01/01/2024
Looong Post Alert
RAISING KAY
Being a mother to my amazing son, Kay, is one of the most cherished aspects of my life. Before his arrival, I expressed gratitude to God for blessing me with a beautifully handsome boy, full of integrity, beautiful aura and soul, a genius with a beautiful and great energy. I had always desired a son for a first born as I believed big brothers inherently protect their baby sisters. In my case, you should see me and my big brother! Baby brothers almost always engaged in a perpetual battle with their big sisters to establish themselves as the "men" of the family, lol. I also wanted him to be a Saturday born, Kay short for Kwamina – One day I’ll share why! I had all that and more - Remember to always ask for what you truly want!
I made a vow to provide him with the best life experience possible, and with the grace of God, I have been able to fulfil that promise.
Children, I've learned, are like sponges, absorbing everything we teach them. Therefore, I advocate for parents to be intentional about their words and actions, as children absorb it all.
Early Lessons in Responsibility:
Kay was fully potty trained by the age of one and a half. At two, I taught him how to clean the toilet after himself, and he consistently did an impeccable job. One incident stands out when a friend's 5-year-old visited, used the toilet, and left it in a mess. Kay, at the age of 3, approached the girl and requested her to clean up after herself. His actions surprised the girl's mother, who later asked for my assistance in teaching her daughter.
Empowering Children:
So, when we relocated to our current residence, we found ourselves just 5 minutes away from an outstanding school. Given my commitment to providing Kay with the best educational opportunities, I was determined to enrol him in this esteemed institution. Despite warnings from an educator at church, who was familiar with the school and highlighted its perpetual oversubscription and lengthy waiting lists, I held on to the belief that my son would secure a spot.
When the time came to initiate the enrolment process, I recall a distinct moment after my morning meditation. Feeling an unusual inclination, a nudge of intuition, I reached out to the divine through a silent prayer, seeking guidance on what to wear that day. While not a routine practice for me, I trusted this inner voice, resonating with Wayne Dyer's perspective that prayer is when we talk to God, and intuition is when God talks to us.
Following this inner guidance, I adorned myself with an outfit that complemented my Kente stole. Little did I know the impact this choice would have. Upon entering the school's reception, I was warmly greeted by the headteacher, who, to my surprise, assumed my Ghanaian connection based on the Kente. As our conversation unfolded in her office, I discovered her role as the headteacher, and it became evident that this encounter paved the way for Kay's admission to the primary school among other things like his CV – yeah, I created a CV for him when he turned 5. Will share with you when I feel the time is right.
Later revelations unveiled that this primary school had an affiliation with the secondary school we had dreamt of for Kay. This serendipitous connection became a pivotal point in our journey, and it marked the beginning of my preparations to guide Kay toward his secondary education—an endeavour that began when he was just 5 years old. There's a story behind every step, and this chapter in Kay's educational journey is just one of them.
When Kay was just 2 years old, a news story caught my attention. It featured a dog that had been trained to call 999 (emergency services) when its owner experienced a seizure or needed urgent medical care. This story sparked a thought in my mind—what if I taught Kay my phone number and emergency contacts? Driven by this idea, I instilled in Kay the importance of memorizing my contact information along with two other emergency contacts. Remarkably, to this day, he retains and recalls these vital details.
However, this newfound knowledge came with its own set of challenges. I found myself having to caution him not to freely share my number with strangers.
To my surprise, Kay's ability to recite my contact information became a charming spectacle. Whenever someone asked for my number, he would proudly step forward and confidently share the details. This unique skill even led to instances where people would reward him with small tokens of appreciation, such as money. This early lesson in responsibility and emergency preparedness turned out to be both practical and endearing, showcasing the remarkable capabilities children can possess when given the opportunity to learn and grow.
Magical Journey to Ghana:
On Kay's 10th birthday, I made him a promise that would add a new dimension to how we celebrated his birthdays. Starting from his 11th birthday, his gift would be a unique one – the chance to choose a country he wanted to visit, and that chosen destination would become his birthday present. This concept was inspired by my cousin Bozoma Saint John who had introduced a similar tradition for her daughter. I found this idea to be truly wonderful – an opportunity to provide him with experiences that would allow him to explore and embrace the diversity of the world.
For his 11th birthday, Kay excitedly selected Ghana as his destination. For those who followed our journey in Ghana from July 28th to August 20th, you now know the reason behind our visit. Returning to Ghana after almost 12 years was an incredibly beautiful experience. In 2018, I attempted to come back, but unfortunately, I fell victim to a scam, which was deeply disappointing. However, in hindsight, I'm grateful that the trip didn't materialize at that time because, back then, all I had was money for my ticket. Anyone familiar with returning to Ghana after a long absence knows that you don't return empty-handed lol! In 2020, my plans to visit were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, so you can imagine my excitement when Kay chose Ghana as his 11th birthday present. The experience was indeed breathtaking and filled with beauty.
Our journey to Ghana commenced on July 28th, after Kay finished primary school and celebrated his birthday with his best friend and schoolmates.
We arrived in Ghana on 28th July and the next day, which also happened to be my birthday, I had a special plan in mind. I had envisioned a flying dress photoshoot experience, and I had coordinated with the talented Nuerki A-b for the shoot - Nuerki : TheGirl WithThe RedHair - contact her she is reallygreat at what she does. However, a hiccup occurred as our luggage didn't arrive on time, prompting us to pick them up the next day and delaying my dream photoshoot.
Despite the initial setback, our time in Ghana turned out to be beautiful. I went with Kay for the photoshoot, and it was a truly wonderful experience - , even though Kay's real fascination seemed to be with the lizards, bringing a touch of humour to our memorable adventure.
Ghana was everything I wished for my more. The following day was my birthday and my siblings led by the Great Agye man organised a waakye party for Moi. I have the most amazing and wonderful siblings Patience Koraheng , Jonathan Agyemang , Daniel Agyeman , Agye Man , Awura Abena Agyeman , Ara Ba , Betty Grace Antwi and our great Genuis Ebenezer Agyeman . Herh my mum gave birth to United States of the Agyemans!
I met with some of my mates from nursery – Goshen, met with some of my mates from primary- Tema First Baptist - Julian Sowah and Michael Avorkliyah , spoke with some of my mates from secondary - Chemu, unfortunately couldn’t meet up – Jedidiah Abbey I owe you a visit whenever I come back. It’s a promise. Met with some of my mates from University School of Mine - UMaT - Samuel Francis Boafo Agyiri, Jeorje Ian Nartey Narnor, Eric Baffour-Awuah, Aiden Ananga , met friends I hadn’t seen in ages. To all those I couldn’t make time to see trust me, you will be seeing me in Ghana yearly – Nana Agyarko Otafregya II !
I have made a vow to create as many beautiful memories as much as possible cos like my cousin Alua Arthur – a death doula says on their death beds, people only have regrets. I don’t want to leave this world with any regrets only smiles and fulfilment – Thank you to everyone who made time to make our stay in Ghana beautiful – It was just beautiful – Cheers to a magical and miraculous new year.
As we step into 2024, let's embark on a journey to create beautiful memories and magical moments. In the pursuit of our dreams and aspirations, let's remain mindful that our health is the foundation of our prosperity. 🌟
May this new year be filled with joy, success, and well-being. Let's prioritize self-care and embrace the opportunities that come our way, knowing that a healthy foundation enables us to fully experience the adventures that await. Cheers to a year of magical and miraculous moments! 🎉🌈✨
Thank you for joining me on this incredible journey. Now, enjoy a peek through my year, captured in these cherished pictures. Here is to creating more beautiful memories and experiencing the magic that awaits in 2024! 📸🌟
