While attending a Parent Teacher Meeting a few months back we came across a parent who was accompanied by his middle grade child to check his performance during the recently concluded examinations in the school. When most parents seemed more concerned and eager about the percentage marks obtained by their wards in the examination he rather asked us about a teacher of his ward who has called him in the middle of the session for something bad his child has done in the classroom in presence of that specific teacher. As we showed him that teacher sitting on the next table in the same room attending PTM of an another section the parent rushed towards him by picking the hand of his child and walked towards the teacher in the room we all were noticing it keenly meanwhile the child was speechless and ashamed in the middle while the parent first humbly said sorry for the behaviour of the child to the teacher though the teacher was surprised and responded by calling it as normal issue and sometimes expected from children of this age in these times in fact we all as teachers face such things sometimes while performing our duties. But the parent rather believed that it was solely the misbehaviour of his son and seriously insisted him to touch the feet of the teacher by saying sorry and asking for forgiveness in front of all present there which he in fact did in letter and spirit. What was most worth to notice was both the father and son literally wept being emotional and the father kept on saying that I believe that the teacher is highly honoured and I can’t think of any action or behaviour by my child which is disliked by his teacher. The episode made me believe that there are still the parents who are of the thought that the discipline and moral values of the child are more significant than academics and one can be unconditionally sorry for any mischievous activity. We all as the human’s in the universe are not just connected and associated to the rest of the masses through some bloody relationship. But are largely dependent and linked to a network of people irrespective of their gender for a number of activities and purposes. Amongst all these social associations the parental relationship is the most special and most beautiful. It is hard to think of one’s existence and survival without one’s parents. The parents are the people from whom an individual gets birth and inherits the genes. The parents are most cordial and most caring to their children. Indeed they are most loyal and truly selfless to their children. The love that parents hold for their children can be unequivocally called the purest and unconditional version of love on the face of the earth. Whether humans, birds or animals the parents not just breed but ensure a better survival and development of their offsprings under all possible surrounding circumstances. This dedication, unpaid sacrifice and service of parents for their children is truly un-parallel and if you can’t acknowledge and honour this service then you don’t deserve to call yourself even a human. That is so because our religious and social teachings have highly regarded parents as most respected.
“Parenting encompasses more than merely supplying food, shelter, and clothing; it involves the comprehensive nurturing of a child to prepare them for the challenges of life. Only through appropriate and consistent parental guidance can we ensure the growth of responsible and morally grounded children, who will lead society and the nation towards prosperity and advancement in various domains such as education, culture, sports, and science and technology.”
On one hand Islam offers heaven to a muslim under the feet of one’s mother and on the other side it calls father as the door for one’s entry to heaven. So one who dreams to be honoured by heaven forever has to respect, obey and to follow his/her parents. In Holy Quran Allah has asked humans to recognise their parents after the recognition of Allah Himself. These are your parents who ensure for you the best standard of life. It is they who manage your every requirement and expenses in life. It is they who struggle for fulfilling all of your wishes and dreams. Of Course it is their duty to inspire their children to pursue their goals and dreams in life. It is their duty to manage all the basic necessities for their children like clothing, shelter, health, food and education. At the same time their main preference should be to provide a necessary ethical education to their children so that they can distinguish between right and wrong and they could realise their overall social, cultural and religious obligations. The parents also need to take care and need to ensure good company for their children. Infact parents can be the best friends and guide their children in facing any kind of problem or stress in life and thereby tackling it with a suitable solution in view of their experience of life. As we today live in a socially challenging period where we see stress, crimes and gamblings of many types in our societies. The free and unchecked access to mobile phones and availability of internet to all age groups where children can watch anything they want has not just resulted in time wastage for them but is affecting their mental balance and natural efficiency. The parents have to supervise the digital exposure of their children and set boundaries for screen timing and privacy. On the other hand, drug abuse is directly deteriorating the social, cultural and economic fabric of our society. So parents have to keenly follow their children to ensure that they are not involved in any company of friends which could involve them in any form of drug, gambling, crime or any activity which is illegal or is socially harmful. The parents have to keep on counseling and guiding their children in all these matters so that they will become educationally well, financially capable, socially responsible and morally well valued in future by supporting their families and societies in future. Though almost every parent wishes and strives for making their children successful and satisfied in their life. Indeed, parenting is not just providing food, shelter and clothing; rather it is the holistic nurturing of a child for facing all the battles in life. It is only the proper and consistent guidance of parents which could ensure the development of responsible and morally valued children guiding the societies and nation to prosperity and development in all fields like education, culture, sports and science and technology.
(The author is a teacher at Delhi Public School Srinagar. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”)
Ishfaq Ahmad Chopan
[email protected]
