If there is something that have really shaped me positively growing up, I will give it to the aspect of Parental values and norms I enjoyed from my parents and generally my family. The country I came from Nigeria, we really value family because there's is a lot of things our parents always pass down to us.
As an average Nigerian, your parents go a long way in determining the type of beliefs, culture and generally the way of life as children or even adult that you will have. I have seen some of these parental values helps a child to be more responsible in the society. A perfect example will definitely be me. But at the same time, not all the parental values or norms passed to the children will stay consistent all through the lifetime of the child. Some changes over time.
Let me briefly talk about the importance of parental values before moving to the main point for today topic. In the society I grew up in, right from when you are a child, there are certain morals, cultures and norms that are beginning to be passed to you. The likes of how to dress, how to greet elders as this one is also subjected to your tribe. The way Yoruba greets is different from the way igbo greet and vice versa.
For ladies, you are been taught the importance of kneeling down while greeting elders while for the guys, you are taught how to postrate before elders. These are ways of greetings in my tribe Yoruba that right from the early age, you are begining to be taught how to respect and generally behave in the society. It helps to establish strong bonds with others in the Society.
If there is one constant parental value that every Nigerian will testify of, I will say it is Discipline. Discipline is really valued for African parents. My parents specifically knows how to deal with their children when they are wrong and positioned them to be corrected. African parents have these types of beatings that is always transferred to the child which helps the child to be more disciplined and responsible. I remember my father flogging the act of stealing out of me when i was 13 years old.
I can still remember how the incident unfold that day. I actually stole some money from my mom purse and I was caught. As a typical African father my dad was, I received the beating of my life. I must tell you that single beating put a stop in my life the act of stealing. That is the aspect of discipline I am talking about which every Nigerian parents always passed to their children. The ability to correct their children effectively when they are wrong.
Now back to the popular question that I have always seen. I have seen people asked? Should Parental values changes or not. Well I will say it depends on that particular values and the change of situation attached to it. What do I mean by that? There are some parental values I believe should not change. It should remain constant till the rest of ones Lifetime. Examples like the act of discipline I talked about, the aspect of dressing and greetings of elders. All these should be constant.
But other parental values like some practice of culture, it can be subjected to change as the world evolves. But I will say it is quite a pity that we are having a lot of children who are even not keeping to the simple and basic parental values that was passed to them when they were little. We live in the society whereby parental values are no more valued again either by the parents or by the children.
