Inside Every Failing Child...

Growing up, I felt like a complete failure. Few kids wanted to associate with me. The rest bullied me. I had speech problem in my childhood and other children made mockery of my speech problem. I stammered and couldn't pronounce long words.

My primary 2 class teacher dismissed me from school because I couldn't pronounce my full name correctly. I cried but she wasn't moved. I went home that day and told my dad what my teacher said and dad placed his hand on my shoulder and said to me "son, if they say you can't speak, prove to them that at least you can write". That was how I started writing.

My dad was a good writer himself. He wrote speeches for almost every local politician I knew in my childhood. He taught me how to write the night tales of my mother. Respect to parents who won't give up on their failing child.

In September 2012, the teacher who dismissed me from her class attended a conference where I was the guest speaker. It was an Assemblies of God Church District Youth Conference in Ikom. We had powerful sessions. On the final day of the conference, an older lady walked up to me as I made my way out of the auditorium and said "excuse me sir, can I see you briefly?"...I obliged and she called me by my native name, introduced herself as my primary 2 class teacher who didn't believe I could ever speak a word let alone speaking to the world. She hugged me and sobbed. I got emotional too but I was too tired to cry. Today, I get paid to speak.

Friends, the height of impatience is when you conclude the life of a child with their childhood or teenage mistakes and struggles. I don't understand people who think a child is doomed because of their early life failures. It is more like concluding that the caterpillar is a doomed, ugly, weak creature who can't fly without knowing that inside every caterpillar is a beautiful butterfly with wings.
A lot of parents give up too soon on their child just because of their academic struggles. I know a father who disowned his daughter for falling pregnant in her teens.

Everyday I interact with younger people who are struggling with one thing or the other. Beyond the burden of their struggles, I see their pains of rejection from those who should be their pillar.

The next time you are tempted to condemn a struggling child, remember that every beautiful butterfly also had a terrible childhood.
Inside every failing child is an eagle waiting to soar.
Let’s not give up on our children!

Sources: http://livelystones.com.ng/inside-every-failing-child/