Veteran Nollywood actress Patience Ozokwor has advised parents, particularly those from wealthy homes, against over-pampering their children.
Speaking during a recent interview, the actress explained that parents who try to shield their children from every form of hardship in a bid to give them a better life could unintentionally prevent them from developing resilience and appreciating what they have.
“The fastest way to ruin a child’s life is to say you don’t want them to suffer the way you did. I’m not saying allow them to suffer. What I’m saying is allow them to struggle. Go through the process,” she said.
Patience Ozokwor noted that children who grow up surrounded by wealth may struggle to understand the effort their parents put into acquiring their properties and other possessions.
She added that allowing children to experience manageable challenges would help them appreciate their privileges and understand the value of hard work.
“When they don’t struggle, can you imagine you have, like, 20 houses? You have in Enugu, you have in Abuja, you have in Lagos. Your children will just be struggling, ‘Which one belongs to me?’ They don’t know how you struggled to get those things,” she added.
The veteran actress further urged parents to let their children experience some of life’s difficulties without deliberately making them suffer.
Her comments have prompted discussions online, with many agreeing that children need discipline and responsibility regardless of their family’s financial status.
