By Ewere Okonta
08037383019
www.ewereokontablog.org.ng
There was a time—not too long ago—when parents raised children and the village helped. Now, the algorithm does the heavy lifting, and the village is offline or just too tired to care.
In today’s hyper-sexualized world, Instagram is the new parenting manual. TikTok offers sex education. And YouTube? It’s the new auntie with advice—only this time, it comes with clickbait and cleavage. What used to be subtle has become savage. What was sacred is now for sale.
Let’s not pretend we don’t see it. Teenagers, barely old enough to spell “boundaries,” are broadcasting their bodies and brokenness to the world. Their parents? Clapping in the comments or too distracted by their own filters and faux perfection to notice the red flags.
Ask the average 15-year-old girl today about her aspirations, and you’re likely to hear “content creator” before “doctor” or “lawyer.” Why? Because content gets you clout. Clout gets you brand deals. And brand deals? Well, let’s just say nobody’s waiting until marriage anymore.
But here’s the real tragedy: Sex is no longer private, personal, or profound. It’s public, performative, and profitable.
Parenting is no longer intentional. It’s passive. And the results are alarming:
- Teenage boys are addicted to porn before they hit puberty.
- Young girls learning to pose for likes, not for love.
- Children mistaking attention for affection and dopamine hits for dignity.
- A new wave of emotionally bankrupt youth who feel seen online but invisible at home.
And who do we blame? Society? Social media? The schools?
Maybe. But let’s start with us—the adults who got too comfortable, who outsourced discipline to cartoons, traded family dinners for screen time, and abandoned moral instruction because it felt “judgy” or “old-school.”
We gave them smartphones before they could manage self-worth.
We let them roam free on platforms built by billionaires with no children of their own.
We told them to be themselves but never taught them who they are.
Now we’re shocked when they act grown, get pregnant at 13, or spiral into anxiety by 15.
Let’s be honest: This is not just a parenting failure. It’s a generational betrayal.
We’re raising a generation that knows more about Kim Kardashian’s body than about consent, respect, or real love. A generation that knows every dance move but not the danger of oversharing. A generation whose moral compass is spinning because the adults in their lives buried theirs a long time ago.
This isn’t about promoting shame—it’s about reclaiming standards.
It’s not about banning phones—it’s about building character.
It’s not about criticizing Gen Z or Alpha—it’s about reminding ourselves that we’re supposed to be the grownups here.
The truth is, children don’t need perfect parents. They need present ones. They need parents who ask the hard questions. Who says “no” even when it’s unpopular? Who model dignity, teach self-worth, and correct in love.
Because if we don’t, someone else will. And their “love” comes with likes, DMs, and a moral vacuum.
So, I ask again—who raised these children?
Because whoever did had some explaining to do.
Until Sunday,
This is my midweek sermon from my holy pulpit!
– The Preacher at Midweek
Ewere Okonta is the CEO of EOB Media. He is a family values advocate. He writes from the Department of Business Administration, University of Delta, Agbor.
gts2007students@gmail.com