Do the Math

 Whenever teens get together, at one point in time or the other, the conversation always drifts to how African parents are. 

The stories exchanged are usually funny and everyone tries to outdo everyone else to show that their parent could be the most extreme, hilarious, restless, old-fashioned or whatever. 

There was the once in a blue moon story that brought the cheerful stream of conversation to an awkward halt and the more common stories that had everyone laughing and saying 'me too!'

An example of a story shared fairly often was doing math with your parent.

It wasn't teaching as much as it was shouting.

'If John has fifteen apples, six are bad, he eats two and gives four to his friends, how many does he have left?'

'Four? ' you'd answer.

'IF JOHN HAS FIFTEEN APPLES, SIX ARE BAD, HE EATS TWO AND GIVES FOUR TO HIS FRIENDS, HOW MANY DOES HE HAVE LEFT?'

'Two?' you'd ask in a smaller voice.

'IF JOHN HAS...'

At this point in telling the story, a teen would interrupt and say 'That's not how they do it.'

He/she would proceed to deliver their best impression of a parent talking to their kid in this situation.

How often were you a part of these conversations and what was you best part of these moments?

It may not have been funny then, but looking back now, it's hilarious.