We’ve all faced it at least once in our lives, trying to teach a stubborn adult wrong from right is like throwing balloons at a spiky wall.

Nothing will get through.

But according to Alatoa Ama, from the village of Safata, the best time to teach people life lessons is when they are very young.

Aged 20, being a village adolescent, Alatoa understands that for every person who has ever lived, their first school is their home with their parents and family being their first teachers.

“The way I see life, your family and your parents are the first teachers your will ever have,” he told the Village Voice.

“They teach you the wrongs and rights of life and they guide your path while you are still very young. Right when the child begins school, goes to church or does anything in life, they should already know how to act and walk with respect.

“That’s what parents are supposed to teach their children.”

Alatoa says that when they are taught well by their parents, by the time they enter their youth days they should already know right from wrong.

“I believe that by the time someone enters their youth days, they should know how to live and walk straight,” he said.

“They should already know how to live their lives. Teaching your children while they are young because when they get older, they will turn stubborn and it will be harder to teach them anything else.

“And for us children, it’s wise to never let any of your parents words fall on deaf ears.”

For Alatoa, he sees everything his parents teach him as a special gift which he will value until he becomes an adult and has his own children.

“I see the lessons from my parents as very special to me,” he said.

“I know that this is where I learn how to act and how to treat different situation whether in school, in the village or at home.

“The biggest problems I see with people my age is the behaviour when they are doing different things. When they go to church, they don’t listen to the word, when they walk around the village, they make so much noise.

“That’s how you know they were not taught properly.”

Alatoa also says that another significant teacher in the lives of the village children is the church.

“Another important part of growing up in the village is church,” he said.

“I know for a fact that there are many struggles when someone grows up far away from the Lord and once they become adults, then it becomes harder.

“But for my family, I know life isn’t easy but everything seems to be going fine with us. My family understands the importance of teaching us while we’re young.

“We also know the importance of growing up in the word of the Lord.”