Veteran Nollywood actress Patience Ozokwor, popularly known as Mama G, has advised parents to teach their children the value of hard work and struggle, especially when they raise them in wealthy homes.
Ozokwor shared her views during an interview on Femi Babs TV, where she discussed parenting, wealth and the importance of allowing children to experience some of life’s challenges.
The actress warned parents against the mindset that they must prevent their children from experiencing the difficulties they faced while growing up. 
“When you say I don’t want my children to suffer what I suffered when I was growing up, that’s the best way to destroy your Children. I’m not saying that allow them to suffer, allow them to struggle, they should go through the process. Because when they don’t struggle, can you imagine if you have like many houses in different places your children will be struggling with which one will belong to them they don’t know how you struggled to get those things”
According to her, parents who constantly shield their children from hardship may unknowingly prevent them from developing the resilience they need to face life.
She urges wealthy parents to teach their children independence
Ozokwor stressed that parents should not make their children completely dependent on the wealth they have accumulated.
She explained that children from wealthy families may fail to appreciate what their parents built when they grow up surrounded by comfort and luxury.
“But when you keep the things that you have and let them know that you go get yours this is mine… If you don’t do it your children will grow up and just begin to enjoy life. Let your children know the pains of life not all the pains of life, the little they know will tell them that when they look back they will see some people going through harder one and they will thank God for where they are but if you pamper them they don’t come out to be anything”
The actress encouraged parents to teach their children that they must work towards building something of their own rather than assuming that their parents’ wealth will always provide everything they need.
She also pointed to wealthy people who sell or give away some of their properties while they are still alive as an example of parents who want their children to learn responsibility instead of simply waiting to inherit everything.
“That’s why you see some rich people at a time they start selling their things while they are still alive maybe give out some of their properties and keep a few for their children and sell out a lot of their properties they enjoy themselves and give out to some of those who really needed it.”
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Mama G says children need to experience some hardship
The veteran actress clarified that parents should not deliberately expose their children to severe suffering.
Instead, she advised parents to allow their children to experience manageable challenges that can teach them discipline, gratitude and resilience.
“If you see rich people that train their children well, their children come out better than them. I didn’t say that your children should grow through all the pains you went through but let them go through little pains for them to know that it’s not easy to make otherwise they can.”
Ozokwor said children who understand the difficulties that come with achieving success will appreciate what their parents have built and develop the determination to create their own success.
She further argued that parents who raise their children responsibly can see them achieve even more than they did.
Her advice centred on finding a balance between providing children with comfort and preparing them for the realities of life.
For Ozokwor, wealth should give children opportunities, but it should not prevent them from learning the value of hard work.
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