Is that how to sweep?” I shouted at my son with high disapproval that I saw the puzzled look on his face. He was lost. He didn’t know what to do next. I was upset and ready to give him abada (smack).

“How can’t you know how to sweep? Is it not just simple sweeping? O ga o!” At this point, my conscience pricked me (questioning whether I actually taught him how to sweep)did you teach him how to sweep or the concept of sweeping? “But he should know how to do it? Isn’t it just sweeping?; Very easy,” I argued with myself.

How many times have you, as a parent, assumed your child should know how or what to do? The truth is, if you don’t teach or give them the information needed to build on, they know next to nothing about what to do. We expect them to know all.

Byram DavisByran Davis[1]quotes that “ Assumptions are unopened windows that foolish birds fly into, and their broken bodies are evidence gathered too late.”

The above quote is what most of us went through whilst young. Our parents assumed we should know how to be successful, how to abstain from sex, how to know the career paths to choose. They had so many assumptions which led us to making many mistakes due to trial and errors.

Parents, don’t assume your child(ren) should have answers to problems you never discussed with them. Discuss every topic with your child; from religion, to career, to sex, to everything you know they will need to be knowledgeable of.

I then collected the broom from my son and showed him how to first, hold the broom, bend his back, sweep tiles by tiles and also feel with his bare feet for any left behind dust.

He understood and improved on the information I gave him.

Don’t wait for your child to make unrecoverable mistakes before you teach or talk to them. Communication is key in parenting. Use it well.

[1]Byran Davis (2012). “Liberator”, p.141, Zondervan