
50
16
66
18
100
Type of Marriage
Polygamy
Monogamy
Total
13
37
50
26
74
100
Number of Children
None
1 – 2
2 – 5
Total
5
11
34
50
10
22
68
100
n = 50

From the table above, 1 respondent representing 2% is single, 41
respondents representing 82% are married, 7 respondents
representing 14% are widowed while the remaining 1 respondent
representing 2% is a widower. This shows that most of the
respondents are married. 8 respondents representing 16% have
been married for less than 5 years, 33 respondents representing 66%
had been married for between 5 – 10 years while the remaining 9
respondents representing 18% have been married for between 10 –
20 years.
Also, 13 respondents representing 26% practiced polygamy while
the 37 respondents representing 74% practiced monogamy.
Furthermore, 5 respondents representing 10% has no child, 11
respondents representing 22% has between 1 – 2 children, while the
remaining 34 respondents representing 68% has between 2 – 5
children.

Table 3: Distribution of respondents by Ethnicity and Religion
Ethnicity n %
Yoruba
Hausa
Igbo
Total
36
8
6
50
72
16
12
100
Religion
Christianity
Islam
Traditional
Total
31
17
2
50
62
34
4
100
n = 50
Interpretation … Table 3
From the table above, 36 respondents representing 72% are from
Yoruba tribe, 8 respondents representing 16% are from Hausa tribe
while the remaining 6 respondents representing 12% are from Igbo
tribe. Also, 31 respondents representing 62% are Christians, 17
respondents representing 34% are Muslims while the remaining 2
respondents representing 4% are traditional worshippers.

SECTION B: Economic Status
Table 4: Distribution of respondents by Income per annum, Financial Status, Type of
secondary education provided for children and Type of accommodation.
Income per Annum n %
Below 500,000
500,000 – 1,000,000
1,000,001 – 2,000,000
2,000,001 – 5,000,000
Total
14
22
8
6
50
28
44
16
12
100
Financial Status
Very rich
Rich
Average
Poor
Total
7
8
22
13
50
14
16
44
26
100
Type of secondary education provided for children
Public school
Low-cost private school
Middle cost private school
High cost private school
Total
8
34
6
2
50
16
68
12
4
100
Type of Accommodation
Self-owned
Rented flat
Rented apartment (Face-me-I-face you)
Total
7
18
25
50
14
36
50
100
n = 50

From the table above, 14 respondents representing 28% earns below 500,000
per annum, 22 respondents representing 44% earns between 500,000 –
1,000,000 per annum, 8 respondents representing 16% earns between
1,000,001 – 2,000,000 per annum while the remaining 6 respondents
representing 12% earns between 2,000,0001 – 5,000,000 per annum. 7
respondents representing 14% perceived themselves as very rich, 8
respondents representing 16% perceived themselves as rich, 22 respondents
representing 44% perceived themselves to be of an average economic status
while the remaining 13 respondents representing 26% perceived themselves
as poor.
Also, 8 respondents representing 16% send their children to public schools,
34 respondents representing 68% send their children to low-cost private
schools, 6 respondents representing 12% send their children to middle cost
private schools while the remaining 2 respondents representing 4% send
their children to high cost private schools. Furthermore, 7 respondents
representing 14 lives in a self-owned apartment, 18 respondents
representing 36% lives in a rented flat while the remaining 25 respondents
representing 50% lives in a rented apartment (face-me-I-face-you).

SECTION C: Childcare practice
Table 5: Distribution of respondents by Children assisting in business, Respondents’ strategy for ensuring
children’s conformity to established norms, Respondents’ relationship with children, Respondents’ ability to
fulfill essential parental obligations, Respondents’ self-perception as a parent, History of Respondents’ female
children abuse by outsiders and Incidence of out of wedlock children among the children of Respondents.
Children assisting in business n %
Yes
No
Not applicable
Total
25
2
23
50
50
4
46
100
Respondents’ strategy for ensuring children’s conformity to established norms
Corporal punishment
Advise/Counseling
Denials
Spiritual (prayer)
Total
18
30
1
1
50
36
60
2
2
100
Respondents’ relationship with children
Cordial
Formal
Tolerance
Total
22
27
1
50
44
54
2
100
Respondents’ ability to fulfill essential parental obligations
Totally
Partially
Not at all
Total
17
30
03
50
34
60
06
100
n = 50
Source: Field
Survey, 2015

Table 5 … contd
Respondents’ self perception as a parent n %
Caring
Authoritative
Assertive
Disciplinarian
Total
29
2
9
10
50
58
4
18
20
100
History of abuse of respondents’ female children by
outsiders
Yes
No
Total
17
33
50
34
66
100
Incidence of out of wedlock children among the
female children of respondents
Yes
No
Total
07
43
50
14
86
100
n = 50

From the table above, 25 respondents representing 50% claimed that their
children assists them in their businesses, 2 respondents representing 4%
did not engage their children in their business; the remaining 23
respondents representing 46% did not find the question Applicable
probably because they’re not involved in any business. 18 respondents
representing 36% employ corporal punishment to ensure that their
children conform to established norms, 30 respondents representing 60%
take to advise/counseling, 1 respondent representing 2% employ denials
while the remaining 1 respondent representing 2% take to spirituality
(prayer). Furthermore,22 respondents representing 44% described their
relationship with their children as cordial, 27 respondents representing
54% described their relationship with their children as formal while 1
respondent claimed that his relationship with his children was more of
tolerance. Moreover, 17 respondents representing 34% claimed that they
totally fulfill essential parental obligations, 30 respondents representing
60% claimed they partially did while 03 respondents representing 6%
claimed they do not fulfill their obligations as a parent.

INTERPRETATION … TABLE 5 … contd
On their self perception as parents, 29 respondents
representing 58% perceived themselves as caring , 2
respondents representing 4% perceived themselves as
authoritative, 9 respondents representing 18% perceived
themselves as assertive while the remaining 10 respondents
representing 20% perceived themselves as disciplinarians. On
the history of female children abuse, 17 respondents
representing 34% affirmed that their female children had
suffered one form of abuse or the other from outsiders while
33 respondents representing 66% responded in the negative.
Furthermore, on the incidence of out of wedlock children
among the children of respondents, 07 respondents
representing 14% affirmed that at least one of their children
had a child out of wedlock, while 43 respondents representing
86% responded in the negative.

SECTION D: Perspectives on Child care
Table 6: Distribution of respondents by Respondents perception of Children, Respondents’
expectations from children, Respondents’ perception towards giving a female child more care than
male and Respondents’ perception towards giving an only child more freedom of choice
Respondents perception of Children n %
Children are essential liabilities
Children are security for old age
Children should be involved in family economic activities
Children only deserve to be nurtured and cared for
Total
2
2
43
3
50
4
4
86
6
100
Respondents’ expectations from children
My children should be supportive in caring for their younger ones
My children should provide for me at my old age
My children should contribute towards family upkeep as soon as they can
Nothing but good conduct and excellent performance
Total
4
2
41
3
50
8
4
82
6
100
Respondents’ perception towards giving a female child more care than male
Yes
No
Total
42
8
50
84
16
100
Respondents’ perception towards giving an only child more freedom of choice
Yes
No
Total
44
6
50
88
12
100
n = 50
Source: Field
Survey, 2015

On the perception of respondents about children, 2 respondents
representing 4% perceived children as essential liabilities, 2 respondents
representing 4% perceived children as security for old age, 43 respondents
representing 86% perceived that children should be involved in family
economic activities while 3 respondents 6% perceived that children should
only be nurtured and cared for.
On the expectation of respondents from their children, 4 respondents
representing 8% expect their children to be supportive in caring for their
younger ones, 2 respondents representing 4% expect their children to
provide for them in their old age, 41 respondents representing 82% expect
their children to contribute towards family upkeep as soon as they can,
while the remaining 3 respondents representing 6% did not expect any
thing from their children order that good conduct and excellent
performance. Furthermore , on the perception of respondents on giving
more care to female children that male children, 42 respondents representing
84% believed that a female child should receive more care and attention
than a male child while 8 respondents representing 16% negate the option.
Furthermore, 44 respondents representing 88% agreed to give an only child

TEST OF HYPOTHESES
HYPOTHESIS 1
There is no significant relationship between culture and child care practices among head of families
in Osun State.
Model Summary
.384a .148 .092 .667 .148 2.659 3 46 .059
Model
1
R R Square
Adjusted
R Square
Std. Error of
the Estimate
R Square
Change F Change df1 df2 Sig. F Change
Change Statistics
Predictors: (Constant), Self perception of Respondents’ as parent, Incidence of out of wedlock children among the
female children of respondents, History of abuse of respondents’ female children by outsiders,
ANOVA
3.547 3 1.182 2.659 .059 a
20.453 46 .445
24.000 49
Regression
Residual
Total
Model
1
Sum of
Squares df Mean Square F Sig.
a Predictors: Self perception of Respondents’ as parent, Incidence of out of wedlock children
among the female children of respondents, History of abuse of respondents’ female children by
outsiders,
b Dependent Variable: Ethnicity

Hypothesis 1 … Interpretation
Level of Significance = 5%
df(1) i.e. (v1) = 3; df(2) i.e. (v2) = 46
R2 Adjusted = 0.092
Fcalculated (Fcal) = 2.659
Ftabulated (Ftab) = 2.79 (From the Statistical Table)
Fcal (2.659) < Ftab (2.79)
Decision Rule: If fcal < ftab, we reject H1 and accept H0, otherwise, accept H1.
Since fcal < ftab, we therefore conclude that there is no significant relationship
between culture and child care practices among head of families in Osun State)

TEST OF HYPOTHESES
HYPOTHESIS 2
There is no significant relationship between economic status of household heads
and their perspectives on child care.
Model Summ ary
.479a .230 .161 .855 .230 3.358 4 45 .017
Model
1
R R Square
Adjusted
R Square
Std. Error of
the Estimate
R Square
Change F Change df1 df2 Sig. F Change
Change Statistics
Predictors: (Constant), Respondents' perception tow ards giving an only child more freedom of choice, Respondents'
perception tow ards giving a female child more care than male, Respondents' perception of children , Respondents'
expectations from children
a.
ANOVAb
9.819 4 2.455 3.358 .017a
32.901 45 .731
42.720 49
Regression
Residual
Total
Model
1
Sum of
Predictors: (Constant), Respondents' perc eption tow ards giving an only child more
freedom of choic e, Respondents' perc eption tow ards giving a female c hild more
care than male, Respondents' perc eption of children , Respondents ' expec tations
from children
a.
Dependent Variable: Income per annumb.

df1 (v1) = 4; df2 (v2) = 45
R2 Adjusted = 0.161
Ftabulated (Ftab) = 2.56 (From the Statistical Table)
Fcal (3.358) > Ftab (2.56)
Decision Rule:
If fcal > ftab, we reject H0 and accept H1 and conclude that there is significant
relationship between economic status of household heads and their perspectives
on child care, otherwise, accept H0.

TEST OF HYPOTHESES
Hypothesis 3
There is no significant relationship between gender and child care practice among
household heads in Osun State
Model Summ ary
.683a
.467 .432 .370
Model
1
R R Square
Adjusted
R Square
Std. Error of
the Estimate
Predictors: (Constant), Incidence of out of w edlock
children among the female children of respondents,
Respondents' self perception as a parent, History of
abuse of respondents' female children by outsiders
a.
ANOVAb
5.496 3 1.832 13.412 .000a
6.284 46 .137
11.780 49
Regression
Residual
Total
Model
1
Sum of
Predictors: (Constant), Incidence of out of w edlock c hildren among the f emale
children of respondents, Respondents ' self perc eption as a parent, History of
abus e of respondents ' f emale children by outs iders
a.
Dependent Variable: Genderb.

R2 Adjusted = 0.467
Ftabulated (Ftab) = [v1 = 3, v2 = 46 ≈ 50] = 2.79 (From the Statistical
Table)
Fcal (13.412) > Ftab (2.79)
Decision Rule: If fcal > ftab, we reject H0 and accept H1. Since fcal >
ftab, we therefore conclude that there is significant relationship
between gender and child care practice among household heads
in Osun State

CONCLUSION
 We conclude in this study that because what constitute childcare/
abuse cannot be generalized in all its ramifications ; effective discourse
and intervention programmes on child care/abuse is only possible if
determinants of abuse /care are well investigated. Contrary to apriori
expectation, the study did not find any significant relationship between
the cultural believe of household heads and their childcare practices in
the study area. Nonetheless, a significant relationship was established
between the economic status and the perspectives of household heads
on childcare. Furthermore, a significant relationship was established
between the gender of household heads and their child care practices.
 The study recommends the need to broaden the mandate of child care
intervention programmes and policy to include empowerment
programmers for parents of vulnerable children, since the economic
status of individuals has been proven to be an important determinant of
child care. Furthermore , the capacity of female head of households
should be developed to deliver effective child care practices

Parental Care is Child Care

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