KNOW YOUR CHILDREN

Know your children, not just by their names, their voices or their innocent faces, know them deeply. Some parents do not know who their children are, some don't even know their names. I once dealt with a parent who had to call the child out in a class to know her name in order to fill a form, parents are really ridiculous. They don't know their kids, their capabilities, their strength and their weaknesses. Children need attention, care and love to feel at home and to express themselves boldly. As a teacher, I have done more of listening than talking, I had to listen and listen always so as to give them a better response. Don't be shy to tell them anything, don't be hard on them so they can feel comfortable to meet you when they are in trouble, especially the aspect of sex education. Children are so inquisitive, if you don't tell them, they would get the wrong things and believe that to be true. Be open to them, make them your friend. It feels good to talk to a friend than an enemy. Know their friends, know who they are dating but don't interfere in their friendships and relationships. Create a peaceful and happy home for children, love them so the desperation to get love and be loved won't make them do bad things. Know what your child is good at, help them develop it, don't mar or discourage them. Most children possess great skills which their parents don't know about and they can't tell them because of fear of letting them down. Don't let them live your life, let them live their lives. A lot of children have spent their entire lives living their parents dreams rather than what they really want because they want to please their parents. They become so unfulfilled and frustrated out of it. Let them live their dreams, don't discourage them or put them down. Don't force a child to do anything. Stop embarrassing and disgracing your children in public, it isn't cool. Go indoors and talk to them. No child loves to be disgraced and shamed publicly, it destroys their self-esteem and makes them so timid. What you wouldn't love to be done to you, don't do it to your children. I know they are kids but please respect them, let them say their minds, respect their feelings. Most abusive adults you see today were kids who were shut up from expressing their feelings, kids who were bullied to be quite and denied their right. Don't train cowards, train children who can speak up and fight for their rights. No matter how bad your children is, never show his or her badness to the world. Lack of love from parents and family makes children do some bad things. Neglect and abuse makes children leave home to the street. There is nothing wrong playing and having fun with your children you won't be seen as a weak parent. Know your kids, most kids become someone else when they leave the watchful eyes of their parents, especially when they gain the freedom, they never had at home. They are always so radical. Let your children feel free at home, don't cage them, they aren't in bondage or a slave. They are children! This reminds me of a quote in Zaynab Alkali's The Still Born which say, "Don't cage children for if they cage are broken they would find it difficult to live in a real world."  KNOW YOUR CHILDREN