The Importance Of Discipline In Raising Children And The Consequences Of Negligence.

A father teaching his daughter how to play the piano

Parents are burdened with the task of nurturing their offspring, which involves being responsible for their lives from childhood to the early years of adolescence. During this period, parents must instill good morals, etiquette, and relevant skills that will enable their children to live responsibly and make significant contributions to society. However, to achieve this goal, parents must adopt effective practices and strategies that they can consistently apply. Disciplinary action has long been proven to be one of the most effective practices employed by parents to raise responsible children. Therefore, it is safe to say that discipline is essential for the healthy development of children who are essential members of society.

An adolescent criminal

Unfortunately, recent events in modern society have shown that many parents refrain from making discipline an integral part of their children's upbringing. Consequently, society is adversely affected by such decisions as most of their children turn out to be unruly and engage in vices such as theft, drug peddling, and prostitution, to name a few. They become a thorn in the flesh of society! The consequences of this development have long served as a warning in the popular adage that says "Spare the rod and spoil the child." This adage, which is derived from the Bible (Proverb 13:24), highlights the importance of discipline in the upbringing of children and the consequences when not applied.

Children need discipline for healthy development

Many parents who were lax about the upbringing of their children later regret their actions as their children turn out to be irresponsible and bring shame to the family. Personally, I know a family who suffered this fate - the Ejiros. The Ejiros, a large polygamous family, happen to be the family of one of my closest friends, Ovie. Due to the nature of his family, Ovie has many siblings and stepmothers. When we were much younger, Ovie often complained to me about how his older sister, Efe, takes advantage of him by delegating home chores assigned to her to him simply because she was older. Fights broke out between the two of them whenever he refused to do her chores, often leaving him with injuries.

Sadly, Efe never gets punished whenever Ovie complains to his father and stepmother about the abuse and assault he suffers from her. Realisng that he never gets justice from his parents on the unfair treatment he receives from Efe, Ovie decides to avoid her and endure her excesses. Surprisingly, Ovie was not the only victim of Efe's overbearing behavior; other members of his family also had similar experiences with her. The non-use of punitive measures by Efe's parents whenever she behaved inappropriately further encouraged her high-handedness.

Efe, a pretty lady with strong willpower, preferred to use it for her own benefit and to exploit others. She had no regard for the rules and regulations of her household and often breached them. She shirked her personal responsibilities like house chores and academics and would rather attend parties with infamous friends. She also enjoyed going on dates with male admirers who wanted to get romantically involved with her. Her acts of indulgence often made her come home late at night, and in some cases, she would sleep out.

Efe's indecent behavior gave her a bad reputation in our neighborhood, and many residents did not want their children to associate with her. Despite the humiliation Efe caused her family in the neighborhood, her parents were still lenient with her, seldom meting out discipline when required. Efe got away with her excesses for a long time but eventually met her Waterloo. She ended up in prison after being charged and sentenced as an accomplice of the man she was courting at the time for armed robbery. Unknown to her, her partner was the leader of a notorious robbery gang that terrorised our city. Her relationship with him cost her greatly, as she was served a prison sentence of ten years.

The terrible behaviour of Efe and how she eventually ended up is a constant reminder of the responsibility parents have towards their children and the consequences that emanate from neglecting them. The use of disciplinary action cannot be overemphasised as it is a practice that has stood the test of time and has enabled parents to nurture responsible children. I am a proponent of the use of discipline when raising children and believe in the popular adage that says "Spare the rod and spoil the child" for the wisdom it shares in this regard, as it can benefit patients and society at large.

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