I have always been with my parents since I was in secondary school, and this made me develop some special love for my parents, most especially my mom. I could remember, when I got out to visit my friend without my dad's knowledge, how he always dealt with me. He would wallop me with a whip and give me serious punishment that would make me not dare go out again. This has taught me a serious lesson, which I'm applying to my kids. They are always at home. The only time they will leave the house is when I'm going to the shop. They must not dare go outside the shop to play.

My mom, on the other hand, has her principles when it comes to discipline. She does not allow me to go out, and when she does, she will pour out her saliva on the floor, telling me that “before the saliva gets dried up, you must be at home.” So, this would make me fast at delivering the message she had sent me.

One fateful day, I had to leave the house of a message my mom sent me. She had already spat on the floor, waiting for me to arrive. I got to the woman's house but could not find her. I tried to search, but was unable to see the woman. Likewise, I asked people around if they had seen her going out, but they all said “no.” I had to wait because the goods my mom gave me must be delivered to the woman. Not only that, but I began to wait for her. Not only that, but I waited for more than two hours before I saw her coming. Likewise, I told her I had been here for more than two hours waiting and that my mom would deal with me when I got home.

“Don't worry, I will call your mom and explain to her when I get my phone charged in about two hours," she said.

I later used that opportunity to go to my friend's house just to get an update from the school since I was unable to go there that day. So, I wasted another hour before reaching home. As I was going home, I knew that the woman would inform my mom about how she was absent from home when I got to her house. I was seriously happy that I had used that opportunity to visit a friend.

I was throwing legs, counting my steps on the floor slowly instead of walking very fast. I had confidence that I would be safe since the woman would inform my mom how she wasted my time. Furthermore, I had added the time she would charge her phone to the time I had spent with my friend, and I knew I was not late.

Not only that, but I checked the time, and it was still not two hours, so I decided to dash out again to watch the female football competition being played in a field very close to our house. So, I wasted a little time and had forgotten that my mom would deal with me if I'm late. I got myself eaten up by the match. It was an interesting match, and when I checked the time, there were just 10 minutes remaining. I decided to leave for my house. I got home and saw the unexpected. The woman I went to meet was already with my mom. I knew I was in for it that day.

I got to the compound and greeted them. They answered and continued their conversation. Since my mom did not answer me, I knew all would be well. My mind was solidly at rest. “Maybe the woman might have told her the reason I was late, and perhaps she did not tell her the time I left her house," I said as I was somehow contemplating.

The woman left, and my mom entered the house, locking the door. I did not understand her initially, but after raising my head to look at her face, I knew I was in for it today.

MAT PRODUCTION
“Where are you coming from?” Her face was not friendly while talking to me.

“I went to deliver the message you sent me, mom," I said with my eyes ready to drop the whole of the water in it.

My mom asked me to go inside her room and bring the whip she always uses. I brought it while the water that was gathering in my eyes finally started dropping.

“Are you ready to say the truth now?” My mom asked while swinging the whip up and down and straight to one side close to my body.

Without thinking twice, I had to tell her the truth just to save my head.

“I went to meet my friend, Debby.

She took her phone and scrolled to Debby's mom's phone number as she was having it on her phone. She called her and confirmed the truth, as well as the time I left Debby's house.

“When you left Debby's house, where did you go again?” My mom asked.

I was so afraid of the whip, and I spoke the truth.

“I went to watch the female football on the field.”.

“Next time, when you are back from school, always stay at home and don't go to someone's house to play if I send you any form of message. Love your home, but not someone's home," my mom advised.

I took this idea to my house and followed my children keenly, as they must always remain indoors instead of leaving the house for someone's house. ,