Once a child was given the responsibility of a sapling. The proud boy found a suitable corner for the young plant and began nurturing the plant with utmost care. He thought of keeping it away from the harsh sunlight and strong winds till the little plant was ready. He even bought expensive plant food to replenish the soil in which the sapling stood. Contrary to his expectations, nothing much happened to the sapling. The little boy tried watering a little more than before and adding more manure to the soil. Again this didn't help the plant, and it also ended up decaying soon. As parents of young children, we are the nurturers of a generation, who are to reign in their own ways tomorrow. Like how each plant in a garden blooms in a special way, each child with whom we are entrusted with have their special innate abilities. As parents, our responsibility is neither simple nor irrelevant.
parents, we should be equipped to nourish this process.
• Nurture them right: Unlike the little boy in the above mentioned story, we should be able to nourish their physical and emotional growth in the best possible way. The little boy, of course, had a very good intention when he kept the plant away from sunlight and wind. The expensive plant food and the extra watering were also parts of this intention. Sometimes we need to think about the exposures and shielding, which we provide our children. Two instances of these are too much exposure to technology and too much shielding away from negative criticism. Has it ever crossed your mind that the trees must have grown thick trunks to withstand the strong winds? Also, the roots of the tree grow strong and spread themselves deep in order to find sufficient nutrients and water for it.
• Prepare the grounds: The world nowadays talks too much about who scored the highest, who won the first position, who performed the best etc. Rarely do I hear parents talk about their child being able to do his or her best. The standards are set on a common scale. As parents, we first have to be concerned about providing the apt atmosphere and motivation for a child to grow. The rest will follow.
• Let them experience: Experiences in life matter a lot. Let us parents be there to just see that both positive and negative experiences have positive impacts on their lives. A child who grows up in abundance may never get a chance to equip himself for times of shortage. The similar will happen to a child, who has never handled failure. Remember, failures are indeed stepping stones to success.
• Do rather than say: Set examples for your children rather than coaxing them to do things. Like the little monkeys in the story, the Monkeys and the Cap Seller, children find it easier to follow what they see than do what they are told.
The above mentioned are just a few among the many areas that need attention while parenting. Like mentioned before, each child is unique. As parents, we should be able to nurture and celebrate their uniqueness. If we are able to do that with maximum sincerity, our children will surely discover their true potential and be fruitful according to it.
Like Roosevelt said, we will not be able to prepare the future for children, but we can prepare them to face their future.
• Nurture them young: It is said that the character formation of a child starts in the
mother's womb and is almost complete by the time the child is seven years old. Asparents, we should be equipped to nourish this process.
• Nurture them right: Unlike the little boy in the above mentioned story, we should be able to nourish their physical and emotional growth in the best possible way. The little boy, of course, had a very good intention when he kept the plant away from sunlight and wind. The expensive plant food and the extra watering were also parts of this intention. Sometimes we need to think about the exposures and shielding, which we provide our children. Two instances of these are too much exposure to technology and too much shielding away from negative criticism. Has it ever crossed your mind that the trees must have grown thick trunks to withstand the strong winds? Also, the roots of the tree grow strong and spread themselves deep in order to find sufficient nutrients and water for it.
• Prepare the grounds: The world nowadays talks too much about who scored the highest, who won the first position, who performed the best etc. Rarely do I hear parents talk about their child being able to do his or her best. The standards are set on a common scale. As parents, we first have to be concerned about providing the apt atmosphere and motivation for a child to grow. The rest will follow.
• Let them experience: Experiences in life matter a lot. Let us parents be there to just see that both positive and negative experiences have positive impacts on their lives. A child who grows up in abundance may never get a chance to equip himself for times of shortage. The similar will happen to a child, who has never handled failure. Remember, failures are indeed stepping stones to success.
• Do rather than say: Set examples for your children rather than coaxing them to do things. Like the little monkeys in the story, the Monkeys and the Cap Seller, children find it easier to follow what they see than do what they are told.
The above mentioned are just a few among the many areas that need attention while parenting. Like mentioned before, each child is unique. As parents, we should be able to nurture and celebrate their uniqueness. If we are able to do that with maximum sincerity, our children will surely discover their true potential and be fruitful according to it.
Like Roosevelt said, we will not be able to prepare the future for children, but we can prepare them to face their future.
