The President's remark that if the trend of single parents is unchecked it will destroy the fundamental character of Kenya is stigmatising.
Most likely, it might drive more people to stay in toxic relationships and also assumes that a two-parent family automatically equals happy children.
Women and men should not stick to brutal partners just for the sake of keeping a family together.
Notably, we cannot continue to make deceived supposition that all nuclear families are impeccably functional families where children get all the love and care they'd ever dream of.
However, nothing could be further from the truth. We have children who barely see their fathers during the weekdays because of long working hours.
We have children with alcoholic fathers, those who've grown up with physically and emotionally abusive fathers, and those raised by philandering men.
We have children with fathers who don't provide for them financially; fathers who've molested and defiled their children.
Beyond being a man, love, care, concern, and physical support complete families.
Let's not assume that it's only a man and no one else who is the gatekeeper of good upbringing, and disciplined children.
Many people, especially women, are stuck in unhealthy relationships due to the fear of what society would say.
I believe that no matter how you form a family, actively discussing how you intend to live together is the best thing anyone can do to strengthen their relationships.
The majority of us are not in a nuclear family with a spouse and children. Yet somehow we treat this majority of people like social failures.
Let’s be honest and accept the reality that some African families are messy.
Let's not allow deep religion to form a dominant part of a cosmic worldview of what families should be like.
An ideal family should provide an avenue to transmit values and acquisition of identity and provide a framework of inclusion.
I believe that children need the stability of parental figures.
It's time to observe what's not working and change course.
Nurturing a strong and resilient family requires us all to address the challenges facing society and family and give everyone a platform to voice their concerns.
We need to stop the illusion and narrative of celebrating sanitised families.
We must embrace every family structure as they exist.
Sexual and reproductive health rights youth advocate and a practising communications specialist.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
