Educating a child

EDUCATING A CHILD           "Educating a child" is really a tough task.  Understanding the sentiment of the child & giving him/her training has been a difficult task for everybody from time immemorial. Whether it is at home, school or PTA; complaining against a child is a common thing to be heard. The complaints are for ex: - child is not studying at home; he is always playing & not obeying the parent's advice, etc. There was a time when child was the center of attraction and medium of fun & enjoyment but now-a days he is a burden in the family. No body has the time to spare even one minute with a child. Today, child is helpless & isolated. Then comes a question as a parent that ‘how to give time to my child in this busy life?' Teacher also thinks about the method that ‘how to train the child in an interesting & enjoyable environment?' ‘What technique he should follow in the classroom to impart education?' Don't worry. To get rid of your worries here are some tips to follow: -   1.     UNDERSTANDING THE CHILD            Understanding the child's psychology is very important to know his/her personality. Every act of a child is somehow creative & innovative. Why does a child crack a toy? Why does he/she shout in a loud voice? Why does he/she draw on the wall? Just think. Are they not the work of their creativity & innovation? A child cracks a toy to discover the sound coming from it. He/she shouts in a loud voice to experiment different sounds. He/she draws the wall to beautify the house like the colourful nature outside.   2.  SPREADING LOVE   Love has the power to give the life even to a dead man. In purana everybody might have come across the story of "Satyavan & Savitri" where ‘Savitri' saved the life of ‘Satyavan' through the power of love & purity. The language of love touches & changes the heart of a child. A mother can understand it better. Spreading the love towards your child is the only solution of every problem. It's better to give time for your child & understand his/her problem and give solace & suggestion instead of using stick/hand all of a sudden without understanding anything. Child always waits for one who can understand his noble world. Without understanding the child the punishment by the parents or teachers is a means of torture & harassment. It's in no way help a child to correct him/her.   3.  RECOGNIZING CHILD'S POTENTIALITY           Every child has immense potentiality within. Our work is to inspire the child in his own pace of creativity & innovation. Then only you can guide him/her to reach at his/her highest level. Recognizing the unique personality of a child & encouraging him is our duty. What do we do instead of recognizing & encouraging the qualities within our child? Generally, we scold the child when he starts painting, dancing or joking & instruct to study. All these activities that a child starts spontaneously out of his/her own interest can be given a right shape to build him/her into a master of that art.   4.   BECOMING THE EXAMPLE            Be an example of a unique personality before a child. You have no right to find out the fault of your child, if, you, yourself are in the fault. A child always tries to ape the qualities of the elders. Thus, be that, what you want from the child to be. Be careful while spreading the anger, sorrows in your family. It is sure that your child is following your every act & receiving everything. Don't feel that he is very small & knowing nothing. Your each activity has its impact on your child. The first school of the child is his sweet home.   5.   OBSERVING THE CHILD            Be an observer & suggest the child whenever & wherever it's necessary. Always unnecessarily advising the child also does not impact much. Don't force your child to do a thing. Every soul has it's own way of creative living style. Observe every step of the child & try to extract the capacities within him.   6.  REINFORCING POSITIVELY           Instead of always identifying the mistakes, encourage your child whenever you see a good point within him. Always identifying a mistake & scolding is no way help the child in emotional development. Use the ways of positive reinforcement.  Praise him with the words like ‘good', ‘excellent', ‘very good' etc.   7.  BECOMING A FRIEND            Be a friend to the child. Friendship can help you to understand a child more & more. A child expresses his difficulties/problems only to his/her friend; he/she may be his/her mother, father or teacher. Once you exhibit your role as a taskmaster or ringmaster to your child, you spoil everything. The child starts hating you & hiding everything to you. He develops fear to you. That's why some parents & teachers are found to be in the problem that the child is not free & frank to tell his problem. Actually it's not the mistake of the child. It's the fault of the parents, teachers & elders who lack the art of ‘how to be a friend of the child'.              God has created two noble & beautiful things in this world, one is nature & other is child. Everybody knows that due to the simple & pure character, the child is regarded as the incarnation of God. There are many things to learn even from a small child. For ex: -child takes everything as game, if we also accept every work as game we won't be worried & tensed. So everybody should learn how to understand a child & respect his natural rights.                                                                                 By Mr.Harekrushna Behera The author is a teacher in Social Science,  can be contacted through     E-Mail-  hare_321ku@rediffmail.com