Changing the status quo

They both stared back at me. At first it was those blank stares that seemed to imply, “when will you finish talking?”After a while, the looks became less intense. I continued to speak my heart out, expressed my frustration, the things I have said over and over again.
Eventually, I stopped talking and I turned away from them. I was weary and exasperated too. Talking about the same thing can be quite draining. Suddenly, one child gently mumbled an apology. Because it was unsolicited, I knew it was genuine. The other child was buried in contemplation and embarrassment. I quietly comforted myself. I was convinced it was my role as a parent to talk and talk and talk. It was an absolute necessity that I voiced my frustrations, guided and talked about many things that were not right.
From the dirty kitchen sink that was piled with used utensils to the bedroom full of clutter, with clothes thrown allover, to the messy lavatories and the socks abandoned in the corridor. I talked about their complacency and lack of care for basic things. Not too long ago, there was this intense discussion emphasising that one of the biggest challenges facing our country is the inability to work efficiently at all levels. The point was brought forth by a respected member of society, deeply rooted in empowering people and business development. He lamented about inefficiency, the culture of not keeping time, to the way everyone and anyone conducts business. If you walk into any bank, you would find seven teller stalls. However, you will realise that only three stalls have working staff, two of which will be busy on their phones and another with a negative attitude.
I have seen people throwing empty water bottles and banana peels out of their fancy cars onto the streets. Ultimately, these individual acts culminate into general work culture and overall fabric. It starts at the smallest unit of a nation, which is a family. This is why I challenge my children to take responsibility for their actions.