Oct 14, 20224 min read

The biggest concern - How parents can raise a good child?

It is the biggest concern of a parent to raise his child with all good virtues and moral values. Parents ask this very often. If you too are concerned about the same, I am sure, you will get a solution with assurance.

You are the parent of a child who is in her teens or early twenties. To you, your girl (or boy) is a mere child, physically in the full bloom of youth, yet innocent of the ways of the world. But your child has a different opinion of herself—she thinks she is competent, worldly-wise, and confident.

You are both frightened and excited by the environment your child's faces. Look at the dazzling array of information that is available today, mainly because of the internet. Yet, there is a dark side to this technology. It is natural for a parent to worry about what is streaming from the laptops and mobiles of a child. Children cannot handle the avalanche of exposure, and we are well aware of the effects of too much screen time on their mental, physical and emotional states. This is the first generation shaped, for good or bad, by the internet and its offerings.

When I was of that age!

It was so much simpler in your times. Back in the day, television provided most of the information, entertainment, and some nasty stuff as well. But channels were limited, and most houses had only one TV. So, your parents had an easier time controlling your access to the world. But times have changed, and there is little you can do to stop the tide.

But are these times, and this generation, unique? Are the challenges and opportunities of the present youth, the so-called ‘Gen Z’, unique to this generation?

Not so unique

Religion, truthfulness and memory will all diminish by the day. Wealth alone will be considered the sign of a man’s quality. Men and women will live together because of superficial attraction. The religion of the people will be

mostly atheistic. One clever with words will be considered a scholar. One who does not earn money will not be taken seriously.

We can identify with what this author says. And why not? It is an accurate reflection of our present times. But it was not composed in the current times. These are the words of Veda Vyasa, and this is an excerpt from the

Bhagavata, written about five thousand years ago.

It foretells that each generation in this Kali Yuga will have lower standards than before, and things will go downhill until we reach the end.

This Kali Yuga spans 432,000 years—and right now, we have covered only five thousand

years! The flow, the effect of Kali Yuga, is responsible for the generational gap and problems. Do not blame the internet or technology—these are the symptoms, not the root cause.

No shortcuts

So, if the ancients could predict the problem, do they have a remedy to offer? Yes, of course. Do not worry; you do not have to learn Sanskrit to find the answers. In any case, merely learning Sanskrit will not enable you to understand divine texts. We have the answers, and my beloved Gurudev, Sri Maharaj Ji, has provided the most simple and effective remedy. But that alone will not solve the problem.

What did you do to ensure that your child gets good numbers in her important exams? You invested heavily, not just in terms of money but also in time, effort, encouragement, and emotional support. With these efforts, both yours and your child’s, she did well in her exams. All we ask of you is a small fraction of that effort, and success will be yours. It is all about priority; if you work hard at getting good numbers, you will probably get it, although there is no guarantee. If you work hard at getting the inside right, and if you find the right guide, you will succeed. We guarantee that.

Conclusion

So, when do we start?

In the famous dialogue between the saint Prahalad and the asura children, they asked-What is the right age for starting this journey? He replied—the Kumar age, which is from six to twelve years. If you, as a parent, have already encouraged your child from that age, then you are lucky and worthy of praise. If you have not, then with each passing day, you are depriving your child of proper nourishment at the right time. There is a time for everything. If you plant a sapling, there is an appropriate time to water it. It will not do if you pour a lot of water afterwards. The older the child gets, the more difficult it is to shape views and perceptions.

Yet, nothing is lost. You must make a beginning, someday. That you are reading this proves you are concerned for your child and looking for answers. Waste no time; seek a genuine spiritual guide, and together, you will walk

toward light, truth, and happiness.