Renowned Nollywood filmmaker Biodun Stephen has shared a thought-provoking message to parents, urging them not to hand over their authority to children who become the family’s primary providers.
In a recent post on her social media page, Stephen cautioned that while circumstances may force children to take financial responsibility, parents must not allow money to redefine the structure of discipline and respect within the home.
“Poverty does not diminish the role of good parenting. That your child is the breadwinner doesn’t mean the baton of parenting is now the child’s, as long as the said child, under the law and your household rules, is still recognised as a child,” she wrote.
Stephen noted that life’s unpredictability can sometimes lead to young people becoming breadwinners, but that should not make parents “dance to the tune” of their children at the expense of their moral authority.
“Of course, life happens such that the child may become the breadwinner. It doesn’t mean as parents we dance to the tune of that child, forgetting our roles in the first place,” she added.
The filmmaker revealed that her comments were inspired by a documentary she recently watched, which highlighted how some parents lose their influence once their children begin to provide financially.
“Saw a documentary that triggered me so, and I see how this plays out here, even on SM Street. Parents, play your role regardless,” she concluded.
Stephen, known for thought-driven films such as Picture Perfect and Sista, continues to use her platform to address social issues, encouraging balance, discipline, and values in both family life and society.
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