Life is a stage and each of these stages have their lessons which help to guide a person through the next stage. We learn in several ways either by the mistakes we made in doing a thing or by the instructions we received from another on how to do that thing.
Childhood is a stage I consider to be a school for living the adulthood. One with a good childhood have the possibility of growing into a wonderful adult and knowing how to deal with things in his life. A deformed childhood is prone to errors in life although not in all cases as some persons are fortunate enough to still make it right from adulthood.
Childhood is fun
Source
Therefore, it is pertinent that we appreciate those responsible for our childhood upbringing if we feel we have benefited from that. Also, we have the duty to help the children of today to cultivate values that will be of help to them in the future just as we were helped.
From childhood, I learnt a lot of things which naming them will make endless list but then I shall mention a few that are key and have shaped my adulthood to who I am today and who I am becoming.
Contentment: I remember vividly how my mother would mercilessly beat the hell out of us if she finds us begging another person for money or for snacks or anything of such. She would make sure we have food in the house to eat and do not need to beg anyone. But you know, as kids, we may get attracted by what we see from another person but for my mother, it meant lack of contentment and she hated that. She would always admonish us to be content with the little things that we have.
Learning this has helped me in living today a contented lifestyle. I try not to be jealous of those who are living big and in luxury. This is why I refused to join the fraud guys who make it big time and riding in exotic cars.
No Violence: I don't know about you, but during my childhood, fighting was like food for us. In fact, we used to set days to fight ourselves to ascertain who was stronger. I remember having to fight with a guy that was a bit older than me and when we started, I was crying that the witnesses should separate us but eventually as I started winning, I asked them not to, hehe..
Well that incidence ended my fighting career, hehe. Why? Hmmm, my mother got to hear of it that I fought with a guy and she was very furious. When she asked my elder brother why he did not prevent me from fighting, he responded that I was the one that said nobody should separate us. That was the end for me that day, hehe. I received the beating of my life and from that day, I feard anything fighting.
Learning not to fight has helped me even till today to lead a peaceful life. Now I fear anywhere there is violence. I feel this is a virtue that our world need to learn. Violence cause a lot of damage to both human life and properties. And we tend to be much happier living in peace than in chaos. So now, you can call me man of peace, hehe.
Conservative: growing up was tough for the family and so I understand what it means not to have money. I know how many times we were sent home for not having paid our school fees. My father would always send us to the principal with a letter pleading to pay at the end of the month when the government pays salaries.
By implication, we practically managed the things we had and never allowed any form of waste. This has helped me today to be conservative. Not to be stingy but to learn to manage the things that I have eventough at least now, things are better for me. Managing these things that I have has helped me to save funds to do other valuable things.
I can go on and on narrating the story of my childhood which actually makes me very emotional but I would stop here. This is a post in response to the aprilinleo prompt and I invite you to join in and enjoy with us. I thank you for reading through.