“PARENTS need to take the raising of their children more seriously,” is the strong warning coming from psychotherapist Camille Lemonious.

According to her, some parents are now seeing the end results in their parenting — some are gunmen, prostitutes — nothing like what they would intend them to become. That, she says, is a result of parents shirking their responsibilities when it really counts.

Lemonious made these comments in responding to Splash regarding children at adult stage shows and dances.

“There is truth to the saying that children live what they learn and learn what they live,” she said. “Some of the artistes give direct info on how to conduct yourself in a sexual manner.”

Lemonious is currently organising a number of workshops in some of the island’s schools to tackle the influence of sexually explicit public behaviour and its effects our youngsters, particularly girls.

“The girls appear to be a bit too aware of their sexuality and want to engage in the act itself,” said the psychotherapist. She is of the opinion that there is a direct link to the songs the girls are exposed to, which has now seen them wanting to act out the lyrics.

“Even some events deemed ‘family events’ are not so if certain dancehall artistes are on the bill,” she said.

According to her, parents should evaluate what they are exposing their children to and make the conscious decision whether or not to attend.

“There is a time and a season for everything. The minute you decide to be a parent you know that there are things you will have to give up. You have to decide if it’s worth staying home with your children or carting them off to stage shows where they will be exposed to adult situations,” said Lemonious.

“Jamaican parents need to be more purpose driven when it comes to raising their children,” adding that the sad reality is there are 16-17 year olds who can’t read, but “give them a Kartel song and they will receive an A+!”

Lemonious said it’s time for parents to do their duties as “we are growing a generation of dancers and ‘winers’; and no generation for the business world”.

She pointed out there is no escaping negative influences as it’s all around — in the buses, streets, Internet — “but it is parents’ responsibility not to force it on them,” she stressed.

The psychotherapist is also of the opinion that the increased sexual behaviour in young people and some of the kind of sexually laced songs go hand in hand.

From cases that she has been privy to, Lemonious said there is an increase in sexually transmitted diseases in young people and this is as a result of having early sex without the right boundaries or protection, seemingly encouraged by their early exposure to adult content through explicit music.