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Education Plus
RIGHT TURN
Handling children
BRIDGING THE DIVIDE: It’s important that parents spend quality time with children to know about their interests.
Parents are of three types: Authoritarian, equalitarian and permissive. “I believe that I have clear expectations for how my children should behave, and I make sure they are rewarded or punished, according to that expectation” say the authoritarians.
Like a controlling force, they set the goals for the entire family. Giving more importance to social image and family prestige, they normally do not believe that there is also a democratic way of handling things in the family affairs. He/she controls the family by authority but not by love. There are positive qualities also, such as developing a team spirit within the family (of course, with reins in their hands), setting realistic goals with their experience, believing in the legacy of the family, its values etc.
Leniency
Permissive parents feel, “I am alone responsible for my family’s success or failures and would probably do some of their work for them rather than let them fail. It is my fault if my child gets into trouble, because I did not do my job as a parent.
I know that I am too lenient with my children… but my parents were too hard on me, so I try to give my children what I didn’t have in terms of freedom and money.”
The letters that constitute the word ‘Parent’ denote six qualities of good parenting. ‘P’ stands for Prayer.
Good parents know the importance of praying every day in the morning along with their children before commencement of daily chores. Prayer enhances ethical values of children, develops concentration and above it, enhances the family relations and bondage.
The second letter ‘A’ is for Assertiveness and accessibility and ‘R’ is for recreation that includes family get-togethers, weekend parties etc. Dining with children at least one day in a week and enquiring about their education, health, friends and interests, understanding their psychological problems as a friend and playing with them as a kid make them more secured.
A boy of ten years playing cricket match against neighbourhood rival team with a tennis ball, feels elated if his father witnesses it.
‘E’ stands for Education. Parents’ responsibility does not cease by joining their children in best educational institutions. Schools teach according to syllabus for exams. Wisdom is different from education.
A good parent enlarges the child’s wisdom by teaching, questioning and gifting, acknowledging their bravery. Asking the elder child to teach the younger ones and paying the tuition fee is not only fun but fixes the responsibility.
Holidaying
And finally the letter ‘T’ stands for travel. Tours in summer holidays develop enthusiasm towards life.
Taking them to old-age homes, offering through them gifts and fruits to poor people make them more composed, kind and emotionally balanced.
YANDAMOORI VEERENDRANATH
yandamoori@hotmail.com
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