Crazy things that parents sometimes do!

 

My late great grand father who is my father's grand pa, (Magwadla) is known to have had notorious ideas about life in as far as raising children and grandchildren. He would wake them up in the early hours of the morning to go and plough. The man believed in hard work and nothing less. Off course being in the rural areas of Africa, nothing was viewed as abuse in those days. My father fondly tells me how his grand father would often yell "Vuka Satane isikhathi sokudubeka sifikile" Wake up little devil the time to toil has come! He trained his grand kids to be alert, at all time always being able to handle all situations. Like everybody telling the story for biased a reason, he would censor the sad moments. He was tough on them when cattle were lost and things like that! Everybody who grew up in rural areas will tell you what the value of cattle is to a peasant farmer!

One story that has stuck with me for a long time is how, he would go my dad's classroom at school and yell loudly at the window. "Limbona enje utshiye engendlulanga ingubo" You see him looking clean and smart, but he left his blankets scattered all over! This would obviously embarrass my father in front of the whole class. He is probably still embarrassed to this very day! Do not feel bad for him, he was a trick star in his own right, back then. As a matter of fact this part of the story was told by my father. If I am not mistaken, I think my late grandmother told it to us as kids. Growing up as a little boy, I always made sure to arrange my blankets neatly every morning before I left for school, fearing the same could happen to me.

I am not innocent either, well not to that extent. I recently found myself sneaking through the Sunday school glass doors of my kids classes. I was curious to see how they behaved if we are not there. I am glad I did. The results were shocking, they were all in their own worlds. I did talk to them after that at home. Although I promised not to do it again. They are better participants in class now than before. Just today my wife unloaded a picture of my thirteen year old step's bed son on face book. The bed was obviously not well arranged. She had a message that says "When your mother says make your bed before you get on the computer, this is not an acceptable outcome." This is some of the craziest things parents do!