Taneisha Rhoden sits with daughters Kelsie (left) and Tacqail Wright. - George Henry

THE Reverend Jacob Powell, pastor at Sharon Baptist Church in Santa Cruz, St Elizabeth, told Taneisha Rhoden and other parents who turned out recently to have their babies christened that it was not easy these days to parent children.

"It is far too difficult to parent children now. Once upon a time, you would talk about the cost involved in buying diapers for your children and buying food for your children; but now you have to talk about additional costs and other important responsibilities," Powell said.

words of wisdom

He said parents needed to spend on their children's education rather than on things, such as hairstyles and clothes that are so revealing that they result in heartless men setting themselves upon children.

Rhoden, who appeared to have digested every word uttered by the pastor while holding her baby, Kelsie Wright, whom she had taken to be dedicated, told THE STAR that Powell's words were words of wisdom.

She admitted that it was not easy these days to parent children because there were many forces seeking to destroy them. She agreed that the church and the community must play a role in the development of all children.

Asked why she believed the church should play a role, Rhoden said children must be taken to God because when they grow up in the Church they would learn about God and would be guided along the right path.

Kelsie is also the daughter of Richard Wright. She was born at the Black River Hospital on September 12, 2008, and weighed 7 pounds 3 ounces at birth.