AN ASSSESSMENT OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AND ITS IMPACT IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN'S WELL-BEING IN NIGERIA

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY: Communication, according to Greg Duran (2010), is the foundation of any interaction in today's society, including families, schools, and the globe at large, because information can never be communicated or conveyed without communication. As we all know, communication entails the exchange of ideas and the transmission of information from one person to another, and it can be positive or negative, successful or ineffective. Communication is a two-way street; the exchanging of information that aids in the development of a shared understanding between two parties, and both participants play an active role in the process. A person sends a message to guarantee that it is clearly conveyed and understood, while the message recipient must be an active listener to verify that the message given was correctly received and comprehended. Communication occurs only when the listener completely understands the message being sent by the spokesperson. Communication allows parents and children to express their thoughts and feelings to one another, which means that it is critical for parents to communicate openly and effectively with their children in order to build trust, develop honesty, and develop respectful relationships, which benefits not only the children but every member of the family. Conversation or the exchange of information between two or more people constitutes effective communication. Effective communication skills are acquired and can be supplemented or enhanced via more understanding and practice. Message sending and message receiving actions are required for communication to be deemed effective. This can be accomplished through both direct and indirect methods. When message senders and message receivers both grasp the message, effective communication happens. This can be accomplished by either speech/verbal communication or the use of nonverbal modes of communication. Effective communication is an act that is meant to transfer meanings from one person or group to another via the use of mutually understood signals and semiotic norms. The platform for efficient communication can be visual (through the eyes), auditory (via the ears), tactile (by the sense of feeling, as in Braille), haptic, and olfactory (use of nose). Human communication, on the other hand, is unique in its wide use of theoretical language. This has made place for social progress and civilization, both of which are fundamental ideas strongly connected with situations that encourage good communication among its people. Effective communication contributes to the strengthening of the parent-child bond and enhances mutual understanding. According to this statement, the way parents connect with their children may either make or break them. In light of this assumption, it is clear that parents who did not speak to their kid about topics of interest at a young age should not expect the child to readily communicate his/her questions and thoughts about topics of interest when the child reaches a certain age.

The link between parents and their children's well-being is an extremely important factor in the personality formation and, in particular, the socialization of the kid from infancy to childhood and, eventually, adolescence (Meng, 1998). Children often go through a number of unstable stages with the greatest agility and the greatest disaster, which are defined by a sense of independence, criticality, and expectedness, as well as physiological maturation. However, any breakdown or lapse in each party's position and rights (parent and kid) is detrimental to the sustainability of their current connection. Effective communication in the context of the parent-child relationship can be defined as the ability of family members (parents and children) to exchange and interact on their needs, feelings, and desires with one another, as well as to pay attention to the children's dynamically changing needs, especially in a positive way (Barnes & Olson, 1985). The efficacy of parental–child communication contributes to the survival of the parent–child connection, which inevitably predicts children's well-being (Broberg, 2012). Several pollsters who studied the impact of parent–child relationships on children's wellbeing, growth, and psychological health discovered that a lack of an effective and supportive communication link between parent and child can lead to a number of social, emotional, and health-related unhelpful developmental trajectories (Clayton, 2014). Effective communication in the connection between parents and children is a communication perspective that is typically defined by the nature of the family in terms of closeness and trusting relationships. The primary objective of successful communication is to comprehend the interactions of the parent-child connection as well as the patterns of behavior of nuclear family members in various settings. However, open and honest communication creates an environment in which parents and their children may express their disagreements as well as their love and approval for one another.