One parenting lesson that I learned unexpectedly came from the time that I worked as a class assistant in a nursery school.

After writing my second JAMB examination and also being done with my skill training , I decided to work a little to save up money that will help I and my family once I gained admission into the tertiary institution.

While there, I learnt alot and the one that stood out to me is that I used to think that whenever a baby cried, the first thing to do was pick them up immediately. Now this crying is after being fed and expected to sleep or play. However, one of the teachers taught me something that completely changed my perspective.

She explained that babies are more aware and observant than many people think even before they came out into the world. While they need love, comfort, and attention, carrying them every single time they cry can make them overly dependent on constant attention. Instead, if the baby is safe, fed, clean, and not in pain, it's okay to let them cry for a little while and encourage them to learn how to play independently.

The teacher also emphasized that mothers have many responsibilities besides caring for the baby. Allowing a child to spend short periods entertaining themselves gives the parent time to cook, clean, rest, or complete other important tasks without feeling guilty. It also helps the child gradually develop independence, patience, and confidence and even when they are dropped at daycare they will be able to play with other babies there and not cry endlessly because they have been too attached to you.

We had a 1year old baby girl that was admitted to creche then that even crawling was hard for her because her mother always puts her at her back everytime and once she started dropping the girl off at creche she will cry endlessly even after she has been fed so that was why she explained to me what some mothers do in ignorance thinking it's for the betterment of their child not knowing it's wrong. I was made to understand that for that girl at the age of 1 year should have started crawling and even holding things to attempt standing and walking on her own.

That experience taught me that parenting isn't just about responding to every cry immediately. It's about finding a healthy balance between giving children the love and security they need while also encouraging them to become independent. Even though I'm not yet a parent, it's a lesson I know I'll carry with me in the future.

I will end by saying that "Just as words written in wet cement become permanent when it dries, the lessons we teach children in their early years often stay with them for life."