A parenting partnership: Different, but never divided.🌟

I never understood how different parenting styles could shape a child’s world until I lived through it..... Growing up in my home, my parents shared the same values. They loved with one voice, corrected with one voice, and set standards we couldn’t bend. But even with their unity, their personalities were like night and day. Dad was the enforcer, the strict one whose presence alone could change the atmosphere. Mum, on the other hand, was like a friend to us, open, fun, and easy going, but she changes when she's serious. That contrast between them, though often hard to understand as a child, played a powerful role in shaping who I am today.

[ Source ( Photo by Alex Green: https://www.pexels.com/photo/grandmother-helping-little-girl-with-hairstyle-5691887/ ) ]

There’s one memory I can’t forget, no matter how many years pass. My dad had left some money on top of the fridge and went to his room. Later, the money went missing. His reaction was swift and fierce. He beat the hell out of all of us, including our last baby who couldn’t even say a complete sentence. It was painful, not just physically but emotionally, especially because we didn’t even know what we were being punished for. Then, Mum returned and casually mentioned that she had taken the money with her earlier that day. I watched my father’s face change when he realized the mistake. He apologized, and life went on.

[ Source ( Photo by Ketut Subiyanto: https://www.pexels.com/photo/cheerful-running-boy-4933790/ ) ]

Daddy, will go out and everyone will be happy, once we all hear his car horn, everyone tries to behave and ensure orderliness in the living room. It seemed as though we were being punished at that time, but that moment taught us something about responsibility, discipline, and how seriously our parents took integrity. That kind of discipline made it impossible for any of us to grow up with a mindset of stealing or selfishness.
But our home wasn’t all about correction and fear. As we grew, something changed. The once no-nonsense father began to loosen up. Today, we laugh with him, play with him, and touch him freely, something we wouldn’t dare do when we were younger. Sometimes he even calls me to settle a mild misunderstanding, though as a joke, between him and Mum. I never imagined that kind of closeness would grow between us, but I now see that it was the fruit of their training. They planted discipline and reaped trust. They gave us boundaries, and today we can freely express ourselves within those boundaries because we were raised with a foundation of respect and the fear of God.

[ Source ( Photo By: Kaboompics.com: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-frustrated-about-her-daughter-using-mobile-phone-during-breakfast-6957254/ ) ]

When I become a parent, my parenting style will be different not because my parents didn't try their best, but because as life goes on things change…. people change, environments change, so I ensure that in all, my kids will be happy and comfortable, and become better, as they learn that correction is love and appreciate it when they are corrected.

[ Source (
Photo By: Kaboompics.com: https://www.pexels.com/photo/mother-confiscating-daughter-s-phone-6957238/ ) ]

Different perspectives in parenting have the power to shape a child for life. One parent may correct with firmness, while the other covers with comfort. One teaches you to walk straight, while the other helps you stand when you fall. I am who I am today because my parents didn’t always parent the same way, but they always moved in the same direction.🔮