“Mummy, is it wrong to marry someone from another tribe?”
That question, asked by my daughter, caught me completely off guard. I gently invited her to sit with me and talk about it.
As a mother, I’ve always focused on my child’s education, career, and future success. So, when she began asking questions about love and marriage, I realised how important it is to embrace these moments of curiosity with openness and warmth.
When our children feel safe enough to discuss sensitive topics with us, it reflects the depth of trust in our relationship. Still, hearing this question from my 17-year-old daughter surprised me. At her age, shouldn’t she be more concerned with personal growth and academics? What inspired this shift in her thoughts?
As parents, our role is to guide them through each phase of life—to explain that there’s a season for building character, acquiring knowledge, and developing independence. That doesn’t mean we brush off uncomfortable questions. Quite the opposite: we meet them with compassion and clarity.
Was her curiosity influenced by friends, something on social media, or even the loving marriages she sees around her? Whatever the reason, understanding her perspective helps me support her more effectively.
I want her to make informed choices—not from pressure or confusion—but from a place of wisdom and strength. So, to fellow parents reading this: the next time your child asks a question you weren’t expecting, embrace it.
Offer your support. Listen without judgment. These conversations can shape how they think, solve problems, and make decisions.
And as they grow, these skills become the tools they use to face life’s challenges with confidence.
By encouraging dialogue and nurturing trust, we raise children who are resilient, thoughtful, and grounded, ready to build futures full of possibility.
Let us also model love, kindness, and patience. As Scripture reminds us in Ephesians 6:4, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”
When we live by these values, we cultivate an environment where children feel safe enough to ask even the most delicate questions—and that is where real growth begins.
