Parenting

 

Maty isSph2d5on, d2gls0iiso17rseisdd  · 

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25 May 2016 at 23:30 ·

When you buy your child an expensive smartphone out of love and indulgence - remember that another poor child who sees it will start yearning for it. And maybe lose its way in that yearning.

All children are our children.

AdouSltgtrhusStd t9pons,fs oh2d01hrgSe6d  · 

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No child in the village is ever bored. They do have company, and even if they are alone, they are never bored. They do not need 'books' either.

A people who do not know boredom, who do not seek to be entertained, will be a people who will tread lightly on earth. And who do not war.

JecSatlsSuuuflypoc htn2n5si, 20orr1e7d  · 

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Do we realize how we handicap our children morally when we never take it to a government hospital for treatment, never let it study with other children in a government school, never allow it to travel in public buses

When we allow a poorer woman to mop its room, and under its bed.

Such a child will grow into an adult incapable of sensitivity and understanding, incapable of 'respecting' the poor. Simply a burden on this country.

We will be the cause of that.

#AgainstFreeChoice

My daughter was to go to teach in a week long Sanskrit class for a mixed group of parents, teachers and students along with her own teacher. I asked her if she enjoyed teaching, and she said Vidya bhagini had told her to teach. I asked again, and got the same beside-the-point answer.

Then I realised that maybe the question was what needed correction. She respects and loves her teacher, and has gained vastly from her in areas of Sanskrit and beyond Sanskrit in a perspective of life itself. That now her teacher wanted her to teach was the only point for her. And I know she owes that response to her.

Maybe 'like' and 'choice' are overly revered words sometimes. There is a larger societal need, and larger responsibilities, and one plays one's part. I did enjoy computer programming after all, but I packed it away after a year into my 'career' and stepped into villages. The need was there.

Srividhya Gopalakrishnan

Aparna Krishnan as you say "like" and "choice" are the words of the last few 10 to 15 years.. Before that if you remember our childhood , we always always did what was needed ..we take a job because family needs it .. Simple Family needs it so do whatever it takes to achieve that.. IMO the failure was many times the "family" did not get bigger to include the society .and hence the societal needs were not looked into

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Afsan Chowdhury

I love your daughter's attitude. And yours. We teach not because we need it but also from a sense of "obligation", a kind of dharma. If we believe that others have a right in our resources, and life, that our obligations and responsibilities are part of staying alive, life becomes much simpler. I do hope I die before I become very selfish due to exercising my free choice. . Thanks for your post.

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  Aparna Krishnan

  In our land, and yours also, responsibility and duty is spoken of before rights. Dharmam which is the cornerstone in rural perspective even today, refers to duties. That builds a more authentic and responsible society, anchored in the ability to sacrifice for the greater good.

  

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  Aparna Krishnan

  Modernity questions that.

  

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  Afsan Chowdhury

  The lesson that sacrifice is also a privilege has declined. I think you are a very lucky person to live with such a value structure. But its very rare. Thanks

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  Aparna Krishnan

  oh, i learnt in my village. it is the norm there still.

Sanjay Maharishi

So then, what was the corrected question? 

• Aparna Krishnan

  there was no question . A respected teacher asked, and the student responded.

To bring up a child who stops by and arranges the clothes of a poor handicapped lady on a footpath, even though the smell turns the stomach, is to have passed as a parent.

AustgSpmucoiuidinhgstd 1rs9,otf r20e2S0dlm  · 

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If we could choose for our child a life of integrity and difficulties.

Or a life of comfort and compromise.

What would we choose ?

For ourselves, what have we chosen ?

12Radhika Rammohan, Karthik Tmk and 10 others

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• Radhika Rammohan

  I should choose friends who don't keep asking such tough questions 

  

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    Aparna Krishnan

    My life has been one of comfort and compromise.

    Not nice to face, but true.

    

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• Dola Dasgupta

  I would let children choose for themselves, while I live authentically to myself.

  

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    Aparna Krishnan

    To a large extent we do arrange their lives and contexts and choices and directions. After which they choose.

    That initial stage we arrange for them as we have chosen for ourselves i suppose.

    

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  • Dola Dasgupta

    Aparna that is the way it works. Yes.

    

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  Arindam Ghosh

  While the children are yet in their infancy feed them from the breast of heavenly grace, foster them in the cradle of all excellence, rear them in the embrace of bounty. Give them the advantage of every useful kind of knowledge. Let them share in every new and rare and wondrous craft and art. Bring them up to work and strive, and accustom them to hardship. Teach them to dedicate their lives to matters of great import, and inspire them to undertake studies that will benefit mankind. – Abdu’l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Baha, p. 129.

  

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  Karthik Tmk

  Integrity and compromise, they should know unless they make peace with the truth in the world which at times is bitter, their integrity will be challenged

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  Karthik Tmk

  For myself comfort and compromise for sure for I know that's fleeting anyway and a mirage

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  Kamlendra Pratap Singh

  Integrity - for self and children

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• Malavika Sidhanti

  Integrity above all else.

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• Rajeshwari Ganesan

  To be aware of the world, think for themselves, be kind, be non judgmental

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• Ravi Shankarnarayana

  Integrity about the self and immediate circle of influence ....compromise about things which are way beyond control and have no say on.....

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    Aparna Krishnan

    Many many things are in our control. And we compromise on. Because to not compromise means to pay a price. In many ways.

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    Aparna Krishnan

    A simple thing. To possess excess and permit hunger is a deep compromise most of us are guilty of.

    

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  • Ravi Shankarnarayana

    True. We live month on month. Can't plan well enough to live day to day. Do help out a few occasionally.

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• Anupama Satyajit

  Why assume Integrity goes with difficulties. I will pray for integrity that brings mental comfort

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    Aparna Krishnan

    Anupama Satyajit it will need challenging the status quo. It will upset many. It comes with a price. Yes, it has attached the immeasurable satisfaction that one tried to harmonize thought and deed.

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  • Anupama Satyajit

    Aparna Krishnan well if one can feel that , that’s something!

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• Satyajit C.P.

  I thought about long and hard. Seems like both choices are one

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    Aparna Krishnan

    Satyajit C.P. a life of integrity will mean many many costs to be paid in the real world. The deeper one steps into the waters, the more honest one gets, the heavier the prices.

    Just as an example, integrity in a country try where there in hunger today means to not keep anything over our basic needs for today and give away everything to sustain people today.

    We are unwilling, afraid to do it. But can this k of the implications of this step.

    That it will give a mental harmony is the infinite gain, yes.

    It is about giving up the material for a deeper truth.

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