It is not enough to say I am a parent, are you actually playing your parental role? Remember that however you raise your children is what they will turn out to be tomorrow. We know it's almost a herculean task to train up kids that we will be proud of tomorrow but we can if we try.
If there's anything that I learnt while growing up which has been one of my guiding principle till now, it is living a life of contentment. It's sad to see that many people lack this simple but life saving virtue and it has lead them into so many troubles, some have even lost their lives due to that. Nothing beats contentment as it will help you not to go overboard to get things which you cannot afford. It will also help you be appreciative of the things you have, no matter how little. I wasn't born with a silver spoon but my parents made sure to provide for the family to the best of their ability. My parents are simple people who don't hang their clothes where their hands cannot reach, Talk of one cutting clothes according to their sizes, my parents lived for that even till now, and they instilled that in us. I can't recall seeing mom bothering my dad to buy things for her when she knows that he can't afford it or even her going to borrow wrapper, bag or other female stuffs from neighbors. Whatever she had was enough for her and she manged it like that.
You know as children, there's every likelihood that you can borrow pen, pencil or eraser from your classmates and forget to return it before school dismisses. The only option is to go home with it with the plan of giving it back to the owner the next day. Doing so means you don buy job - just like military men usually say when someone has entered trouble, hehehe. Infact you go explain tire why you took something that isn't yours.
Every night, while we must have slept, dad will check our school bags, go through the books and then fish out the foreign objects in them. Pray to the heavens that nothing will be found in yours, if not the hot tea you will take in the morning will be strokes of cain and a strict warning to return those items.
And this life of contentment is what I will teach my children. Since it's my lifestyle, it will be a case study for them as they will learn all they need to be better version of themselves.
I do hear some parents say "I don't want my children to suffer the same way I did" so they go to the extreme in pampering their children, doing everything for them, without giving them room to do anything, be a little independent.
You will see a child of ten years, he or she cannot make the bed, arrange their clothes properly, or even clean their shoes. What the heck is that? If at ten years, your child cannot do these little things, I'm sorry to say this but you aren't doing the child any good at all. When then will they learn to take care of things if not from that age or do you expect to teach them when they've grown, that's impossible.
You see this idea of allowing only the girl child to do house chores while the boys relax to play or watch TV, that cannot be found in my home. Every of my child will learn all there is to learn about house keeping, chores including cooking. No segregation of this chore is for girls while this one is for boys.
My mom made sure that we all learned all these because she knew the importance. I tell you, all my brothers are good home makers, can cook very well and their families are the better for it. Talk more of the females, we're just master of it all, lol. So no child of mine will grow up and leave home not knowing how to take care of the home, no way.
I learnt how to save money right from my childhood days. You know as kids we usually get cash or material gifts from family friends, relatives and the rest. Usually that money was supposed to be for biscuits or sweets but mom will say "don't spend all, keep that a certain amount safe, it will come in handy one day", and reluctantly I will keep it. I had an old maths set given to me by aunt so I usually keep the monies there. As I continued to do this I found out that I didn't need her to tell me to keep the money gifts because I knew exactly what to do. And of a truth the monies came in handy as she bought new school sandals for me with it. I was so overjoyed that I was able to save money for that and it motivated me to save more that I thought my friends too. Well it turned out that I became the bank, account officer and manager for them, lol.
But it was a very good training that has helped me till date. I haven't stopped saving, no matter how little that I make. Good a thing Hive has offered me a better option to save in HBD alongside my other savings schemes. Teaching my children the need and benefits of savings right from when their active age is what I will do.
Just as my parents are proud that they raised a total woman, that's same way I want to be proud of mine in years to come.
Thank you for reading.
Still the #threadsaddict 😂
This is my response to Hive Naija weekly prompt, Wk 42
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