dc.description.abstract |
This study explored parenting in step-families in selected Zongo communities in
Accra. The qualitative research methodology was employed using the phenomenology
approach. An in-depth interview was used to collect data from twenty participants
(ten step-parents and ten step-children) selected using the snow-ball technique from
purposively selected three Zongo communities. The demographic data were analysed
to generate percentages for discussion. Interviews were transcribed by a professional
transcriptionist using QSRNVIVO 9. The study revealed that the stepfamily brought
challenges and a range of benefits to the participants’ life experiences. The key
difficulties pertained to issues regarding poor-quality relationships, ineffective
communication, financial challenges, interferences from biological non-resident
parents and outsiders, emotional challenges, abuse and neglect, step-siblings rivalry
leading to conflicts and stress in step-parenting. Benefits include having an adult
person in the life of step-children, step-parents having children, and other new family
members in their lives among others. The findings also revealed separating wives and
children in polygamous step-families to different houses, dialogue with a biological
non-resident parent for collaborative parenting of step-children and step-parents
accepting that step-children already know their biological parents and would not
regard them were measures to overcome the challenges. Step-parenting comes with a
whole lot of challenges which lead to poor relationships among members affecting
healthy family living in the stepfamily. Thus, step-children should be submissive to
their step-parents. Step-children should be shown affection by step-parents, relatives,
and society so that they do not end up on the streets as junkies and criminals |
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