"Clap for yourself, you did well, all you need do is keep it up, okay? You can do well next time as long as you put your mind to it" was what I said to him after the contest and not "look at you! Does Tolu have two heads? Why do you have to be third? Did you not see Tayo too? You just chose to be the third, right? Blockhead! You know nothing at all".
You see, I think it is high time parents and guardians watched what they say to their kids, brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, whoever. As long as they are in care of that person. The remark you give to a child matters a lot. Learn to appreciate the little thing they do, no matter how little.
The emerging generation of kids is fast to learning from their environment. I mean, even faster and better than what they learn within the walls of a classroom. That’s because you and I who form the society are their immediate natural source of knowledge.
Being too harsh and serious with a kid can affect them badly because by so doing, you may want to deprive them of certain things that are essential for them all for the sake of punishment for not being good enough. Things like this are what birth low self-esteem and confidence.
Let us learn to appreciate the little effort of that kid put in our care either by the maker or by some other persons. Have you ever wondered why our clerics keep repeating to our ears that we should always show appreciation to God? If not, this is it. It is the plant that you water that grows. The more watering, the better the growth. So, the more you thank God, the more he sees you reliable and worthy of more blessings. Then he puts in your care all you need to have your needs met. When you praise a child, he feels comfortable and would like to do more in order to receive more applauds and gifts from you. I mean, who doesn’t like gifts? Virtually, no one.
Someone reading this article might conceive in his heart: "What do you mean? So we should not make them know of their mistake, right?" I, however, have an answer to that. The thing is, as a parent or guardian, there are better ways to do that instead of making use of harsh words on them.
Take note, when you appreciate God always and you don’t do his will, your appreciation is futile. So in a bid to let you know about that, he reaches out to you. He will one way or the other tell you to adjust your steps. He tells you either through your cleric, your dreams, people around you, your perceptions, your reasoning – anyhow he knows you will understand his message. But he will never bring you close to him by dragging you in the mud full of sharp-edged stones and sorts. He reaches out to you in love.
He said we were made in his image and likeness, I repeat, likeness. So we should also do the same to ourselves and to others around us, as by so, we are obeying his commandments, fostering sustainable growth.
Samuel Atanda is an ND2 student of the department of Mass Communication
