My points... Exactly!

Children… they want what they want

Prior to now, back in the days, when a child was born, I remember clearly h ow t he mothers would have to squeeze breast milk in the eyes of the baby so the baby’s eyes can open. I saw it several times. These days, things have changed. The babies come out looking at the doctor straight in the face like “I am here, what can I do for you?” Then they begin to grow and back then, not many were bold to ask the kind of questions they ask today.

Especially from age 4-10, where you would be thinking they do not know much… brethren, be fully informed, they know a whoooooole lot! I promise you.

A woman once shared that one day, her young son walked up to her to ask where babies came from. She felt he was too young to know but was glad she had him by caesarian operation. After the sigh of relief that she was not going to discuss other options, she gladly and willing told him “From my stomach my son, just like you, babies come out of the stomach”.

And just as she was about to walk away, thanking God for an ‘escape’ from a question she dreaded because according to her, he was too young to know. The next question he asked left her dumbfounded. He asked “Mum, is there another place babies come out from?” Brethren, mummy was ‘shook!’ (‘Shook!’ in 21st century parlance as being said… she was indeed… ‘shook!’)

There certainly wasn’t any escape route and she knew there was no plot twist that would solve the matter, so after a quick processing of what to say, she responded “Yes my son, I promise to tell you when the time is right”.

I trust she did. He is all grown and a teenager now, I can guarantee he knows more than enough.

Still on children and always wanting to know. I called my 10 year old Nephew last week to wish him a happy birthday. I won his heart when I told him he was birthday mate with the dynamic and highly talented worship minister and trumpeter, Nathaniel Bassey. He kept screaming and I could picture him running around their house as I heard his movements through the phone.

Shockingly, all of a sudden, from nowhere, underline the word, nowhere, he threw the shot at me “Aunty Kemi, Tosin (his elder sister) said your hair is long” he stated. “Easy question” I thought to myself so I answered “Yes”… brethren, he wasn’t done with me. Then he brought out the real missile “So why do you still wear wigs” he questioned… brethren, again, I was ‘shook’!

“Where did that come from?” I asked myself again. “Are we not meant to be discussing him on his birthday?”. This young man has not seen me in a while and here he is on his birthday giving me ‘back to back’… there was certainly nowhere to hide. Aunty Kemi always answers his questions so I was not going to back out… Aunties don’t back out (wished I could) so I answered “It really isn’t comfortable always combing my natural hair daily, so I love to plait it and wear wigs if I have to go out and remove it when I get home so fresh air can blow my hair and rest till the next day, but I do not wear it all the time” I said.

After my epistle of explanation, ask me what his response was? “Okay”… that was it, he was done… off he went to doing something else and I am on the phone wondering “So ‘okay’ is all I get to hear after my epistle?” I asked myself.

He left me there and went off to do something that his attention craved for… for a few minutes only (that is), only to come back to interrupt my conversation with his mother… as always.

Children are truly amazing, wise and quite inquisitive. You must find a way around giving them answers to what they ask you… you must. Because if you do not, they may go ahead to ask someone who might take advantage of their naivety or inquisitiveness.

Children? They want what they want when they want it… god help you to be fully equipped when they come asking you questions you dared not ask your parents when you were their age.

Back then, when you go to vist a friend and you are acting like you no longer want to go back home, all you needed to get the ‘memo’ was what was called the ‘corner eye’. African parents understand this. Once your mum gives you that look, you know you better get up and start heading to the door. These days, it really doesn’t work that way.

A friend told his son the other day to give him the remote; he wanted to watch another program, the boy said “Daddy no” and the next thing his own mother said was “Dapo leave him, let him just watch it for a few minutes”.

He turned and looked at his mum and said “Eheeeen!!! Really? Mum… really? Back then, all you did was look at us in a certain way and we dared not disobey, now you are supporting your grandson?” to which she responded “That was then”.

He couldn’t stop laughing. “Times have changed oooo” He exclaimed. Back to the core of this story, do not be shocked at their questions or reactions, you see children of this age, trust me when I say they want what they want.