Right role of parents in the life of a child

Following is an excerpt from a samvaad (dialogue) session with Acharya Prashant.

Question: Sir, what should be the right role of parents in the life of a child?

Acharya Prashant: The role of the father and mother is to give birth. To really give birth, not just physically. Physically it is very easy — hormonal, chemical, simple biology.

Listener 1: In which many fail.

AP: Hardly anybody succeeds.

To be a father or mother is not something physical, it is not about having sex, getting impregnated, bearing a baby and nursing it.

It is about not only giving a body but also taking the kid to That which is beyond the body.

That’s the role of parents — to not only give the body but also then unburden the child of the body.

L1: Sir, what happens to the child when parents operate through their conditioned patterns?

AP: We see this world around us, that’s what happen. When those kids become adults they turn violent, loveless, and insecure. You look at the trees that have been hacked down, it’s the work of somebody who was once a child; you look at the shops down the road; you look at the quantity of liquor flowing at the crossing; you look at the animals being butchered. All the shops selling lamb, mutton, chicken and the rest of it. Do you think those butchers were born adults? They too were once kids and if you were a kid who does not have really illuminated parents then it is very bad for you.

L1: So is it bad karma?

AP: Just bad!

L2: But there are many instances where in spite of spending a very bad childhood like living in a foster home etc., children still excel in their life like anything.

AP: That is called Grace; that can happen.

That can happen but would you rather abdicate your own loving responsibility and say that Grace will take care of everything, and you will militate against Grace?

Grace is always ready to shower upon the kids but what if parents block the Grace?

L1: What is the solution?