Written by: Admin_SheEvo
I want to share a story about how having a strict African mother saved me. I am a girl child in a family of 8, including my single mom. My father passed away when I was just a few months old. Being the youngest girl, my four older brothers acted like step-in dads. Though it felt suffocating and like a burden when they looked after me as a child, they actually saved me from a lot, even from troubles I never saw coming. The same goes for my mom. I didn’t like how strict she was when I was a child, but looking back, I realize how blessed I was (and still am) to have a caring and loving family like this- willing to do whatever it takes to make sure I am respectful, obedient and most of all, safe at all times.
Speaking of strict parents, it’s strange how our world has changed so suddenly, and it seems like there’s nothing anyone can do about it. In the past, I used to criticize the education system for the most part, but now it seems like we are all moving blindly without a clue of where we are going from all angles of our lives. It’s as if from birth, children are already set to do or be a certain way. Being normal or traditional is the new abnormal – especially when it comes to parenting. If you don’t fit in or conform, you are the odd one out. And with this level of imposed expectations, those who do not conform to these standards often feel like they are on the outside looking in.
Nowadays, you can get canceled, arrested, bullied, etc., by the entire world for trying to discipline your own child the way your parents raised you, the only way you know how (which, of course, was very normal in our generation). ‘I am pretty sure some of you read that last sentence and immediately say “yes, you are right YOUR GENERATION”. And that’s old fashion right, outdated… who does that…? These are the comments we hear. Don’t get me wrong, there are some levels of strictness that are uncalled for and deserve to be dealt with accordingly, but the ones I experienced were necessary and have taught me a lot of life lessons I will never get anywhere else.
Anyway, all this came about as I was doing some introspection about my life and I felt a surge of gratitude and thought I should share it here. I know for sure that if it weren’t for the lessons and discipline that my mom and big brothers instilled in me, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
Who else is grateful that they had strict parents when they were growing up?
