Discipline And A Good Home Training

Dear Parents,

There are things that parents do that makes me wonder if they know the implications. In my teaching career, I've come to realize that children who are well brought up produce better results. What I see these days is training the "butty"(aje butter) way which gets me scared of what will happen in the next 10-15years.

I see eight year olds who don't bother to lay their beds. I see 10year olds served by the maid or "caring mum" on the table and they either don't pack the table or they just dump the plates in the kitchen for the maid or "caring mum".

Drivers carry the bags of children above 5 years and the children call them "my driver". Manual cloth washing is gradually been replaced by washing machines yet the maid or "caring mum" will be the one to do the laundry.

Children wake up and go straight to the TV and sleep late watching TV with mum & dad but mum &
dad don't allow them read late. They'll say "go and sleep". I see parents play game for hours on their phones yet wonder why their children don't read and why their results are poor despite investment in
expensive schools.

I see tweenagers and teenagers who can't cook common white rice because there's maid, nanny, cook, "caring mum" etc. I see children who are addicted to cheating in exams, assignments, class work and the parents aren't taking conscious steps to correct it instead some will bribe teachers to make their
children first, teach them during external exams or take them to "miracle centres" to write their exams.

I see children who talk to their parents and other adults disrespectfully and all parents say is "children of now a days are outspoken". Your children's wardrobe is full of clothes but they don't have a single book. You buy them lots of toys but you didn't buy them books.

I can go on and on. See, when next you tell your child not to do house chores, study hard etc have it at the back of your mind that what you're saying is "don't take responsibility for your life".

I guess parents don't know that chores and morals are almost directly proportional to academic
performance. Haven't you thought of it that when our forefathers went to farm, fetched water etc before or after school, the world was a better place?
Haven't you thought of it that our local proverbs which have remained relevant were coined by unlettered men and women?

A Hausa proverb says, "Ka so naka, duniya ta 'ki shi..." favour your son & the world will reject him..." (vice-versa). A yoruba proverb also says, "eni a nwo ki wooran"...."those who make news don't watch news". So when you're mentoring your children to be T.V. addicts you should understand what you're grooming them to be.

There are TWO PAINS in life and everyone must suffer one; PAIN OF DISCIPLINE or PAIN OF REGRET. When you're preventing your children from going through pain of discipline, just understand that you're automatically preparing them for pain of regret.

Some parents feel that their children's careers are secured because of their financial stand. Now, let's do this analysis:

1. If you get them a job and they have the wrong attitude at work like being late, talking rudely to
clients etc. which made the company lose a big contract, will they keep them there?

2. They take over your company and your company lost within three months an amount that you didn't make in your first five years in business due to their lack of indiscipline, will you pat them on the head and say I'm proud of you child?

3. They run the business shabbily and there's nothing to show for it within few years. The earlier we stop these pampering the better. You will give an account to God over them.

Train your child in the way he should go and when he is old, he won't depart from it.

Thank you, A concerned Parent.