Our parents are known for being outlandish when it comes on to disciplining their children. If you grew up with Jamaican parents then more than likely you were at the receiving end of a few ‘techniques’ famously used to put you swiftly back into place. Here are five reasons why Jamaican parents can be the scariest:

1.      Sometimes it’s not what they do but it’s what they say. Growing up, one of the most famous phrases I used to hear was “If I lick yuh, yuh piss blood.” For any young child that must have been the worst of threats and unbearable to imagine, so you’d ensure not to do anything to make mommy or daddy angry. Another famous line Jamaicans used to thwart their kids from giving trouble was “Nuh mek me spit dry and you nuh reach back!” Whether you were going out or being sent on an errand, this was the last thing you wanted to hear.

2.      We all credit Jamaicans for being creative but when it comes on to their children some of them take it a bit too far. If you were a troublemaker as a child then you would have probably been beaten. You might say but that’s normal for a child to get slapped when they are being rude but it’s what some Jamaicans use to beat their children that’s frightening. Cable wire, a belt, slippers, broom whip and the list goes on.

3.      Forget the beating and the outrageous threats, when a Jamaican parent gives you the silent treatment, you know you’ve really done something wrong. Sometimes they don’t have to do/say anything. Not giving you any attention and totally shutting you out can drown you in your own guilt.

4.      If our parents aren’t famous for anything else, they are definitely famous for ‘the look’. You know that devilish, soul gripping stare they give you when you’ve done something stupid? It’s normally given in public areas, where a beaten wouldn’t necessarily be appropriate in that setting. So in a sense, ‘the look’ basically means “just wait till we reach home.”

5.      Finally, public embarrassment. More like school embarrassment. Ever wondered why some students failed to turn up on report day with their parents? That’s because they knew their report was bad and they knew what was coming if their parents saw it. It’s a usual sight to see a box flying across the cheek every now and then on consultation day but what really epitomizes a true Jamaican parent is their ability to embarrass the child in front of their friends/schoolmates. Many aren’t afraid to remove the belt and slap the child right there and then in the school yard or berate them with threats. It can be a cruel strategy but I’m sure whoever received such an embarrassment ensured that they stayed out of trouble after that.