It could be costly to lean solely on one's experience(s) as the only way to learn in this life.
Every well meaning parents want
their children to learn some hard
lessons of life by their own (parents) and other's experiences.



My dad observed some non committal attitude of some of us to our studies so he called us together and told us this story:

The woman you grew up to know today as your grandmother and my mother is infact her younger sister.
My mother died in a boat mishap while she was on a business trip in the mid 30's when I was still being weaned.
When fire engulfed the boat in the middle of the night, she hurriedly wrapped me up, kept me in a woolen bag meant for keeping money and threw me into the water far from the scene of the accident.
The fire raged on. Some jumped into the large body of water where there was no shore on sight. The boat was burned down and sank. Most didn't survive the accident.
Days later, the face of the sea has calmed as if nothing happened, some local fishermen were going about their business when they spotted a floating object afar off being tossed about. When they got close and opened, behold miracle, I was still alive.
Of course the news of the accident had spread but the tragedy and mourning was soon overshadowed by the news of the surviving baby.
I grew up to know my aunt as my mother until my father of blessed memory broke the news to me whom my real mother was.
Dear children, I still don'k know why I was saved. I cried for help but no one heard, I was hungry but nobody brought food. But here you are asking for this and that and I give without a second hesitation.
My commitment to your well being was all I'm reminded of anytime I think of my own story, who knows, one or some or all of you could be the reason why my life was preserved.
Therefore, your own share of my fortuned is your studies that I will be most willing to sponsor if only you will be serious.END!

After that day everything changed.

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My dad told us they were so poor they ate rice once a year

Ok, this wasnt from my parents but my maternal grandmother shared this with me.

Against my grandfather's objections, my grandmother had my mom enrolled in primary school. In those days, female education in Ibibioland was considered a waste of resources, (for a woman was expected to leave her family house and get married) and my grandfather held fervently to those norms. He threatened to deal with my grandma if their first daughter (my mom) got pregnant. An out of wedlock pregnancy for an Adiaha (first daughter) was scandalous in those days, because every man wanted to chop an okukim (a white ram given to the parents during the marriage of the first daughter) Yet my grandma risked it all for my mom's sake. while imploring her not to fall for the wiles of men. My mom obeyed her, studied hard and later on moved to the USA, the first person in her family to travel to the USA which was in the 60's after she got married to my dad. When she came back, the following year, she bought a car. Dissenters couldnt believe that it was possible for a woman to buy a car in those dayss. Infact, one guy tried to convince me that it was my father who actually bought the car for her. When my mom's younger sister got married, their dad (my grandfather) out of gratitude and appreciation presented my mom bales of wrappers because as he put it, she was the first to open the door for her younger sister. Though my parents are late, I still admire the zeal they put in to ensure we became educated.

@op, This is a lovely topic

My father told us there was a prophecy that out of he and his brothers he would be greater but the oldest son would be richer.

Naturally, this caused a lot of resentment in the heart of his my uncle cos my father was the last born. My grandfather died when my dad was very young n his mother died when he was a toddler. This uncle of mine did everything to ensure my dad was not educated. He sent him to be a houseboy.

Coincidentally the house he was cleaning was that of a teacher who had small kids. After school she would do extra lessons for her kids. My father would clean n be listening and peeping @ the blackboard.
One day she asked her kids a simple question from what they had learnt and they couldn't answer. This made her so angry, my dad quietly said he knew the answer, and answered correctly. The teacher was shocked. From that day he told my dad to join her kids so she could teach all of them together. That's how he learnt to read, write and do general arithmetic.
Years later, his brother had become very rich. He was working as a plumber, one of his customers was an onyibo man in warri. He found some money in the house and instead of stealing it, he handed it over. The guy was so impressed he gave him a form to fill to school in the Netherlands. He filled it and he was told to take an exam but he had no money 4 the form. He begged his brother but he didn't give him. Eventually he managed to gather the money and he passed.

That's how he ended up studying in holland and later became a hydraulic engineer . His accomlishments were so, so many. He is late now but when I remember his story I'm so encouraged.

Cool thread,really touchy stories.

Hey,Paris,how's the little Princess doing?

Hey ify, she's fine. Crawling all over the house and Scattering things, her 3rd tooth just poped out

Aww!soon she'll be wearing your pumps and experimenting with your Mary Kay. Lol

Kisses to her!

This is rather funny.A man graduated from d university wt support mainly frm mother and maternal family members.The father was a rich goldsmith so didn't believe in education.
As a grown up he summoned d courage to approach his father to fund his masters degree.Alas d old man was so ignorant as to accuse him of failing his first degree, he actually made a firstclass!.According to him university was d peak of education so he must have failed for wanting to go back and study.
Now,He shakes his head when his children get whiny or see education as there right.After all,earning firstclass was not enough to convince d father to sponsor him.