Angelus Blog

It’s funny how an eighteen‑year‑old boy can look at his sixty‑five‑year‑old father and think, “I’m smarter than him.” He forgets that his father was once eighteen too, with the same energy, the same boldness, and probably the same mistakes.   The same goes for the eleven‑year‑old girl who tries every trick in the book, convinced she’s outsmarting her fifty‑eight‑year‑old mother. What she doesn’t realize is that her mother once played those same games—and knows them better than anyone.   Sometimes it feels like kids today believe their parents just fell from the sky, instantly becoming “Mom” and “Dad.” They don’t see that every lie, every little scheme, is something their parents have already lived through.   Take the fourteen‑year‑old who tells her mother she’s off to see a girlfriend, but ends up under a mango tree with a boy, pretending to play house. She thinks she’s clever, but her mother knows exactly what’s going on—because she’s been there before....

  Parent-child relationships are traditionally built on respect. Parents devote themselves to providing for their children’s basic needs—food, clothing, and shelter—while children, in turn, support their parents in whatever ways they can.   African parents, in particular, are known for their diligence in raising children, ensuring they are not spoiled and correcting inappropriate behaviour, especially when it involves disrespect.   Recently, an online video sparked debate: a boy, estimated to be between 12 and 14 years old, openly disrespected his mother. Many questioned why she chose to record and share the incident instead of disciplining him, as is customary in African households.   In Western cultures, such behaviour may be tolerated or explained away, but in Africa—especially Nigeria—it is far less acceptable. Physical discipline remains common, rooted in the biblical principle, “spare the rod, spoil the child” (Proverbs 13:24).   Observ...