Lately, I have discovered that parenting is an exercise in constant anger management. The little ones are not as ire inspiring after all the mistakes they make can be attributed to inexperience in the business of living. It is the older ones who relate to them especially authority figures like teachers doctors and others who are past the age of childhood legally that drive me round the bend.
Incident One
The other day I had to go to the bathroom in church and the young man insisted on using it at the same time with me. He has not understood, yet that he should use the boys’ bathroom. I have tried nudging him gently tho’ I do not want to push him to it. When he is ready he will walk into them voluntarily.
We were through with our business when the cleaning lady came to do her stuff; add rolls of tissue, clean up any spills. I was washing my hands and so was the young man at the next wash basin. The stupid woman proceeded to whisper to my son conspiratorially that she would “cut” him so that he can continue using the girls’ bathroom that the room was not for boys. I swear I wanted to kill that woman. How does a right thinking adult tell a 5 year old boy such things? He was very upset and I had to reassure him that the woman was going straight to hell for her utterances especially since she made them within God’s compound.
Incident Two
He was less than a year old when I took him to the doctor’s after a sleepless night, fever crying, the works. After a few tests the doc proceeded to give me six different syrups to “cover” him just in case he had anything. The bunch consisted of anti malarial, antibacterial painkiller etc. I did not want to upset the doctor as I did not know if I might have to call upon her someday in the middle of the night to practice her profession, but I never went back to that clinic.
Incident Three
The boy came from school with an egg sized bump on the head. No one could tell me how he got it even the classmates. Note that the class has less than 20 pupils, the teachers claim to be in class all the time…I know that is not true but at least someone could have seen what happened, no? I did not want to blame anyone just an explanation so the boisterous person can be told to not endanger himself and others. There were three more bumps on the head in a short while and I got a little worried because it is not good to keep hitting one’s head on things. Thankfully circumstances changed and I gladly moved schools. There has been no bump on the head yet…touch wood but plenty of scrapes on limbs which to me are less dangerous. I have plenty of scars myself. .:D
Speaking of safety in schools, I read the sad story of a young girl who died in school sometime last year with a lot of concern. We do not know what really happened as fellow students say one thing and the school administration says another, the whole thing does not add up . To err is human and teachers are human too. But…teachers are entrusted to look after students in their care and should at least give an explanation, investigate and tell the truth. I do not understand how a child can be sick in boarding school and the administration does not know considering her dorm mates were aware she was.
I look back at my school days and there are a few things that make sense in hindsight. Our teachers were all over our business and you could not even sneeze in peace. We positively hated it since we were up to no good as youngsters at that age usually are. But if you were sick, there was a procedure to be followed and no one was ever let to sleep in the dorm for any reason if you were supposed to be somewhere else. Our prefects were a big pain in the butt as they co-operated with teachers to make our stay in school as painful as possible but it worked. The pain was worth it. We might have been slightly unhappy but we were always safe and someone knew where you were at any given time. Our school had a large population so I must admit our teachers did a very good job.
The quality of education we received under this system is another matter altogether I hope when I am much older and fonder I will look at it more positively.
Incident One
The other day I had to go to the bathroom in church and the young man insisted on using it at the same time with me. He has not understood, yet that he should use the boys’ bathroom. I have tried nudging him gently tho’ I do not want to push him to it. When he is ready he will walk into them voluntarily.
We were through with our business when the cleaning lady came to do her stuff; add rolls of tissue, clean up any spills. I was washing my hands and so was the young man at the next wash basin. The stupid woman proceeded to whisper to my son conspiratorially that she would “cut” him so that he can continue using the girls’ bathroom that the room was not for boys. I swear I wanted to kill that woman. How does a right thinking adult tell a 5 year old boy such things? He was very upset and I had to reassure him that the woman was going straight to hell for her utterances especially since she made them within God’s compound.
Incident Two
He was less than a year old when I took him to the doctor’s after a sleepless night, fever crying, the works. After a few tests the doc proceeded to give me six different syrups to “cover” him just in case he had anything. The bunch consisted of anti malarial, antibacterial painkiller etc. I did not want to upset the doctor as I did not know if I might have to call upon her someday in the middle of the night to practice her profession, but I never went back to that clinic.
Incident Three
The boy came from school with an egg sized bump on the head. No one could tell me how he got it even the classmates. Note that the class has less than 20 pupils, the teachers claim to be in class all the time…I know that is not true but at least someone could have seen what happened, no? I did not want to blame anyone just an explanation so the boisterous person can be told to not endanger himself and others. There were three more bumps on the head in a short while and I got a little worried because it is not good to keep hitting one’s head on things. Thankfully circumstances changed and I gladly moved schools. There has been no bump on the head yet…touch wood but plenty of scrapes on limbs which to me are less dangerous. I have plenty of scars myself. .:D
Speaking of safety in schools, I read the sad story of a young girl who died in school sometime last year with a lot of concern. We do not know what really happened as fellow students say one thing and the school administration says another, the whole thing does not add up . To err is human and teachers are human too. But…teachers are entrusted to look after students in their care and should at least give an explanation, investigate and tell the truth. I do not understand how a child can be sick in boarding school and the administration does not know considering her dorm mates were aware she was.
I look back at my school days and there are a few things that make sense in hindsight. Our teachers were all over our business and you could not even sneeze in peace. We positively hated it since we were up to no good as youngsters at that age usually are. But if you were sick, there was a procedure to be followed and no one was ever let to sleep in the dorm for any reason if you were supposed to be somewhere else. Our prefects were a big pain in the butt as they co-operated with teachers to make our stay in school as painful as possible but it worked. The pain was worth it. We might have been slightly unhappy but we were always safe and someone knew where you were at any given time. Our school had a large population so I must admit our teachers did a very good job.
The quality of education we received under this system is another matter altogether I hope when I am much older and fonder I will look at it more positively.
