A lot has been said about raising children in modern day society, however as far as my Grandmother was concerned, the old-fashioned way, was the right way and the only way to raise a child.
In today’s society where so many children go astray with drugs, alcohol and truancy, it has become more important than ever to resort to old-fashioned values and principles.
Granny felt that being a parent was a full-time job and was never to be taken lightly.
Like most Jamaican parents Granny always emphasized that your child was your concern until the day he/she departed the Earth.
When it came to Granny’s Daughter-in-laws raising her grandchildren, she tried not to get too involved, but when her opinion was asked, she would “go to town” with advice.
I remember a particular evening Granny and I were sitting in her parlor sipping on postum and eating excelsior crackers and guava jelly. Suddenly, there was a knock on Granny’s parlour door. It was the Helper. Granny answered the Helper, and found out it was one of her Daughter-in-law’s with news about one of the grandchildren.
Apparently , my cousin Tyler who was only twelve at the time, was playing Dominoes in the park with “friends” and while he was playing dominoes, the rest of the group were busy throwing water balloons at the passers-by in the park. Tyler was not involved, however, just because he was part of the group, he was considered guilty by association.
One of the victims of the balloon dowsing called a Park Constable, and the boys were put through rigorous questioning. Thank goodness, there was a friend of my Grandfather passing through the park and he got a whiff of what was transpiring.
The news quickly spread, and Tyler’s mother came to Granny to enlist her help with the matter. As everyone may know about Jamaican parents, before they help you, they always subject you to an "everlasting" lecture. My Granny was no different.
She lectured my Aunt Kitty about the finer points of raising boy children.
Granny carried on, “Kitty, you can’t have your boy children running the street, you have to keep them close to you. You can‘t have them running wild like lego-beast.”
Aunt Kitty sighed, “Mama, you’re right, but Tyler was not running the street he was playing Dominoes with friends.”
Granny had an impossible look on her face, “Dominoes? Well why couldn’t he play Dominoes in the house. You can’t have your children hanging out like that. Just the other day I called the house to speak to Sharon, and the others tell me that she was hanging out at the Mall. You either go the Mall with an objective in mind or stay home and keep yourself quiet.”
Aunt kitty was getting irritated by the minute with my Granny because I think she just wanted the current situation solved, but Granny continued.
“None of my children ever hung out, they always went from Point A to Point B and they were always escorted by me or my husband. I don’t understand why Tyler could not play Dominoes in the house with his brothers and sisters. That is why parents have more than one child, to keep the others company. Now he has gotten mixed up with some truants and is only the Lord can help him!!! Who knows what else these boys are involved in?
Granny began rubbing her forehead as if searching for an answer. Then she started, “Come, let’s go down to the Park, I am going to get my husband friend Mr. Pemberton to go with us. He is the Commissioner of Constables, we will get to the bottom of this sordid mess. By the way, which Park were the boys at?”
Aunt Kitty answered, “Coconut Park.”
As Granny put on her fedora and rain cloak she commented, “Lord have mercy! Imagine those boys were throwing water ballons at people from the rides? Don‘t these children know that, what is one man‘s joke is another man‘s death?”
Aunt Kitty somberly answered, “I guess so, I really don’t know all the details.”
I sat in the middle of the unfolding events, growing more anxious by the minute for my poor cousin. He was just hanging out with the wrong people at the wrong time.
I turned to Granny begging her to take me with her.
“Granny, may I go with you….please, please, I promise to be quiet…Oh. Granny, please say yes.”
“Magsie, I don’t think it is a good idea, we may be gone long.” Granny remarked.
“Granny, I give you my scout’s honor that I will sit in the car and I will bring a book to read.”
“Alright, but only if you promise to keep still, Coconut Park is a huge place and I don’t want you to get lost.”
“I understand Granny….No problem.”
We arrived at Coconut Park just before it started to get dark. When Granny and Aunt Kitty inquired about Tyler, no one knew where he was. Granny began raising hell.
“How could you incompetent people lose my grandson? This is an outrage….Mr. Pemberton, please talk to these people for me because his mother and I are besides our self with upsettedness right now.”
Mr. Pemberton questioned them, and they were doing a good job at giving him “the business”. Then, I heard Mr. Pemberton’s voice raise several decibels. That’s what happens when people get a Jamaican man angry. I thought the roof of the office was going to fall off.
Even as a little girl, I could not believe the “run around” and “cockamamie” story they were giving to us. So, I got a little curious and began exploring Coconut Park, several furlongs, off the beaten path, I looked into a window and saw the boys sitting in a room being chastised, by someone who looked like a Corporal.
I ran back to the little hut which they called an office and reported to Granny.
“Granny, I know you told me to be quiet, but I think I found the boys.”
Granny was mad at me, “ Your ears are for listening, I told you not to go wondering, Anyway, where are they, show me?”
I suddenly felt like the Tour Guide of Coconut Park, leading the adults to moments of revelation. Once there, Granny allowed Mr. Pemberton to have his say and then she interjected.
“Let me tell you folks something, this is my grandson and this “almshouse” concocted story is an untruth. My husband and I have a decent family, and it is just an unfortunate situation that he got caught up with these boys. He truly thought they were his friends. Now that he knows they are not, I can assure you that my grandson will never be involved in any awkward situation like this again. Now, if you don’t mind, I am taking my Tyler home, you can speak to Mr. Pemberton about any further information.
Mr. Pemberton answered, “I have known this family for more than 30 years, there is nothing more to discuss.”
Granny was in a hurry to get home before Grandpa got there, because if he found out about these events, we would all be in a “stew”.
Till this day, I don’t think my Grandfather ever found out about Tyler’s excursion in the Park, but no one got away from Granny’s post-lecture.
“None of my grandchildren are hang-outers from this day and beyond, and if you are going anywhere with people and it doesn’t feel right. Don’t be embarrassed to say, I have changed my mind.” Remember some people will always lead you down the garden path, don’t give them any ammunition to “shegg up” your life.”
Granny always felt that all her grandchildren were raised well and exposed to the finest opportunities in life, therefore it was not necessary for them to “run down the world”. If they were wise and played their cards right, Granny was sure the World would come to them.”
I can honestly say, that as I reminisce about these childhood experiences, my Granny had a keen understanding of Life and Physics.
Just put your thoughts in the Universe and Physics will do the rest. The more we chase a subject, the more it eludes us.
Granny Story: Daughter-in-Laws and Raising Children
A lot has been said about raising children in modern day society, however as far as my Grandmother was concerned, the old-fashioned way, was the right way and the only way to raise a child.
In today’s society where so many children go astray with drugs, alcohol and truancy, it has become more important than ever to resort to old-fashioned values and principles.
Granny felt that being a parent was a full-time job and was never to be taken lightly.
Like most Jamaican parents Granny always emphasized that your child was your concern until the day he/she departed the Earth.
When it came to Granny’s Daughter-in-laws raising her grandchildren, she tried not to get too involved, but when her opinion was asked, she would “go to town” with advice.
I remember a particular evening Granny and I were sitting in her parlor sipping on postum and eating excelsior crackers and guava jelly. Suddenly, there was a knock on Granny’s parlour door. Granny answered the Helper, and found out it was one of her Daughter-in-law’s with news about one of the grandchildren.
Apparently , my cousin Tyler was playing Dominoes in the park with “friends” and while he was playing dominoes, the rest of the group were busy throwing water balloons at the passers-by in the park. Tyler was not involved, however, just because he was part of the group, he was considered guilty by association.
One of the victims of the balloon dowsing called a Park Constable, and the boys were put through rigorous questioning. Thank goodness, there was a friend of my Grandfather passing through the park and he got a whiff of what was transpiring.
The news quickly spread and Tyler’s mother came to Granny to enlist her help with the matter. As everyone may know about Jamaican parents, before they help you, they always subject you to an everlasting lecture. My Granny was no different.
She lectured my Aunt Kitty about the finer points of raising boy children.
Granny carried on, “Kitty, you can’t have your boy children running the street, you have to keep them close to you. You can‘t have them running wild like lego-beast.”
Aunt Kitty sighed, “Mama, you’re right, but Tyler was not running the street he was playing Dominoes with friends.”
Granny had an impossible look on her face, “Dominoes? Well why couldn’t he play Dominoes in the house. You can’t have your children hanging out like that. Just the other day I called the house to speak to Sharon, and the others tell me that she was hanging out at the Mall.”
Aunt kitty was getting irritated by the minute with my Granny because I think she just wanted the current situation solved, but Granny continued.
“None of my children ever hung out, they always went from Point A to Point B and they were always escorted by me or my husband. I don’t understand why Tyler could not play Dominoes in the house with his brothers and sisters. That is why parents have more than one child, to keep the others company. Now he has gotten mixed up with some truants and is only the Lord can help him!!! Who knows what else these boys are involved in?
Granny began rubbing her forehead as if searching for an answer. Then she started, “Come, let’s go down to the Park, I am going to get my husband friend Mr. Pemberton to go with us. He is the Commissioner of Constables, we will get to the bottom of this sordid mess. By the way, which Park were the boys at?”
Aunt Kitty answered, “Coconut Park.”
As Granny put on her fedora and rain cloak she commented, “Lord have mercy! Imagine those boys were throwing water ballons at people from the rides? Don‘t these children know that what is one man‘s joke is another man‘s death?”
Aunt Kitty somberly answered, “I guess so, I really don’t know all the details.”
I sat in the middle of the unfolding events, growing more anxious by the minute for my poor cousin. He was just hanging out with the wrong people at the wrong time.
I turned to Granny begging her to take me with her.
“Granny, may I go with you….please, please, I promise to be quiet…Oh. Granny, please say yes.”
“Magsie, I don’t think it is a good idea, we may be gone long.” Granny remarked.
“Granny, I give you my scout’s honor that I will sit in the car and I will bring a book to read.”
“Alright, but only if you promise to keep still, Coconut Park is a huge place and I don’t want you to get lost.”
“I understand Granny….No problem.”
We arrived at Coconut Park just before it started to get dark. When Granny and Aunt Kitty inquired about Tyler, no one knew where he was. Granny began raising hell.
“How could you incompetent people lose my grandson? This is an outrage….Mr. Pemberton, please talk to these people for me because his mother and I besides our self with upsettedness right now.”
Mr. Pemberton questioned them, and they were doing a good job at giving him “the business”. Then, I heard Mr. Pemberton’s voice raise several decibels. That’s what happens when people get a Jamaican man angry. I thought the roof of the office was going to fall off.
Even as a little girl, I could not believe the “run around” and “cockamamie” story they were giving to us. So, I got a little curious and began exploring Coconut Park, several furlongs, off the beaten path, I looked into a window and saw the boys sitting in a room being chastised, by someone who looked like a Corporal.
I ran back to the little hut which they called an office and reported to Granny.
“Granny, I know you told me to be quiet, but I think I found the boys.”
Granny was mad at me, “ Your ears are for listening, I told you not to go wondering, Anyway, where are they, show me?”
I suddenly felt like the Tour Guide of Coconut Park, leading the adults to moments of revelation. Once there, Granny allowed Mr. Pemberton to have his say and then she interjected.
“Let me tell you folks something, this is my grandson and this “almshouse” concocted story is an untruth. My husband and I have a decent family, and it is just an unfortunate situation that he got caught up with these boys. He truly thought they were his friends. Now that he knows they are not, I can assure you that my grandson will never be involved in any awkward situation like this again. Now, if you don’t mind, I am taking my Tyler home, you can speak to Mr. Pemberton about any further information.
Mr. Pemberton answered, “I have known this family for more than 30 years, there is nothing more to discuss.”
Granny was in a hurry to get home before Grandpa got there, because if he found about these events, we would all be in a “stew”.
Till this day, I don’t think my Grandfather ever found out about Tyler’s excursion in the Park, but no one got away from Granny’s post-lecture.
“None of my grandchildren are hang-outers from this day and beyond, and if you are going anywhere with people and it doesn’t feel right. Don’t be embarrassed to say, I have changed my mind.” Remember some people will always lead you down the garden path, don’t give them any ammunition to “shegg up” your life.”
Granny always felt that all her grandchildren were raised well and exposed to the finest opportunities in life, therefore it was not necessary for them to “run down the world”. If they were wise and played their cards right, Granny was sure the World would come to them.”
I can honestly say, that as I reminisce about these childhood experiences, my Granny had a keen understanding of Life and Physics.
Just put your thoughts in the Universe and Physics will do the rest. The more we chase a subject, the more it eludes us.
Granny Story: Daughter-in-Laws and Raising Children
A lot has been said about raising children in modern day society, however as far as my Grandmother was concerned, the old-fashioned way, was the right way and the only way to raise a child.
In today’s society where so many children go astray with drugs, alcohol and truancy, it has become more important than ever to resort to old-fashioned values and principles.
Granny felt that being a parent was a full-time job and was never to be taken lightly.
Like most Jamaican parents Granny always emphasized that your child was your concern until the day he/she departed the Earth.
When it came to Granny’s Daughter-in-laws raising her grandchildren, she tried not to get too involved, but when her opinion was asked, she would “go to town” with advice.
I remember a particular evening Granny and I were sitting in her parlor sipping on postum and eating excelsior crackers and guava jelly. Suddenly, there was a knock on Granny’s parlour door. Granny answered the Helper, and found out it was one of her Daughter-in-law’s with news about one of the grandchildren.
Apparently , my cousin Tyler was playing Dominoes in the park with “friends” and while he was playing dominoes, the rest of the group were busy throwing water balloons at the passers-by in the park. Tyler was not involved, however, just because he was part of the group, he was considered guilty by association.
One of the victims of the balloon dowsing called a Park Constable, and the boys were put through rigorous questioning. Thank goodness, there was a friend of my Grandfather passing through the park and he got a whiff of what was transpiring.
The news quickly spread and Tyler’s mother came to Granny to enlist her help with the matter. As everyone may know about Jamaican parents, before they help you, they always subject you to an everlasting lecture. My Granny was no different.
She lectured my Aunt Kitty about the finer points of raising boy children.
Granny carried on, “Kitty, you can’t have your boy children running the street, you have to keep them close to you. You can‘t have them running wild like lego-beast.”
Aunt Kitty sighed, “Mama, you’re right, but Tyler was not running the street he was playing Dominoes with friends.”
Granny had an impossible look on her face, “Dominoes? Well why couldn’t he play Dominoes in the house. You can’t have your children hanging out like that. Just the other day I called the house to speak to Sharon, and the others tell me that she was hanging out at the Mall.”
Aunt kitty was getting irritated by the minute with my Granny because I think she just wanted the current situation solved, but Granny continued.
“None of my children ever hung out, they always went from Point A to Point B and they were always escorted by me or my husband. I don’t understand why Tyler could not play Dominoes in the house with his brothers and sisters. That is why parents have more than one child, to keep the others company. Now he has gotten mixed up with some truants and is only the Lord can help him!!! Who knows what else these boys are involved in?
Granny began rubbing her forehead as if searching for an answer. Then she started, “Come, let’s go down to the Park, I am going to get my husband friend Mr. Pemberton to go with us. He is the Commissioner of Constables, we will get to the bottom of this sordid mess. By the way, which Park were the boys at?”
Aunt Kitty answered, “Coconut Park.”
As Granny put on her fedora and rain cloak she commented, “Lord have mercy! Imagine those boys were throwing water ballons at people from the rides? Don‘t these children know that what is one man‘s joke is another man‘s death?”
Aunt Kitty somberly answered, “I guess so, I really don’t know all the details.”
I sat in the middle of the unfolding events, growing more anxious by the minute for my poor cousin. He was just hanging out with the wrong people at the wrong time.
I turned to Granny begging her to take me with her.
“Granny, may I go with you….please, please, I promise to be quiet…Oh. Granny, please say yes.”
“Magsie, I don’t think it is a good idea, we may be gone long.” Granny remarked.
“Granny, I give you my scout’s honor that I will sit in the car and I will bring a book to read.”
“Alright, but only if you promise to keep still, Coconut Park is a huge place and I don’t want you to get lost.”
“I understand Granny….No problem.”
We arrived at Coconut Park just before it started to get dark. When Granny and Aunt Kitty inquired about Tyler, no one knew where he was. Granny began raising hell.
“How could you incompetent people lose my grandson? This is an outrage….Mr. Pemberton, please talk to these people for me because his mother and I besides our self with upsettedness right now.”
Mr. Pemberton questioned them, and they were doing a good job at giving him “the business”. Then, I heard Mr. Pemberton’s voice raise several decibels. That’s what happens when people get a Jamaican man angry. I thought the roof of the office was going to fall off.
Even as a little girl, I could not believe the “run around” and “cockamamie” story they were giving to us. So, I got a little curious and began exploring Coconut Park, several furlongs, off the beaten path, I looked into a window and saw the boys sitting in a room being chastised, by someone who looked like a Corporal.
I ran back to the little hut which they called an office and reported to Granny.
“Granny, I know you told me to be quiet, but I think I found the boys.”
Granny was mad at me, “ Your ears are for listening, I told you not to go wondering, Anyway, where are they, show me?”
I suddenly felt like the Tour Guide of Coconut Park, leading the adults to moments of revelation. Once there, Granny allowed Mr. Pemberton to have his say and then she interjected.
“Let me tell you folks something, this is my grandson and this “almshouse” concocted story is an untruth. My husband and I have a decent family, and it is just an unfortunate situation that he got caught up with these boys. He truly thought they were his friends. Now that he knows they are not, I can assure you that my grandson will never be involved in any awkward situation like this again. Now, if you don’t mind, I am taking my Tyler home, you can speak to Mr. Pemberton about any further information.
Mr. Pemberton answered, “I have known this family for more than 30 years, there is nothing more to discuss.”
Granny was in a hurry to get home before Grandpa got there, because if he found about these events, we would all be in a “stew”.
Till this day, I don’t think my Grandfather ever found out about Tyler’s excursion in the Park, but no one got away from Granny’s post-lecture.
“None of my grandchildren are hang-outers from this day and beyond, and if you are going anywhere with people and it doesn’t feel right. Don’t be embarrassed to say, I have changed my mind.” Remember some people will always lead you down the garden path, don’t give them any ammunition to “shegg up” your life.”
Granny always felt that all her grandchildren were raised well and exposed to the finest opportunities in life, therefore it was not necessary for them to “run down the world”. If they were wise and played their cards right, Granny was sure the World would come to them.”
I can honestly say, that as I reminisce about this childhood experience, I realize that my Granny had a keen understanding of Life and Physics.
Basically, all she wanted us to do was, put our thoughts in the Universe and the Law of Gravity and Physics would reward us.
 
Many warriors of life will attest to the fact that the more we chase a subject, the more it eludes us. If we only have the courage to realize that what we seek has already been given to us by God.

Tags: Granny & I discuss a Taboo Subject: Obeah in Jamaica