| PAT DIALChildren are everyone’s concern. Though parents and others would like to protect and further their children’s welfare, they often do not know how to do so.One of the daily newspapers, almost every day, carries a well-written column on bringing up children, and such a column must certainly be helpful to parents who study it.In many developed countries, Child Psychology has been a staple in the media and TV programmes for many years and as a result, parents and the public at large have assimilated a great deal of knowledge on the subject and so are better equipped to deal with their children than with the average Guyanese parents.We would like to discuss a number of do’s and dont’s that may be useful to the average Guyanese parent, and indeed, the public. In the first place, most people are not aware how intelligent,Buffalo Bills Throwback Jersey, observant and sensitive children,Johnny Unitas Colts Throwback Jersey, even the youngest, are. Parents and adults may sometimes humiliate and insult children, assuming that such harsh behaviour and actions are passing phases,Dave Robinson Packers Throwback Jersey, soon forgotten. Such behaviour causes deep pain and suffering which is heightened because it has to be borne in silence and isolation. Many such hurts scar the child’s psyche and remain with him/her throughout life.Once this is understood, parents would cease beating up their children for the least offence. Cruel beatings of children are common in working class areas and are sometimes seen on the public transport. Many academic types quite incorrectly attempt to attribute such cruelties to the tradition of punishments during the era of Slavery. Such cruelties permanently damage a child’s psyche or could even lead to rebelliousness or delinquency and are unacceptable.Just before the beginning of every new school year,Pat Lafontaine Sabres Throwback Jersey, thousands of parents are seen desperately trying to have their children placed in what they consider the “better schools.” When the child is placed in a school, parents’ interest seems to fade away and they put their trust in the school.Parents must however realize that their responsibilities for the education of their children have just begun and they need to be supervising and encouraging them,Michael Jordan White Sox Throwback Jersey, building their morale and advising them to read widely,Gale Sayers Bears Throwback Jersey, using the available library facilities.It could be explained to the older children,Larry Csonka Dolphins Throwback Jersey, in particular those at secondary school,Denver Nuggets Throwback Jersey, that education is one of the secrets of upward social and economic mobility and that almost the entire professional classes in Guyana and the Caribbean have their origins in humble working class backgrounds.Almost all Guyanese and West Indian children have had no “economic socialization.” That is, they have no clear understanding of property and the use of money. They do not know that they should or could own the houses in which they are living since all they have ever known is living in rented accommodation. And they assume that earnings are there merely to be spent, to be consumed. They have no understanding that money has to be used to generate further income or wealth.Doing courses in business studies would not be of much help in the “economic socialization” of children and since most teachers and parents, at this point in time, are not “economically socialized”, the Ministry of Education may have to deploy persons with practical business experience to help the children in this regard.In equipping children to live comfortably and successfully in the world, it is imperative that they be taught etiquette and good manners. In the past, there used to be an NGO which printed cards giving basic rules of good manners and etiquette and many thousands of these were issued every year to the schools and older children. It would do well for the Ministry of Education to restart this programme.The teaching of religion and morality in the schools as part of their curriculum seems to be very unfashionable in these times, and mention of such always leads to raised eyebrows. This reaction of rejection or indifference is due to the fact that in the past,Jim Palmer Orioles Throwback Jersey, Religion and morality were taught from a partisan position which led to more harm than good.The best formula for the communication of religious and moral values in the school system was that which I heard given by Swami Aksharananda while attending the recent graduation of the Saraswati Vidya Niketan (SVN) school at Cornelia Ida. Swamiji said that SVN children were of various religious Faiths and would all leave school with the same Faith with which they entered but during their schooling they are exposed to the values of moral behavior and how it would benefit and enrichen their lives as individuals as well as of Society as a whole.In any case, parents must again seriously assume the responsibility of teaching their children moral values and precepts and encouraging them to attend the places of worship of their respective Faiths. |
