As parents, are we really setting good examples for our children? Are we being the responsible adults we want our children to be? Are we living the life of a good role model? When a child comes into this world, he is pure and innocent. Whatever he learns from his immediate environment will determine the choices he makes or the direction he takes in life. If he sees an adult doing something wrong, he will believe it to be right unless he is corrected. Becoming a parent therefore means taking the responsibility to bring up your child in the right way and teaching him what's right from wrong.Long ago, our lives were simple and children were disciplined. We had chores to do before and after school, which we did without any protest. Our father was the main disciplinarian in the home. If we did something wrong, our mother would say "wait until your father comes home and he will deal with you" and we would shake with fear until that moment when he returned home from work. The waiting period in-between was even more torture.
There were no hi-tech games or expensive toys at that time, instead, children got together after school to play moral, hopscotch or police and thief. Attending a bazaar in the area or your school's Mayfair were big events.Our relatives and neighbours always looked out for our welfare and it was mandatory for us to say "Good morning" or "Good afternoon" whenever we passed by their homes. Everyone lived in harmony and it was the norm for adults to discipline other children in the neighbourhood or speak to their parents out of concern if they saw them doing something wrong.But in those days, parents and other adults earned the respect of children. Can we say the same about today's adults? If we were to observe the behaviour during Carnival time as well as at Chutney shows, then why should we expect anything different from our children? The suggestive lyrics of calypsos, soca and chutney also leave a lot to be desired.
Both men and women use obscene language in every sentence, and display the worst kind of attitude and vulgarity in front of their children. Women however, are considered the pillars of society, yet parade half-naked on the streets and ensure they have the skimpiest costumes for Carnival. They exhibit the worst kind of behaviour, especially when they know there's a camera around.There are also those parents who are always ready to pick a fight with teachers. When their child does something wrong at school and the parent is called in by the teacher or dean, instead of going out of concern for their child, the parent confronts or even assaults the teacher without trying to find out what really happened. This teaches our children that they can get away with anything because they have their "bad-john" parents to back them up.This is exactly why it's so important to instill good values at a young age. But if we as parents, promote the use of alcohol, use obscene language, smoke, or dress inappropriately, then we are in no position to correct our children when they do the same.
Vashti Bowlah