Parenting And Education - Essay Example

Parenting And Education Right from my early childhood, I have been keenly aware of the importance of a good education. Hardly a day went by without my Mother telling my two brothers and me that it is a good education which would give us a head start in life. True to her conviction, my Mother, who works as a Textile Designer and Home Decorator in Ghana, provided us with the best possible education within her means. As a single parent and the sole wage-earner of our family (my father passed away when I was an infant), she decided to send us to a boarding school in the vicinity of our home in Ghana: a thirty minute drive.

This ensured that we had an excellent education, the company of our peer groups, and the stability and security of a constant background. I attribute my streak of independence and my disciplined approach to life to my boarding school experience. My Mother’s frequent visits affirmed her love for us, and encouraged us to excel at academics. During the vacations, my aunts sometimes contributed to our care during my Mother’s regular business trips, but I am aware that it was my Mother who raised us single-handedly, and with several sacrifices on her part.

My Mother was not as fortunate as we have been. Her separation from her parents at a very young age, due to compelling economic factors, persisted throughout her life. My maternal grandparents were poor traders in Ghana, who did not have the means to support their children. As their poor livelihood did not permit them to educate my Mother, she was sent to live in her uncle’s home. This uncle saw her through school, and then my Mother secured a scholarship which enabled her to pay her way through college and secure her Bachelor’s degree in Art.

My Mother met and married my father in her late thirties, while on a short visit to the United States, and her parents passed away before the birth of my eldest brother. As such, my Mother is very much a self-educated and self-made woman. When I consider the differences in the manner in which my Mother secured her education, and the way in which she supported us through our academic careers, I never cease to marvel at her strength of purpose and her clear perspective on what she wanted for us.

My Mother was determined not to let economic factors or the nature of her occupation compel her to send us away to grow up in the homes of relatives. She has always felt the pain of not growing up in her own home, with her parents close to her. She has also regretted the circumstances which separated her from her siblings. Although she is now close to her sisters, she often thinks of the lost years of childhood, when they lived apart. Her choice of a boarding school was an excellent compromise which enabled her to keep us together as a family, while allowing her to earn a living by printing and selling fabrics.

She rejoices in the close relationship I share with my brothers. My Mother’s separation from her parents has deeply affected her. This is evident in the strong ties she has forged with my brothers and me. We remain a very close-knit family. I make it a point to spend every Christmas in Ghana with my Mother, and my two brothers also make the trip unfailingly. My eldest brother is happily married and I definitely plan on getting married in the future (and having three children!!). Secondly, my Mother has passed on to us her faith in education.

It was her education which enabled her to earn a good living and keep her family together. My brothers have gone on to become respected professionals in their fields: my eldest brother has earned a doctorate in Civil Engineering, and the second is a reputed chef in Brooklyn. As for me, I plan to obtain my BA in Social Science and masters in Public health to work with the ministry of health in Ghana. My Mother, based on the vicissitudes of her own life, has been the motivating force in our academic achievements and in our deep sense of family.