Parental love

I was in a counselling room today with a parent and thoughts of my childhood whizzed passed me.

I remember when I was young, perhaps, I was really naughty. (Study comics instead of textbooks, throw away food, etc) Often am beaten by my dad. To a point where I am very fearful of him. To the point where I will shiver under my covers fearing the cane will come lashing.

Thus, my relationship with my mum was good. I remember, there was one time where she will stand in front of me while my dad was caning me. And in the end, she got caned for me. Not that my mum doesn't cane me. I got it from her too.

The physical beating from my dad brought our relationship further. The physical shielding from my mum bought us closer.

It took me 20 over years to realize that either way is their expression of love for me. I have come to understand that no discipline is easy. Each beating my dad gave me must have pained him and made him wonder why am I not the way he wants me to be. Each time my mum shield me must have made her wonder why she has to shield me. I must have pained both my parents as I was growing up.

I was telling the parent that in any way, there is no one correct way of bringing up a kid. The worst thing to do is to start self-blaming.

As I said it, I started laughing at myself (inside la)... I wonder how many times have I pained my parents that they thought of "giving" me up. You know la... Parents of my era used to say "Which rubbish bin did I pick you up from?" Haha!!!

Looking back, if not for the strict discipline that my parents endorsed in their training for their kids, I may have become wayward.

Last but not least,

"Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?... Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Apostle Paul in Hebrew 12:7,10-11 NIV