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Today, one of the most common grievance of parents is that their children do not leave their mobile phones. The bitter truth is that parents and grandparents are themselves glued to their screens. Children learn from them. Also, children are rewarded with “mobile time” when they do something good.
It is not uncommon to see mothers feeding infants with the help of cartoons on the mobile phone. Few make efforts to tell stories and sing songs. Small babies are accustomed to viewing the screen and are habitual of being entertained by it. Now, in such a scenario, how can parents complain about their children/teenagers being addicted to mobiles when their upbringing and environment teaches them that mobile phones are very precious and important to use? This is just an example on how children follow the action/behaviour of their parents, rather than what they say.
Jagadguru Puri Shankaracharyaji reminds us of this quote below.
The child is a father of the man. – William Wordsworth
Preaching would not help in disciplining unless the actions of parents speak louder than their words. Thus, parents must watch how they behave and remain vigilant.
To provide an ideal upbringing, parents must do intense penance. If that is not done, children will not be cultured.
Parents live in an illusion that children are innocent, but children are quick to ape their parents. It is only when parents are disciplined and careful, shall children learn what they are meant to. (Here we can learn about the impact of the mother’s nature and behaviour even prior to the birth of the child.)
Parents must set the right example so that they can lovingly bring up their children. Children must have good discipline and be able to sweep, clean, etc. They must not be brought up like VIP’s.
To think a child will select the correct path himself is faulty. Parents must be responsible.
The biggest penance is to keep the tradition of parenting healthy and well-cultured.
In one of His discourses from the Srimad Bhagvatam, Jagadguru shared that if due to past karmas, a child grows up to be pious and a great bhakta of Bhagavan owing to blessings of his past karmas, he will expose the existing poor ways of his parents who dragged him in the wrong direction.
Would such pain of a great son or daughter, who is devoted to Bhagavan, be tolerated by parents? – This is something to contemplate upon.
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