From my childhood, I have pictured the type of parent I would be when I grow up.
The kind of parent I would be to my children and the kind of children I want to raise.
I came out from a family of six members 2girls, 2boys, a mother, and a father.
My mother always says to us that
A good child belongs to the father while the bad one is to the mother.
Therefore she said she doesn't want anyone to point accusing fingers at her.
Discipline
My mother is a good disciplinarian. My mother does not repeat a word twice. Once you go against her rules, the penalty is waiting, she always gives instant judgment. And, she does not waste time before she passes her judgment.
She will discipline you anywhere and anytime.
One of her rules is: "When she's having a conversation with somebody, and you're there, you must excuse yourself from there or you don't say a word to whatever they are discussing."
If she does not want you to stay, there is a way she will roll her eyeball or she will step on you.
After she has done all these signs and you still standing there, she will come close to you and slap you.
She has trained us to the level that if she is not around if anybody gives us anything, it must not be eaten until she permits us to eat it.
My mother trained us in a one-room apartment with no carpet or rug, just the floor,
I learned neatness from my mother when we were living in a one-room apartment. Our room is always neat. My father must not come back from work and meet the room untidy.
Care and schooling
My parents do not have much but the little they have. They try their best to invest it in their children.
We all attended government public schools because, during those days, private schools were not common the way they are this day.
My parents were able to sponsor us through elementary and high school, and polytechnic.
My parents prefer them to be without food than for their children not to eat.
Religion
My parents raised God-fearing children. They love God and also trained us in the way of the Lord.
We are always punctual at church services.
The kind of parent I want to be.
There are things I have come across in life that have helped me to be able to picture the kind of parent I want to be.
In the aspect of the discipline. The open discipline my mother usually give has given many people the chance to always give reports about us and this has kept us in our shells.
I've promised myself to always give room for my children to express themselves whenever they are involved in an argument with anybody and my judgment will be passed secretly not openly.
Once they are 10yrs, I will begin to teach them sex education because if I fail to do that, they will learn it from somewhere else and it may not turn out well.
Are you thinking my mother did not tell me about sex?
Yes, she did.
But in a different way.
This was how she taught me;
"Once you allow any boy to touch you, you are pregnant".
I was so scared of my parent that I couldn't tell my mother when I started my menstrual cycle because all I taught about was that I was pregnant.
That's so hilarious but is just the truth.
The parent I am.
Source
I thank the Almighty God that has been my help.
I have 4kids. Both myself and their father have been trying our best to give them quality education.
We are living in our house, a mini flat apartment.
I always have a good relationship with my daughter who is 12 years old and I knew when she started her menstrual cycle.
I can proudly say, I love the kind of parent I have become.
This is my response to the Motherhood Community on the topic;
The parent I want to become.