13th June 2022
You know how growing up in a typical African home feels like if you have lived in my house. There is that believe that when you finally reach a certain age your parents can’t scold you because you are grown. Not in Africa, in fact if I do something wrong at this moment my dad would still scold me even till I eventually get married and have my own kids. It is an African-parent thing.
Its not anything weird it’s just how we were raised and how we are as Africans. Now growing up there are a lot of things we were told, some we believed and others were insinuated. The fact still remains that we believed beyond reasonable doubt that all these were true. I would give you a few examples…
1.That our uncles and aunties then were just stingy to gift us expensive things “they have money” ..
This is one of those “self insinuated” ones. Because they buy us things like juice boxes or toys every now and then we concluded in our heart that they were very rich, not because our parents didn’t get us some of these things but it wasn’t every-time we asked them. Meanwhile our uncles and aunties usually come with these things sometimes without we asking.
which is why when we asked them to buy us something really really expensive and they don’t come through or they give us excuses we start to assume that they were just being stingy or tight-handed. I can say now that we were wrong.
2.That the money we give to our parents to keep for us is coming back
This one is the most common one even with Africans in diaspora. You know when a visitor comes to your house and then gives you some sweet amount of money. And then you are happy thinking you are going to paint the town red today with your little $10. Then your mum comes with this best line ..
“Bring it let me keep it for you”
Now If this line is new to you…you would hurriedly give away your money to her. I mean she said she wanted to be your bank so your money is still Yours right ? Wrong!!! Your money is gone like the wind never to be yours again. Hahahahha and you dare not ask for it again else she would narrate the story of how she carried you for 9 months in her tummy, gave birth to you and took care of you and you are here asking her for such little amount of money. That is disrespectful.
😂😂African parents are the best I tell you.
3.That life would be way easier when we grow up
I heard one song the other day by a Nigerian artist. I don’t remember her name but the lyrics of what she was singing was something like “adulthood na scam”- which translates to meaning “ growing older is harder”. Well she isn’t wrong at all. You know as kids especially in Africa. We are restricted to do certain things just because the society would not allow it and it would frown on our culture.
So we always thought that when we eventually get to a certain age our lives would be easier and by then we would have made a lot of money which would enable us to live a certain lifestyle.
Well just look at us now. I mean life isn’t so bad because no matter what we have to be grateful. It could have been worse .. but still if I was given the option to remain a child for a bit longer I would have taken it because this adulthood thing is something else. I don’t think anything really prepares you for this kind of life you just grow into it, keep your head up and try to stay alive long enough.
I am sure I am not the only one that have thought about so many ridiculous things as a kid. So if you have then join the fun write yours and tag me so I can read them. Till then stay safe and stay happy.
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