Being raised in a Jamaican household comes with a lot of responsibilities and rules. Jamaican parents are known to set rules, sometimes with some ridiculous ultimatums, one often has to stop and wonder what was the inspiration.

While for some, this method of parenting was viewed as harsh or what is sometimes referred to as tough love, while for others it felt like a sense of toxicity. As with every other nationality, Jamaican parents learned the art of parenting while actually parenting. There are lessons to be learnt along the way, mistakes occur, that if corrected early enough can have a lasting impact on the relationship they build with their children.

Let’s take a look at some of these “ridiculous ultimatums” Jamaican parents often give their children.

1. “Is either you wash the dishes or you come outta me house” – doing the dishes was one of those chores that had to be done but also that most children disliked. This is usually the rebuttal by a Jamaican parent after realizing that the dishes have not been done.
2. “If you get a girl pregnant Yuh betta find a house fi live” – besides being constantly reminded that having kids was reserved for adulthood, you will often hear a Jamaican parent warning their teenage son about the responsibilities of getting a girl pregnant and the changes that will come with this role. Often times when this happens though
3. “Since a you a pay the bill them in a the house, don’t wash dem” – this could be in reference to a child refusing to wash something. This ultimatum is somewhat a rhetoric as a child does not usually pay bills in a Jamaican household so will eventually have to do whatever task they were instructed to do.
4. “Ef yuh get pregnant go live with your baby father” – similarly to boys, girls are warned against getting pregnant. For some, this warning holds true depending on how strict their parents are. For others, it’s merely word of mouth as the parents usually love and care for their grandchild(ren) after they are born.
5. “Ef yuh tink a me and yuh a pay bills ya, come in ya afta midnight” – this ultimatum usually leads to being locked out or getting a whooping if broken. Jamaican parents usually have rules around the times they allow their teenage children to be home after an even such as a fete or any other social gathering.
6. “Is either unuh tidy up di house or no food naa cook in ya tonight” – cleaning the house is one of those chores dreaded by most children and so it usually takes a little nudge from the parents to get the chores completed.

What were some ultimatums given by your parents while growing up? Tell us in the comments.

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