BY K.SURESH BABU 

 

“CHARACTER cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through the experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” - Helen Keller In today’s world, parents often unknowingly craft their children into “Snow Flakes,” molding them into fragile beings with entitlement syndrome. Excessive pampering has become a show of false prestige among new-generation parents. They believe that showering unconditional love and arranging everything for their children without them asking is true parenting. However, this approach leads to negative outcomes in child development, fostering a sense of entitlement where everything is taken for granted. A small setback in their life path makes them intolerant and unable to cope, as they’ve never faced discomfort before. They lack resilience, they start blaming others for their failures. Overprotected children, shielded from failure, struggle to deal with challenges, hindering their own growth. Recent times have shown the detrimental effects of excessive pampering, with affluent “Rich Kids” engaging in reckless behavior, causing fatal accidents, and committing crimes. Parents often try to shield them from consequences, mistaking it for love. The real creators of vulnerable and emotionally fragile children are the parents. While some parents proudly exhibit these traits in society, they must realize the negative impact of excessive pampering and exhibiting love.

 

Working/Business class parents seek asylum under the busy and hectic lifestyle for not being able to “carve a niche” in child parenting, but It’s a most dangerous mistake committed by parents, where children develop a hateful attitude towards society in general towards parents in particular. Every parent shall take out time to have his/her part in developing a child and proper bringing up. No excuses allowed! In our country, parents are more concerned about their child’s education and career. Many parents insist their child become an IITian or a Doctor. In this process, students are subjected to rigorous routines in coaching centers, exerting tremendous pressure upon them. We have seen many students taking drastic decisions to escape the torture and fear of studies. They fear failure, their parents’ status in society, disgraced comments from tutors, and guilt from unsuccessful attempts. Due to all these reasons, they are taking away precious lives. For guiding children in career selection or choosing higher education, there are specialist services available in the market to customize for individuals based on the interests of children and various parameters. We can always seek services from experts, rather than pressurizing our children to imitate others. Parents can follow some simple yet effective practices to prepare their children to face any hardship in their life’s endeavors: Encourage Independence: Allow children to solve problems on their own. This helps them develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

 

Set Realistic Expectations: Teach children that failure is a part of life and an opportunity to learn and grow. Encourage them to take on challenges and praise their efforts rather than just their successes. Set achievable goals keeping in view of realistic capacity of children. Teach Resilience: Teach children how to handle setbacks. Share your experiences of failure and how you overcame them. Provide Support, Not Solutions: Offer emotional support and guidance, but let children find their own solutions. This fosters self-confidence and independence. Striking a balance between love and discipline is crucial in nurturing resilient and responsible individuals. Children need to experience challenges and failures to learn and grow. It’s time for parents to rethink their parenting approach and prioritize building character and resilience in their children for a brighter future. Don’t Raise “Snow Flakes” Raise “Warriors”. Do not train a child to learn by force or harshness; but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each.” - Plato