Is It Too Much To Ask!?!

So I have been gone for a while. It’s mostly because my son has turned 1, he is not only walking he runs especially if he manages to get his hands on something he knows he shouldn’t have. So you can imagine how blogging just doesn’t get time into the hectic schedule that is now my life. Not that I’m complaining, but he is growing up so fast and I fear if I look away for a moment I’ll miss too much.

Having said that I felt compelled to write this post after reading the latest atrocity of Gurgaon or as we now call it ‘Gurugram’. Rape of a woman and for the sake of that rape they kill an 8 month old baby. If you haven’t heard about it then here is a link.

http://m.timesofindia.com/city/gurgaon/third-suspect-nabbed-at-sisters-home-in-bulandshahr-cops-zeroed-in-as-he-slept/articleshow/59060395.cms

One might wonder why I would digress from baby related topics to baby murder. But am I really digressing?

Take a look at the age of the perpetrators. Do you think they were born evil or that somewhere in their formative years they weren’t taught how to respect women? They weren’t taught the value of human life, maybe?
Why is it that while we teach our girls empathy, tell her that in order to stay safe she shouldn’t wear certain type of clothes or go out late? Why is it that women are made to live a life of restrictions while a son is brought up as a pig? Why do we not correct our son’s when they make a mistake as a child? Why do we try to shove that under the carpet with statements such as ‘ladka hain badmashi toh karega na’ or the English version ‘boys will be boys’. What on earth does that mean? So because boys will be boys they will get away with every crappy behavior?

Isn’t it time we raised both boys and girls as equals in households? One big hindrance to boys learning to respect and care for the women in their lives, be it their mother’s or sisters or wife’s, is what they see at home. If you as a father treat your wife as someone not equal to you, your child will do the same. Our children imitate us.

So here are a few thoughts to ponder on:

1. Parents should treat each other with love and respect.
2. Teach your son the value of human life. Start young, always easier.
3. Just as you make your daughter help around the house, you son should too. No household chore is too much or too little for a son to handle.
4. Never make excuses for bad behavior, you don’t need to beat the crap out of your child but be sure your child knows they did something that isn’t right.
5. Teach your son right from wrong.
6. Don’t buy into the ‘macho’ bullshit. A man in touch with his emotions is generally a good thing.
7. Teach your child respect.
8. Teach them the meaning of ‘no’ and educate them on how to accept and deal with ‘NO’.

I am sure there is a lot more you can do, comment if you have some.

Quite simply put, don’t expect your children to be good human beings unless you are one yourself. And no one else is going to teach your child how to be a good individual but for you.

Be a smart parent. Be your child’s role model. There is no greater award than to watch your child grow up to be a good person and walking in your footsteps. Be sure your footsteps are worth walking on!

That’s it from me today. Here’s hoping that the next generation will be more loving and accepting of each other.

Image courtesy – http://www.care2.com