My reason for not writing then was because I had sweaty palms. That was a silly excuse.
This morning, while chatting with a friend, she complained about her son not being fast in copying notes from the board. She also mentioned that he rarely speaks except when he’s very comfortable with someone. To help him adjust, she enrolled him in summer lessons so he can get used to the teacher and also improve his note-taking speed.
Her story instantly reminded me of my own school days…
I was in Primary Five then. My dad had a habit of checking our books, especially mathematics, to know how we were doing in school. Oh those moments where always scary. One day, he asked me to bring all my books. Unfortunately for me, he discovered that I hadn’t been copying my notes regularly, and many of my notes were incomplete.
He was so disappointed and, in his anger, he flogged me. To make matters worse, he took me to my cousin's house. My cousin who was also my classmate had her notes completely up to date. My dad compared mine with hers, and that moment was one of the most embarrassing days of my childhood. To say I was considered the oldest....
He gave me an ultimatum to update all my notes within two days, or that would be the end of my schooling. That was a threat , but I was shocked.I had to complie and within the given time, I completed all my notes. From then on, I became more active in class and made sure I was always up to date. I never wanted to experience such embarrassment again.
Looking back today, I’m grateful for that tough love. My dad’s attention, discipline, and insistence on excellence shaped me into who I am academically. Every success I’ve achieved in learning, I owe it to his dedication and strictness.
Parenting isn’t always about being soft. Sometimes, the little discipline we enforce today becomes the foundation for our children’s success tomorrow. With all the efforts we put into raising our kids, may they all turn out successful and grateful for the values we instill in them. Well-done mom and Dad we see you all 🥰🥰