Parenting Skills - part 2

A meaningful write-up that I came across which can be very helpful for parents, educators and guardians of young children. This was presented in Hindi, but I thought it would be of great help to translate it in English for the benefit of all.

1) Please switch off the television and all other electronic gadgets preferably before 08:00 pm so as to ensure that you spend quality time with your children.

2) Take time to go through the child's school diary to ensure that his day's home work gets done.

3) Take note of the way in which the child performs and presents himself each day and in every activity. Address the areas where the child is unable to perform well, find reasons and help him/her improve without admonishing or criticizing but gently holding his/her hands to success.

4) Your child's fundamental education is very important in his early years to form a solid ground for his/her future. 

5) If you are to attend a family function or a social gathering and stay up late until night along with your children, please ensure you return home before 10:00 pm so that the child gets enough rest to be ready for the school next day. Else, request the school for leave permission.

6) Help children wake up early in the morning (05:30 am) and teach them to meditate and exercise in order to have a good day's schedule.

7) Help children inculcate in them the habit of planting trees and saplings and to take care of them. 

8) During bed-time, tell your children stories from the panchatanthra tales, Akbar and Birbal stories, Tenali Rama and the others.

9) Every summer, plan a good vacation that suits your budget. This way your children will get familiarized with new places and new people. They will learn and explore.

10) Identify your child's talents and interests. You may know that he is interested in areas such as Music, art, sports, theater or any other areas. Help him improve and find his vocation in the same so that he would enjoy his life throughout.

11) Teach him how to avoid plastic and its products and enlighten him about the environmental hazard caused due to the use of plastics.

12) Ensure that every Sunday a dish of his/her choice is prepared and allow the child to participate in the cooking activity (The child will love this!). This way you teach the child to take responsibility and ownership of the work he/she does.

 13) Every child is rational, inquisitive and scientific. Hence, he/she may ask many questions to which we may not have answers. Do not shun the child away with questions still lingering on his mind. Make effort to find answers and encourage the child to ask questions.

14) To admit your child in a school, do not go by false indicators such as pass percentage, opinions of neighbors, and recommendations of the affluent or the school that fits into your low budget. The best school is the one which provides excellence in education with optimum fees. Remember, you have to incur expenses for the child's higher education at a later stage. So, plan your budget for your child's future.

15) Teach and help children understand the importance of self-discipline and self-esteem and other values and life skills.

16) Do not allow children to use the your mobile phones when he/she is alone. Allow access only only under your supervision.

17) Teach children to read and write on their own with occasional help from you.

18) Allow and encourage children to give you a hand in day-to-day activities such as cooking, cleaning, organizing and other chores that they can participate in.