“Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of life’s longings for itself. They come through you but not from you. Though they are with you yet they do not belong to you. You may give them your love but not your thoughts because they have their own thoughts. You may house their bodies but not souls because their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow which you may not visit, not even in your dream. You may strive to like them but seek not make them like you, for life goes neither backwards nor tarries with yesterday.”

“Good Parents give their children roots and wings. Roots to know tomorrow where house is and wings to fly away and exercise what has been taught, i.e. “giving the skills to lead one’s life successfully.”

Tips for Parenting:

1. Be a Parent, not a pal.
2. Discipline Early.
3. Spend time with your kids.
4. Don’t get carried away with self-esteem.
5. Control the electronic media.
6. Know what your child is up to.
7. Stay married: 2 adults in the household Husband + Wife =house.

To cap it all, learn to say no to your child some time (not always) whatever is asked for should not be readily and necessarily supplied.

Guidelines for Effective Parenting:

1. Say something encouraging and complimentary.
2. Create a warm and friendly atmosphere where smile abound.
3. Always have a listening ear and a feeling heart. Make every effort to make your child feel he is important to you and is worthy member of your family.
4. If your child fails in some Endeavour, help him understand that there are many ways that he has been successful and the failure may turn to success by trying again.
5. Teach each child as an individual. Don’t expect the same performance from all. Never compare.

For Rearing and Raising your children you are required to do the following:

• Finger paint more and point the finger less.
• Do less correcting and more connecting.
• Take eyes off your watch and watch with your own eyes.
• Care to know less and know to care more.
• Take more hikes and fly more kites.
• Stop playing serious and seriously play.
• Do more hugging and less tugging.
• Build self esteem first and the house latter.

Compiled by K.K Gupta