Growing up with a harsh/strict parent: My name is Tope

Before I share this story, I would like to tell you something that surprised me day, earlier this morning while I was in the bank to deposit some money into my account, the line was so long I had to wait for about 20min, immediately it got to my turn, a young man in his early 20s came into the bank and asked to see the cashier. He said to her "you gave me the wrong amount of money" with a little anger on the cashier face, she was like "how? In what way?" I was thinking probably they didn't give him his money complete cause this mistake happens often in the bank, but it turned out that the cashier gave him 30thousand extra cash and he decided to return it back to the bank, she was surprise and so was I, he withdraw 20thousands naira and she mistakenly gave him 50thousand naira, she was so happy, I was even happy for her, it would have been deducted from her salary. Well that was the only interesting thing that happened today

Back to the story.

There was a girl named Tope, this 17year old girl lives with her parent but she has never had the feeling of parental love, any time Tope goes to school, she is always happy to leave home and always praying not to return home, this isn't because she hated her parent but because of the rules set by them. "Tope, you're living in my house, you can't do what you like, you will have to do everything I say" her mom would always say, "This is my house and my rules are absolute" her after would always say. She never had the freedom other kids had, she would look outside the window and see other kids playing and having fun but her parent wouldn't allow her, they would force her to read, and after that she would eat and sleep.

She wasn't even allowed to bring female friends home not to mention male friends, she began to dislike what are parent are doing to her, probably because she was the only child, and as time goes, she began to hate them, she prays for the day she finish her high school and gain admission into any university far away from her home, she endure all her parent are doing to her till she finish her school.

After 6years of high school, she gain admission into a university that was 300km far away from home, she was so happy as her parent were sad that their little Princess is leaving home. Tope got to the university with the mind set to explore the life she had never had, so much freedom, she had never been so free in her life, she wanted to socialise, she wanted to have a boyfriend, she wants to know what love means. After Tope got to her hostel, she settle and mingle with other adult kids in the campus, with time she became used to how things go and it surprise her how people relate, she was learning things faster and she was in love with the negative aspect as she has never tried it before and no one to correct her now.

After 6month in on campus, there was a session break and she had to go home, she didn't want to but she just had to, and that was after she spent 2weeks at her boyfriend's place, immediately she got home, her parent where so happy and they hugged her, her mom was surprised to see how she dressed, she tried to caution her, but she refused brutally and this shocked her mom, her parent didn't say anything because they where happy to have her home, she was treated to nice meal and she told them of her experience in school, after 3weeks of staying at her parent home,she became sick, at first her parent thought it was the change of environment, but her dad insisted she was taken to the hospital for proper care, they took her to the family doctor and it was confirm that she was pregnant.

Her dad was really mad and he gave her a slap on her face, her mom just keep swearing and shouting at her, they took her home and lock her in her room, they didn't talk to her or gave her food that night as a means of punishment. The next day, her mom went to the door of the room, unlock the door and said, join us at the dinning table, we have to talk.. She left and after 20min of waiting, her dad got angry and went straight to her room only to find her dead on the floor, he hurried and took her to the hospital but there was nothing the doctors can do, they only saw the letter she hide in her pocket, the doctor gave it to her parent, the letter says.

"The truth is that, I love you both but you never loved me, I wonder why I ended up with such parent, what did I ever do to you both, you never allow me to have friends, you restricted me from this world, you block all my opportunities, you always yell at me for any small mistake. I can't do this any more, I will help you end your problem which is me, the same was I love you both is also the same way I hate you, your daughter Tope"

Moral lesson: Let try to love our children and correct them with love, being strict and harsh on children will never yield good result.

Thanks for read. Lead image from unsplash.com

Article type: story
Date: 11/01/2022
Time: 6pm
Author:©Fashtioluwa