When We Pamper Our Children Too Much
By Michael Kwame Appiah · 25 September 2026 · Social Issues & Community
Michael Kwame Appiah, Illinois,USA In Ghana, many parents work tirelessly to give their children what they never had. They pay school fees, provide phones, cars, pocket money, and sometimes even build houses for children who are already adults. It is understandable. Every parent wants their child to enjoy life.But sometimes, we love our children so much that we forget to prepare them for life. Some Ghanaian parents do everything for their children. They cook for them, wash their clothes, pay their bills, defend them when they are clearly wrong, and rescue them whenever they face the consequences of their decisions.Then the child grows up and enters the real world. Suddenly, the boss does not care that “Daddy knows somebody.” The landlord will not accept excuses because “Mummy will pay.” A business can fail. A relationship can end. A job can be lost. Nobody is coming to rescue you every time.And that is where some young Ghanaians struggle. We must teach our children that comfort is a privilege, not a permanent condition of life. Give them good education, but also teach them responsibility. Give them money when necessary, but teach them how to work for money. Protect them from danger, but do not protect them from every consequence. Let them wash their own clothes. Let them manage some money. Let them work. Let them fail. Let them learn. There is nothing wrong with giving your child a good life. The danger is giving them such a soft life that they cannot survive when life becomes hard.As Ghanaian parents, our responsibility is not only to give our children a better life than we had. It is also to prepare them for the life we cannot control.Because one day, Daddy and Mummy will not be there to solve every problem. Love your children. Support them. But don’t pamper the strength out of them.