DISCIPLINE, RESPECT, AND THE SHIFTING BOUNDARIES OF PARENTING

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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).  

Observers offered different explanations for the boy’s conduct. Some blamed “under-parenting,” where parents fail to discipline children for misconduct, allowing them to challenge authority with derogatory words. Others pointed to excessive exposure to Western culture, which may normalize behaviours considered disrespectful in African society. In Nigeria, such defiance is rare, as children often weigh the consequences of punishment before daring to insult their parents.  

The audacity of the boy in the video raises troubling questions. Did his mother overindulge him by sparing discipline when it was needed? Did his parents allow him access to inappropriate media that distorted his understanding of respect? Or is this a broader reflection of shifting cultural influences on African parenting?  

Ultimately, the incident forces us to ask: what went wrong—and how should parents balance discipline, cultural values, and modern influences in raising respectful children?

Click the link below to watch the video.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DTPxlYFlGW6/?igsh=YmFuZmIycWNsbDht


Comments

  1. Anonymous15 January 2026 at 11:32

    Most parents try their best to train their children in the right way. Unfortunately, their children think they are smart because of their exposure to the Internet, especially the social media; hence, they rely mire on the information on the social media than the advice by their parents.

    ReplyDelete

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