If my parents didn't teach me what I know today, though as stubborn as I was, I would have been useless to society. I was beaten, punished severely but in all of that, I learnt valuable lessons for life. My parents loved me t ... read full comment
If my parents didn't teach me what I know today, though as stubborn as I was, I would have been useless to society. I was beaten, punished severely but in all of that, I learnt valuable lessons for life. My parents loved me to death and gave me the world but they could not sit there and see me be a spoilt brat. I was never abused but loved.
K. Atta Cudjoe 10 years ago
Ms. Ohene,
Your piece misses the point on child labour. Your mother sent you to school and you helped only on Saturdays or after school.
Children engaged in child labour around the world don’t have the opportunity to go ... read full comment
Ms. Ohene,
Your piece misses the point on child labour. Your mother sent you to school and you helped only on Saturdays or after school.
Children engaged in child labour around the world don’t have the opportunity to go to school.
For the purposes of ILO Convention 182, the term the worst forms of child labour comprises:
(a) all forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, such as the sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage and serfdom and forced or compulsory labour, including forced or compulsory recruitment of children for use in armed conflict;
(b) the use, procuring or offering of a child for prostitution, for the production of pornography or for pornographic performances;
(c) the use, procuring or offering of a child for illicit activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs as defined in the relevant international treaties;
(d) work which, by its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to harm the health, safety or morals of children.
Ghana, by the way, has ratified ILO Convention 182. Please, see www.dol.gov
Agyeman 10 years ago
It depends on the frequency and/or severity of the job to truly define it a child labour.Too long in hrs/too frequent in occurence or too dangerous a job all in return for food or token pay its surely child labour.Children ... read full comment
It depends on the frequency and/or severity of the job to truly define it a child labour.Too long in hrs/too frequent in occurence or too dangerous a job all in return for food or token pay its surely child labour.Children should be allowed ample time to play,bond with other kids or study otherwise you risk raising kids culturally programmed to never appreciate friendships,too lonely or without social skills all due to too much work.
Nyansasem 10 years ago
There is no doubt that Elizabeth Ohene is one of our most celebrated authors or journalists in our country. However, in this article, she failed to connect with readers about her topic-tough love or child abuse?
I will say ... read full comment
There is no doubt that Elizabeth Ohene is one of our most celebrated authors or journalists in our country. However, in this article, she failed to connect with readers about her topic-tough love or child abuse?
I will say that there is a tram-track, not a fine line between tough love and child abuse. While child abuse may be physical, emotional or psychological torture, tough love is all about training with love, respect and reward.
From Liz's example about "house training" or tough love as I will call it, the woman crossed that tram-track into abuse; not because she slapped her child but I could see a master-servant relationship between the Mom and daughter. Why do I say this?
In order to understand this, probably the meaning of "training" should be defined- "..the process of bringing a person, etc., to an agreed standard of proficiency, etc., by practice and instruction"
By looking at the definition, you will agree with me that what we normally see from many parents and that of the friend in the story is not a training or tough love, but a servant-master relationship.
The mother should have been INVOLVED in every task that the daughter had to perform in the house. Being involved here does not mean working for the child, but rather getting closer to see what she is doing and offering advice and help.
Even if she had trained weeks, months or years for those tasks, she should continue to supervise, instruct and praise her while she is performing those tasks. After that, the mom should be proud of her and thank her and high-5ive her for job well done. That is what we call training or tough love. I believe if the English friend had found this practice, she would no doubt praise the woman.
Mom being busy watching Naija movies and talking on the phones as many of our aborokyie women are found of and simultaneously yelling at the daughter to clean the kitchen or bathroom, becomes an abuse and not training. Tough lough is not about yelling or screaming or demanding that things ought to be done in certain way or particular hour.
On many Friday nights, I used to take the last bus to go to Grandpa's town to go to farm with them. And I loved that. Why?
Because, in grandpa's pineapple, orange and palm nuts farm, I used to meet a lot of peers. We used to have a lot of fun under the orange trees; guys climbing orange trees and girls picking up the oranges, while the adults were working. It was more like "Hwehwe mu, na yi wo mpena," to wit, find your partner among the kids. How I miss those days.
On our way home, with loads on our heads we will be "driving" with our mouths--tototo-uuh-uuh-whi-whi- till we get to the "resting stop" under a mango tree. There we were at liberty to eat some of the oranges or climb the mango tree to get juicy mango to quench our thirst and also provide for our "parners." Did it prepare us to take care of our future partners?
On sunday, grandpa will give me foodstuff to be bring to the city and also give me enough money to put in my pocket. See, I will curse anyone who considers that as an abuse. Why? it was more about grandpa-grandkid relationship with love and respect training a child to become a responsible person.
I do understand that times have changed and many of the young ones don't know anything but to say that cooking and cleaning in the home is carefully done WITHOUT child labor is misleading and insensitive.
There is a reason for why those Universities girls don't know how to do anything and while you don't see child labor in the homes; that is because of "house helps" that are found in every home in our country. As a result of hardship, everyone has moved to the city in search of good life and this has given us more house helps than ever.
A house help wakes up 5am and begins to clean the house compound while the parents and the future university students are sleeping. After that, she prepares the breakfast for the family. If there is a child in the family, it will be the house help who baths the child and sometimes takes the child to school.
She starts cleaning the house after they have left for school. And then wash their clothes. Then go to the market to get something for dinner. She comes back and begins to prepare dinner. If the family are fond of fufu, it will be the house help who pounds the fufu. After everyone else had finished eating, she sits at a corner and eats her portion. Around 9 or 10pm when everyone is going to bed, she takes her shower, if she is allowed to and then spread her mat in the leaving room or on the verandah prays to God to make way for her before she sleeps.
Aunt Liz, this is what is termed as Child Abuse. In our world, they might not be in factories making carpets as in Pakistan, but they are found everywhere in our homes and on our streets selling ice water and dog-chains for their owners. The women are sometimes raped by their "owners" and sacked from the home when they become pregnant. They don't have voice neither in the government nor in the media; they have become hopeless, neglected and abandoned in our country.
I pray that you will "see" them and use your voice to help them.
Thank you.
spinkool 10 years ago
There are things and practices of value that make us Ghanaians and for that matter Africans. These values set us apart as Ghanaians. Some ignorant and prejudiced foreigners who see us through western stereotyped lenses can o ... read full comment
There are things and practices of value that make us Ghanaians and for that matter Africans. These values set us apart as Ghanaians. Some ignorant and prejudiced foreigners who see us through western stereotyped lenses can only accept us if we become like them in every way possible including shedding our basic identity such as colour and race.
Kojo T 10 years ago
If a child learns to work he/she grows aup to work . There are people complaining about people living on the state because they are lazy and do not work . How do they cultivate the habit of working when evrything is donme for ... read full comment
If a child learns to work he/she grows aup to work . There are people complaining about people living on the state because they are lazy and do not work . How do they cultivate the habit of working when evrything is donme for them? factory work is different but domestic work with your parents? That cannot be abuse
Abena Gyumfua 10 years ago
There is a difference b/n helping your parents in their trade and child labor. Child labor is when the child is employed to work purposely for an income and as his/her way for the future. When a child is sent to go and live w ... read full comment
There is a difference b/n helping your parents in their trade and child labor. Child labor is when the child is employed to work purposely for an income and as his/her way for the future. When a child is sent to go and live with a relative or an unrelated adult to serve him or her family and monthly payments are made either in cash or in any other form for that child's future is "child labor" and it wrong and shoudl stop! Children are to be taken care of by the men and women that brought them into the world. With that said, there are exceptions, incases where the child has lost both parents or one, and a relative or a good samaritan has taken the child in to help raise him or her that is not child labor. These folks are now taking the duty of a parent so that is not child labor.
Nyansasem 10 years ago
Thanks, you explained it perfectly.
Child labor greatly exists in our homes and we should rise up and speak against it.
Thanks, you explained it perfectly.
Child labor greatly exists in our homes and we should rise up and speak against it.
Togbe 10 years ago
Abena,I agreed with most of the explanation above except with the last portion where an orphan is likely to be mistreated and most of the housework is done by this child while other children of the caretakers are receive pref ... read full comment
Abena,I agreed with most of the explanation above except with the last portion where an orphan is likely to be mistreated and most of the housework is done by this child while other children of the caretakers are receive preferential treatment.Most Ghanaian homes have this kind of arrangement where other relatives unknowingly send their children to live with relatives.Some of these children are often mistreated,especially orphans.Sad as it is yet that is the case in most Ghanaian homes.
Global Criminals Exposed 10 years ago
"JEANNINE SEOANE: LOUISIANA CATHOLIC GIRLS SCHOOL TEACHER ADMITS SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH FEMALE STUDENT, REPORT SAYS — 7/22/2013
Former Archbishop Chapelle High School social studies teacher and mother of two teenag ... read full comment
"JEANNINE SEOANE: LOUISIANA CATHOLIC GIRLS SCHOOL TEACHER ADMITS SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH FEMALE STUDENT, REPORT SAYS — 7/22/2013
Former Archbishop Chapelle High School social studies teacher and mother of two teenage girls, Jeannine Seoane, 48, decided that she did not want to go to trial after all, and changed her plea to guilty as charged to prohibited sexual conduct between educator and student, and to unlawful purchase of alcohol for someone younger than 21. Both charges are misdemeanors that carrying maximum sentences of six months in jail but in accepting Seoane's guilty plea, the judge suspended the jail time and ordered two years of probation conditioned upon paying fines and fees, serving 100 hours of community service and making monthly visits to a psychiatrist and in court. Seoane is also prohibited from contacting the teen, in person or through social media. She must register as a sex offender and child predator for the next 15 years, which is mandatory under Louisiana law. Her attorney is considering challenging ..."
If my parents didn't teach me what I know today, though as stubborn as I was, I would have been useless to society. I was beaten, punished severely but in all of that, I learnt valuable lessons for life. My parents loved me t ...
read full comment
Ms. Ohene,
Your piece misses the point on child labour. Your mother sent you to school and you helped only on Saturdays or after school.
Children engaged in child labour around the world don’t have the opportunity to go ...
read full comment
It depends on the frequency and/or severity of the job to truly define it a child labour.Too long in hrs/too frequent in occurence or too dangerous a job all in return for food or token pay its surely child labour.Children ...
read full comment
There is no doubt that Elizabeth Ohene is one of our most celebrated authors or journalists in our country. However, in this article, she failed to connect with readers about her topic-tough love or child abuse?
I will say ...
read full comment
There are things and practices of value that make us Ghanaians and for that matter Africans. These values set us apart as Ghanaians. Some ignorant and prejudiced foreigners who see us through western stereotyped lenses can o ...
read full comment
If a child learns to work he/she grows aup to work . There are people complaining about people living on the state because they are lazy and do not work . How do they cultivate the habit of working when evrything is donme for ...
read full comment
There is a difference b/n helping your parents in their trade and child labor. Child labor is when the child is employed to work purposely for an income and as his/her way for the future. When a child is sent to go and live w ...
read full comment
Thanks, you explained it perfectly.
Child labor greatly exists in our homes and we should rise up and speak against it.
Abena,I agreed with most of the explanation above except with the last portion where an orphan is likely to be mistreated and most of the housework is done by this child while other children of the caretakers are receive pref ...
read full comment
"JEANNINE SEOANE: LOUISIANA CATHOLIC GIRLS SCHOOL TEACHER ADMITS SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH FEMALE STUDENT, REPORT SAYS — 7/22/2013
Former Archbishop Chapelle High School social studies teacher and mother of two teenag ...
read full comment