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From teaching to setting examples


"Don't worry that children don't listen to you, worry that children are watching you."

This quote by Robert Fulghum is very reflective, and in a nutshell explains what my blog contains.

Children are the most wonderful and unique beings ever to take birth on this planet. It is their charm and energy which actually keeps the world going. If not for children, this world will become a place filled with very morose words like 'stress', 'anxiety' and 'tension' (the irony is that it already is)

When I look at young children playing in the park or just loitering around aimlessly, I feel ecstatic. This is because of the positive vibrations which they bring about in the surroundings. We get to learn a lot from their optimistic attitude. When I observe their vivacious disposition, I always feel that they are actually role models for their elders. They bring joy and fun into their lives.

This thought struck me when I conducted a workshop for children a few months ago. After a few sessions, I really felt like I was not the teacher, but a learner over there. I learnt a lot from the children. Every moment spent with them was precious, as I learnt something new constantly from them. 

After that experience, I pondered over a question time and again- Do children really need to be taught how to live life??"

In my view, children themselves are role model for adults, as they live such an ecstatic life. Some people might point out that they do not have any liabilities as such, but this query can be countered by the fact that the children are always busy doing something or the other. Children until the age of 12 are always very active.

The biggest fact remains that children learn from their surroundings better than they would learn from a teacher. Yes, a teacher can be a tool for making the process of learning more special, but undeniably, children learn the most from what they see around themselves. 

It is the responsibility of parents and grandparents to shift from preaching, and become an idol for the child. Instead of constantly asking the child to study, parents must do their own work in a sincere manner. When the child observes them doing so, he/she will automatically begin studying.

Thus, my feeling is that it is the duty of elders to instill good moral values into children. Grandparents too can play a very important role by narrating moralistic stories which will stay in the child's mind forever. These moral values will determine how they carry themselves once they reach teenage. Instead of endeavouring to teach them something everytime, we must set examples for children so that they have a good learning environment. 
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