I’m very careful to use nasty words on anybody most especially kids and I believe parents should wisen up and stop using abusive words most especially terms such as Olodo and all other sorts that have the tendency to leave the child depressed or with a worse impact.
While growing up, I had a Ghanaian lesson teacher just as a commenter pointed out in my last post when he talked about how strict and nasty they could be. Like most children who grew up in the 80s/90s, I had lessons right after school with a family friend of mine, and that day had been one of the days we didn’t do very well with what this particular lesson teacher had given us as homework.
Whatever it was, I don’t remember but both of us not doing so well in the assignment led to him to say some nasty words in his local dialect.
I felt this statement was directed at me. I dont know why but I knew I couldn’t let it go, so when I got home later in the evening I told my mum.
Luckily, my mum was born and raised in Ghana so she could converse in easily in the language too.
I told her what I remembered from what the teacher said, asking her if she knew the meaning. My mum’s reaction answered my questions.
Next day, my supermom was right there challenging him never to say such words to her daughter again!
The teacher was pretty shocked my mum understood the language. She explained how she grew up in Ghana only after her very stern warning and he apologised thereafter.
He never said such words to me ever again.
What’s my point here? All I’m saying is kids will be kids. Try not to hurt them or say words that may damage the beautiful spirit they have. They fall in love easily and just want to have fun. I’ve spent enough time with kids to know they don’t want you to think of them as dullards or something of the sort. They want you to admire and encourage them. Not lash at them with destructive words that they would live to remember for the rest of their lives and will keep building their career on such words, hoping to prove something to the person who thought they would never amount to anything.
We were never perfect while growing up. Neither did we know how to fix our shoe laces or tell our timetables appropriately the first day it was introduced. Some kids are slow learners while some are fast. Learn to study them as a parent, guardian or even as an individual. You don’t have to be a parent before you know how to talk to kids.
Please don’t get me wrong o. I’m not saying you shouldn’t spank them when it’s due cos kids can be soooo naughty, but watch the words you say to them because whether you believe it or not, Children do not forget things that easily even if you do. They know your face and they know what you’re capable of.
I was brought up in a strict home thereby some abusive terms were restricted from use as well as terms like crazy, mad and stupid were not allowed to be voiced out between siblings neither was the word sweetheart and darling used that frequently for us.
We just had to live with each other without hurting each other’s feelings. If you did, it was straight to mum to report the culprit..hehehehe…that’s kids for you.
Learn to call kids by lovely names even if you don’t remember their real ones. I had an uncle and aunt who called us names like darling and dear and I often wondered how well it flowed from their lips and how happy i was when they call me those lovely names.
Every child wants to be loved, including US and it starts from YOU!.
Pass the love, not the Words of Hate.
Much love..xo