You know the stories we hear about people who'll get arrested if they hit or smack a child, yeah? That's true.

Sometimes I find it hard to understand that.

In Nigeria when you talk back to your parents, for instance, or you're being naughty or rude. You will not even know how one slap will hit you from no where that you will begin to see stars everywhere. Chai!!!

Everything does go black indeed lol

You see, that slap has been preserving our culture as Nigerians o . . . hm. I know I received some growing up. What people over here in Britain call physical abuse, we call it discipline.

I sometimes cannot get over the fact that when some children here are called by an adult they can reply "what?" Or "yes"

Don't try that in a Nigerian home o, if you know what's good for you.

"Yes mummy/daddy/aunty/uncle" is more acceptable. Nothing like "what?"

But you cannot even do Nigerian style o, except your wish is to go to jail.

Nigerian mothers here, try as much not to smack their children in Public out of fear. They have learnt to communicate to their children when They're being naughty in public, with their eyes. Just that one cold death stare, should be able to make that child see reasoning and behave. Although it doesn't work for all children; they need more than that.

But our Nigerian way of discipline sha..... Kai!!!

Anything, everything African parents can lay their hands on, their slippers, wooden spoon, belt, koboko, those bamboo cain, if not they'll use their bare hands to panel beat sense into your head.

African parents default setting hahaha!

In England they find other ways of punishing their children when they're naughty; ground them, send them to their room, where they'll watch TV, say to them that they'll only have their IPad and not their Nintendo (I legit heard a mum say that to their 8 year old)

I really don't see how effective it is though. Some children, need more than grounding. A little smack on the arm, might bring them round. And that doesn't mean you hate them or something. It's discipline.

Spare the rod and spoil the child.

There are times when I'm in the supermarket and I see like children just being plain rude, shouting, talking back at their parents or whatever grown-up they're with and the adult don't do anything other than scolding them or just saying "stop being rude" or "that isn't very nice" or "no TV for you this evening ". I just shake my head and think to myself "if na Nigeria this child been dey, e for don receive the beating of his life"

Another one I witnessed was at the bus stop, a little boy shouted "SHUT UP NAN" to his grandmother and she didn't even do anything to him.

Imagine!!! What nonsense!

So if you're from Naija and you find yourself in Britain and you witness a situation like this, you might get the urge to intervene. Please don't, trust me, just mind your business and pretend you didn't see. It's for your own good. You're not in Nigeria o lol

Personally, I find a blend of the two methods effective. Scold them when necessary, ground them, take away beloved things when necessary, and also if they've done something worth smacking them, then smack them. That doesn't reduce the love you have for them. When you do smack them, Later on, pull them closer and let them know why you did what you did. And that you still love them anyway.