SPARE THE ROD AND SPOIL THE CHILD?

stephenpaul (54)in #story • 6 years ago

Ada grabbed her by her fragile and tender arm while bending over her and lashed out a couple of spank on her lower back as she said:

"Why didn't you apologize when you spoilt my shoe buckle?Next time when you offend me or anyone else,you should go straight to the person and say sorry,don't run away because that doesn't make anything better,you hear me?"

Blossom was eager to cry,that is what you would expect any four-year old to do,well,maybe except when they are wrong.Her eyes turned red and her lips formed an arch.

"She's going to let out a cry"Emmanuel said,Ada's younger brother.

"Let me hear her wail and I'll spank her the more,now go to the sitting room so I'll finish up your hair" she now directed to Blossom.She dragged her feet across the sandy floor while Ada walked closely behind as Emmanuel bent back down and continued his chores.

Certainly,you cannot argue the valuable lesson that the incident above was meant to impact on that child but does that justify the physical and emotional abuse suffered by her?

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Here is another non-fiction story:

The little boy ran forward and as fast as his tiny feet could carry him but surely not fast enough as the middle-aged woman chased vibrantly behind him and held him firmly by the collar of his shirt.She gave him a hard slap right on the back and dragged him away as she held unto her falling wrapper.

I watched across the street in the company of an elderly man.I turned to him and asked

"What happens if she eventually inflicts severe injuries on her little son?This does not seem right to me"

But I was quite astonished at his reply thus:

"Definitely,much of everything is bad.But the growth of a child is accompanied by various stages and at each stage,there is a vital need which must be met and it is the responsibility of the parents,elders and loved ones to meet the needs of such child.There are stages when he needs love and affection and he must not be denied these,he should be showered by lots of care,affection and tenderness but others days come when he must be chastised and corrected,those cannot be denied him also".

I do agree with him to an extent but there are other ways of correcting a child than physical abuse.The psychological and emotion trauma accompanied by such actions must not be neglected.