TWO GENERATIONAL LINE

I see the things my siblings do these days and remember my childhood and the things I couldn't get away with. It's funny how hard it is to realize that it was the same parent that brought us up. Even though my parents were way younger in my time, it still feels weird watching my younger siblings do things and get away with it whereas I do them and get a slap or a good beating. In my time, the voice of your parents calling you is the beginning of wisdom. At one call I would wonder what on earth I did wrong, or be muttering because I'm about to be sent on an errand and I can't dare to even say I'm feeling sick or give an excuse. My generation had this fear for our parents, we feared the mother's beating and the father's shout. One shout hits like a bolt of lightning.

One time my mum was cooking and called my younger brother to help her wash the meat she bought from the market. He immediately started crying and shouting that he couldn't because he didn't like the smell. Coming back from work coincidentally my mum asked me immediately if I could help her out and I was already saying yes when I remembered I just heard her ask my brother when I was coming in. She replied; “he said he couldn't” my sister coincidentally was also coming back from work hearing what my mum said and we both pounced on the young man trying to imagine how on earth he even had the guts to say No. I immediately removed my belt which automatically got him on his knees and my sister who is very hot tempered didn't hesitate to give him a dirty slap.

Although I didn't have any intention of doing anything with the belt, the idea was to make him scared and he ended up doing it. My sister however can be very forward and act even before she thinks but then again, my brother's ability to say no, and my mum's unwillingness to scold him for it as she did me when I was his age shows how much parenting has changed. My other brother (The one younger than the one I just talked about) one time bought food and told the seller to collect money from my mum. Even with how outspoken my sister was growing up, she wouldn't dare, but this boy dared. I feel this generation's children have a better hold on parents than we did in my time. They are a lot smarter and wouldn't give in to the threats we give in to our time. Therefore in raising a child, one would need to be more intelligent and not respond aggressively in every situation like our parents did in my time.