RECONNECTING DISCIPLINE AND COMMUNICATION IN THE FAMILY: EXPLORING THE ROLE OF INTENTIONAL DIALOGUE IN FOSTERING MORAL DEVELOPMENT AMONG NIGERIAN CHILDREN

Abstract

This study, titled Reconnecting Discipline and Communication in the Family: Exploring the Role of Intentional Dialogue in Fostering Moral Development Among Nigerian Children, investigated how Nigerian parents perceived and negotiated the balance between discipline and communication in family upbringing. Grounded in Family Systems Theory and employing a cross-sectional research design, the study adopted a qualitative content analysis method. A purposively selected sample of 50 online comments responding to a viral Facebook video—which exposed failures in parent-child trust following a case of unreported child abuse—was analyzed. The findings revealed two dominant themes: Trust and Communication. These themes repeatedly conveyed a shared parental concern about the inadequacy of fear-based disciplinary models that often-induced silence rather than openness. Among the 50 comments, 16% (n=8) reflected strong spiritual sentiments, including expressions such as “leave it to God” and “God will protect,” indicating the enduring influence of religious interpretations in parenting discourse. The data suggested a high level of awareness among parents regarding the tension between exercising moral authority and fostering emotional accessibility. The study concluded that if the family truly served as the bedrock of national development, then Nigeria needed to urgently renovate the emotional foundation of its households. Silence, once mistaken for respect, was revealed as a harmful myth. A new generation of parents had begun to emerge—resisting inherited emotional illiteracy and embracing intentional dialogue. The study recommended culturally relevant communication-skills workshops, community-based storytelling initiatives, and therapeutic interventions by NGOs and mental health professionals to promote emotionally intelligent parenting across Nigeria.