When I was still a little girl, I received very harsh punishment from my parents - a true life story. That moment still feels fresh in my mind like it happened yesterday.
At that time, I was around eight years old. I remember it was a Saturday afternoon, and my girlfriends agreed we should go walk to the field near our area to play. We were enjoying ourselves very much until some misbehavior started happening.
We started playing roughly and accidentally broke one woman's window. This woman was a strict mother who did not tolerate any nonsense at all. When her window got broken, she came out with a cane in her hand. I was so scared that I ran away from there with my friends.
When I got home, I did not tell my dad and mom what had happened because I didn't want to get in trouble even though I knew I was in it already. But that day, when my dad returned from work, the woman met him and reported what we had done to her window. When he got home, he didn't give me a chance to say anything, he went straight to where his cane was, took it and flogged me severely.
I felt very unhappy afterward. However, it taught me an important lesson about responsibility and respect for other people's property. From that day, I learned to be careful about how I acted and always consider the consequences before doing something reckless.
I also learned to be honest, because if I had told my father initially what happened, he would not have flogged me like that. Honesty pays better than hiding or lying about something.
Another important lesson the punishment taught me was to listen to and obey adult instructions. If I had followed the rules my parents set, I would not have been playing near that woman's house at all. Respecting adult wisdom goes a long way in keeping a child safe.
Overall, the experience was a painful one, but it remains as a memorable lesson for life. Sometimes severe punishment is needed to straighten a wayward child. Even though I cried that day, I appreciate it now because it made me grow into a better person.
From that day on, I tried to be well-behaved and respect everyone around me. I also learned to take responsibility for my actions. This went a long way to prevent future punishment and keep me on the right path.
Whenever I remember that cane punishment, it reminds me of the importance of discipline and good character. Girls who lack discipline do not turn out well. It is a complete package - love, care and occasional tough discipline when needed.
This experience made me vow that one day when I have my own children, I will raise them well to respect people, be responsible and behave properly anytime, anywhere. This is how to build great leaders and responsible citizens for society.
So in summary, that was the worst punishment I ever received as a little girl. But it was not just punishment alone, it was a life lesson that shaped me into who I am today. I still have the scar on my body, but the lessons in my mind will be for life.
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