As the eldest child in an old fashioned West Indian home it was my duty to be obedient and set the example for my younger sister. I dare not ask to go anywhere without them and if there were school projects to be done, my partners or group members would come over to my house. Clearly, this was frustrating as a teenager and it made me question the trust my parents had in me.
However, I quickly came to the realization that my parents only wanted two things from us. Which was do well in school and Listen to them. Of the two listening was probably the hardest. You see, I never wanted them to feel that they didn’t do a good job raising me and that they failed in their duty. They’ve worked too hard and sacrificed more than enough to give me the life that I have. Plus, it didn’t hurt that I was rewarded for my cooperation with a bit of independence — a happy medium. So what I thought was strict, ended up being their way of showing their love for me.
But the reality is that not everyone comes to the realization that I did. Others may respond to their parents’ restrictions with rebellion or isolation. They may feel that nothing they do can ever be good enough, and it sure doesn’t cater for much room to develop properly and find their inner self. This type of behavior may result in them becoming a bully. They don’t want to be taken advantage of, or they may become a doormat because they never really were able to speak up for themselves.
The mind is fragile it’s important to effectively instill values and morals in your child. It’s also important to not confine children to your own learning.
Words By: Ashley Kooblall
Image By: Harold Julian
