PARENTING

According to my late mentor Mrs. Sonia S. Roxas, one of the greatest and noblest vocation is parenting. This she would always tell her students during break time or at the start of her classes. I remember she told me one time she is contemplating on writing a book about Parenting but unfortunately, it did not materialize because she joined her Creator in the prime of her years.

In my 36 years on earth as a mother, I realized there is no exact formula for perfect parenting. There are variance to be considered one of which is human nature. Every person is unique even the so-called identical twins are not actually identical.

Lucky are the children blessed with parents who received correct parenting when they were young because chances are they will surely do just the same. Unfortunately, those whose parents grew up in an atmosphere of negativisms have the tendency to pass on to their kids their bitter experiences.

If my memory serves me right, Mao Tse Tung in his famous Red Book said, “It is the social being that determines the consciousness of a man and not his consciousness to determine his social being”. I guess he is partly right because environment has a great contributory factor in rearing a child.

No child would grow up without getting out of the house unless (s)he is an invalid. Outside, he would meet a lot of people from different walks of life and would interact with them in the process. They would hear strange languages some of which are taboo and not acceptable to their parents. They would see matters not seen at home. Some kids would experiment on things not allowed like cigarettes and wines. Sometimes they would venture on the “extremes” just for the heck of it and these often lead to a more dangerous games like pre-marital sex, sometimes drug.

Parents need to be cautious and tactful. They should be sensitive too. It is a must for parents to communicate with their children during their tender years not when they are already adults. I think it was Benjamin Franklin who said that a mind of a child is like a sponge. It can easily absorb new things and parents must be aware of this.

The formative years of a child range from age zero to seven. This is the most critical period according to experts. The behavior acquired by a child during this period is lasting hence proper guidance is extremely necessary.

Now that we are confronted with multifarious enigma caused by corruption in government like shortage of rice, high cost of living and all things similar, good parenting would help in a way assuage the “pain” among their children. This is a challenge I’m leaving to parents like me. (MEL B.C. EVANGELISTA/Laguna Courier/April 28-May 4, 2008)