It hurts me to see a child displaying a bad habit, and overlooking that child is always a problem to me. Instead, I will politely correct that child as if the child were even mine. This is because I have been a child with bad habits, and I can't just imagine what my life would have been like if I had grown up with such habits. Watching a child grow up with a particular habit might be difficult to curtail when the child advances into adulthood, and that's why it's necessary to always take action at an early age. However, some children might be difficult enough to stop a particular habit, but they should also be guided rightly. My grandma once said that not only biological parents train a child, but society as well, and that's why any adult can correct a child when necessary. I don't really know if this culture is applicable in every country or tribe, but in my tribe and in my community, any adult can always correct a bad habit in a child when necessary, irrespective of who owns the child.
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As a child,there were so many habits and lessons I learned from my family and other people around me that have really helped me out in the different ways and places I have found myself as an adult. Those lessons are still helping me to this day. Some habits I learned from my grandma have made me the better woman I am. One thing is to be thought about something, and another thing is to implement what was being taught. Out of all the lessons I learned those days as a child, there is one that has stuck in my brain to this day.
You know children have a way of playing over many things ignorantly. Most times, they exceed limits and convert a bad habit into play. I was that child who formed the habit of fabricating stories to appear like the truth just for fun. I can go to a neighbor's house, spend a little time there, then return to my house and tell my siblings fake stories of what happened in the neighbor's house for fun, and everyone will laugh over it. Over time, my parents and siblings discovered that those stories were actually made-up stories and shunned me about them, but I didn't stop. Then it gradually swept me off my feet, and finding the truth in my life became difficult except for greetings like good morning, good afternoon, etc. This bad habit of mine kept happening, and my siblings kept warning me about it until that faithful day, when one of my uncles, whom I respect so much, visited home from the city. We were staying together as a family, having a great time with each other, until he sent me on an errand. On coming back home, he asked me a particular question, which I answered, and immediately, my sister said, Are you sure, nkem", Then my uncle turned to my side, looking surprised 😯 He was like,Can't people trust me again with words? Then my sister revealed to him how I usually fabricate lies and stories for fun and how they have corrected me for a long time without success. Hmmm, this information got my uncle upset,tand he gently took me to the backyard, sat me down,and began to teach meh my life lessons.
He made me understand that the habit I cultivated all in the name of fun can make people lack trust in me. He asked me to imagine myself staying in a place where no one trusts whatever I tell them. How would I feel? He told me that my yes should be yes and my no should be no, and that even if there's a sure punishment waiting for me, I should stand firm in the truth at all times as only the truth can set me free. His words pierced into my brain, and I was broken. He didn't beat me, but his words to me far more than physical torture. I can still vividly remember that spot where he rained down that lesson on me; it was the beginning of a new leaf in my life, and I am happy for that change to this day.
During my office work days as an administrative assistant in an oil and gas private firm, Something huge happened that could have made me lose the job then, but because I stood by the truth, my boss was happy that, despite how implicating the offense is, I stood by the truth, and that made me remain in the job; he trusted me for even unforeseen circumstances.
This particular life lesson has not only affected my adult life for the better, but it has also greatly assisted me in guiding my children on the right path.
If you read up to this point, I appreciate your precious time.
This is my response to the #hivelearners community contest on the topic Remnants of Childhood.
