Humans are generally more curious about the things that have been expressly forbidden to them without giving them a reason. “Don’t ever watch porn, Don’t have unprotected sex, Don’t smoke cigarettes”…without explaining to them why. Especially the youngins of now. They will ask you…and you better have a good explanation for them.
I remember my dad hated color red and black without giving me any particular reason. I was a feisty child so naturally, I would wear them because I didn’t understand why he didn’t want me wearing red and black. It was until he explained to me that red signified danger and black was often for mourning that I finally relented. Still, as I grew older, I realized his fears about those colors were unfounded. Guess which color I gravitated towards? Lol
I cannot go a week without wearing red or wine. My aso ebi for my wedding was red. The color complements my skin tone well.
While this is too simple an analogy, I have realized that the Generation Z and beyond need to understand the ‘why’ of most things. Gone are the days when children accept anything just like that.
If you forbid them from something, they’ll likely yearn for it. Show them the ills associated with the vices that you’re forbidding them from. So that they understand the why.
Parenting! Whew.
Gone are the days when you tell them, “if you move close to a boy, pregnancy straight”
My son will just ask why his friend Habibah is not yet pregnant even though they’re in close proximity often.
Yinmu to all your old wives tale.
Make it make sense to them o
If not….curiosity may just kill the cat.