Never rely on the work of others

By Alina Lackerbauer 04 November 2016, 12:00AM

Hard work, honesty and consistency are the main lessons Ausage Liko has taught his seven children. 

The children have been helping their 53-year old father with the work on his plantation in Faleula-Uta. 

“When they were very young, I would take them to my plantation so that they can see how things are done,” he said. 

“I did this because I want them to grow up and have these specific farming skills and use them to take care of their own families.

“You never know what the future holds and how hard it is to pursue your own goals.” 

If things do not work out for Ausage’s kids, they will at least have their farming knowledge to  fall back on and make a living for them and their family.

While teaching them everything about farming, Ausage also made sure to motivate his children to always give their very best, instead of relying on others. 

“If you want to change something in your life, go for it yourself. Do not wait for someone to do it for you and take things into your own hands.  

“Another reason I always take them with me to my plantation is so that they see that life isn’t easy. In fact, life is expensive and we need to sweat in order to afford what we need every day.”

Ausage is confident that his kids have the strength to survive in Samoa’s rough lifestyles because of growing up in a working environment and learning all about hard work from a young age on. 

Growing older, it is getting harder for Ausage to teach them, as they are developing their own characters. 

“It was easy when they were young because they would listen to everything I told them but now they like to do their own thing. But no matter how old they are, I do not stop from telling them off and smacking them with the belt when they get cheeky.”

The 53-year old father sees discipline as an important part in the upbringing of a child. It is an act of love, not of hatred, which makes them understand their mistakes and refrain from repeating them. Ausage supports this kind of discipline, as it has been around in Samoa for a long time and works well for many families. 

“This is natural for parents who love their children; it’s the best way to teach them right from wrong. It’s mentioned in the bible too.”

In his opinion, the youth should always listen to the wisdom their parents have built up over the years. They have been dealing with the issues of this planet for way longer and already have the experience, that children have yet to gain. 

Ausage thinks parents should be strict and remain stern with their children, instead of being too soft on them. The youths’ attitudes always go back to their upbringing and parents, so it is important to set the record straight on how to be behave, work hard and be disciplined.

By Alina Lackerbauer 04 November 2016, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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