Respect

Blog Prompt: Today is Respect for Parents Day. How were you taught respect when you were growing up?

My mother used to always have this saying when she was really mad and it was, “I brought you into this world and I can take you out!” Plus, my mother never said anything she didn’t mean so I felt she really believed this. I used to think I was such an abused child when I was younger. I had to do chores before I could go out and play, I had to make up my bed, I had to vacuum once a week. Was I Cinderella? Plus, I was not allowed to talk back to my parents or my older sisters. If I did not do what I was told to do, I was spanked by my mother. How horrible was that!

I have to admit that I was a pretty spoiled child. My mother’s spankings usually entailed being swatted with her hand or a ruler. My father only slapped my hand once in my life when I was about four years old. I went in his pocket because he wouldn’t give me money. He took his belt out of the buckle and swatted me with the end of the belt (while it was still in his pants) so it couldn’t have been very hard. I cried for two days because my feelings were so hurt and he never ever spanked me again. All it took was a look or him saying how disappointed he was in me and I felt miserable.

My sisters were ten and twelve years older than me so I actually learned a lot by watching them whenever they got in trouble. I learned from their mistakes because I never wanted my parents to be mad or disappointed in me. As I grew older, I realized how little we had and how hard my father worked so I didn’t want them to worry about my behavior on top of it. Respect was never an option when I was growing up and I’m so grateful that my parents expected it.

Photo: Me with my two sisters