At annual conference in Yaounde: Coach, Dr Jen Ndiboti, counsels parents, launches groundbreaking book.

The confab was on the theme: “The Purpose-Driven Parent: Shaping Tomorrow’s Leaders Today”. The event also marked the launch of Dr Jen’s new book, titled: "Connected on Purpose: Harnessing the Power of Connection to Build Trust and Gain Influence With Your Child".

Dr Jen kicked off the conference by highlighting the critical role parents play in shaping future leaders. 

"When we look around today, we see children going astray. We see a lot of ill happenings in our society," she stated.

The author was clear that "…children are coming from homes and are the responsibility of their parents, there is a need for us to address how these children are being raised".

She acknowledged the modern challenges parents face, particularly the demands of work that often lead to parental absence. 

"Parents are very busy today, and because of that, most children are left to themselves. They are raising themselves because parents have to be out there to work," Dr Jen observed.

Dr Jen said her focus is to equip parents to strike a balance between providing for their families while actively nurturing their children to prevent gaps that can lead to children going astray.

According to Dr Jen, the main contemporary issue plaguing parenting is parental absence. She said it is a challenge she has observed firsthand through conversations with over 2,000 individuals. 

This absence, she elaborated, is compounded by a lack of awareness regarding evolving societal influences, particularly the widespread presence of screens.

"Parents don't understand sometimes the dangers that some of these devices expose to their children and to their parenting, and how to navigate the availability of screens when it comes to their children," she noted, stressing the importance of parents remaining a significant source of influence amidst these external voices.

Dr Jen outlined key strategies for effective parenting, starting with the recognition of each child's unique individuality. 

She further emphasised the power of connection over control, urging parents to build influence through strong relationships. This, she asserted, will ensure parental guidance remains effective even as children mature.

New book, roadmap for parenting

Her new book delves deeper into parenting principles, aiming to help parents cultivate robust relationships with their children. She noted that it provides a roadmap for parents to maintain a positive and significant influence as their children navigate different life stages, particularly during the often-challenging teenage years where traditional control methods may falter.

Dr Jen said her inspiration for the book stems from her experiences as a parenting coach, witnessing the transformative impact of non-obvious strategies. 

"Parenting is a skill and like every other skill, it can be learned and perfected," she affirmed, citing the concerning rise in atrocious acts committed by young children as a stark indicator of existing parenting gaps.

"There is a need for us to learn strategies that can help children be able to grow up, you know, morally sound in a world that is perverse," she underscored.

The book, she added, is designed not only for parents but for everybody who handles children, as it offers guidance on how to make an impression on the child that helps the child choose right because it is right instead of just doing right because somebody is watching them.

Participants laud initiative

Having taken Dr Jen's parenting courses for three years, Nain Yuh, a mother of two, who travelled from Bamenda to attend the conference, lauded the initiative for its timeliness. 

“We have an urgent need to raise leaders from home,” Yuh stated, adding that the problem starts at home. 

She further emphasized the importance of spouses embarking on this parenting journey together to make it more efficient. 

"I have moved from a yelling mom to a mom who takes a deep breath,” Yuh said. She also expressed hope that more parents would be exposed to this crucial knowledge to foster a more purposeful community.

Tata Nfon Edian, an expecting parent, echoed these sentiments, suggesting that "each and every parent should attend such a conference at least once in their lifetime". 

He praised Dr Jen for providing resources at the disposal of the parents who very often think that they have nothing to learn as far as parenting is concerned.

Tata Nfon concluded that such knowledge will help parents, especially parents-to-be like him minimize errors that could be made.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3452 of Thursday May 22, 2025