Anonymous: Respected Guruji, I have 13 years old boy and 7 years old girl. We as a parent, have not taught spirituality much to the children till now and have not done any sanskaar ceremony also for the children.
Moreover, due to the fear that the children will lack protein nutrition , we are giving them eggs, although we are vegetarian. How should we proceed now to make them good human beings who does pious deeds?
Swami Ram Swarup: My blessings to you, my daughter. In this regard, I paste my article below-
‘Are we creating a generation of over-pampered children?’
Generation gap has always been there between parents and their children. Parents stick with their ideals and methods that they were brought up with while children scoff at those methods terming them outdated or primitive. There has been a tussle between the two since time immemorial and it is natural to have difference of opinions, which is considered healthy for relationships to thrive. However, in the modern world that we are living in, this pious relationship between parents and their wards has undergone a sea change. Even young children as old as three-four have strong views on everything and often they are found to be not listening to their parents or answering back. Gone are the days when an angry look from their father was enough to make children cower away.
It is very normal for one to hear mothers complaining about their children to each other that ,”they don’t listen to us”. But these are the same mothers who are over-pampering their kids with expensive gifts, treats, travel to exotic locations. These days when everything is available at the click of your fingers literally parents make up for not spending enough time with their children pandering to their smallest of demands with great alacrity. Most children from middle class families where both parents are working, have their wishes fulfilled at once. As a result kids these days do not value money or the hard work that goes behind earning money. For them money comes from ATMs and they can buy anything online by their parents’ credit cards.
We are creating a world where kids are self-obsessed and selfish. They don’t really care about others. This is the reason that we are hearing about so many incidents of crimes where small children are involved.
There is an urgent to need to change this by teaching our children right values like love, kindness, humanity among other virtues. Parents should spend quality time with their children not just splurge on them. A very important aspect here is spirituality. Children should be taught very early about spiritualism to make them good citizens of tomorrow. This time of polarization when intolerance is on the rise and people are being killed in the name of religion, there cannot be a right time to make our children spiritually inclined.
There is a problem of over protectiveness that is also a cause for concern. Parents are constantly hovering around their children if not physically then through helpers, or through cameras. Give your child a break. Let them lead normal lives. While it is true that the world is not a safe place like it used to be but we have to let our children learn to cope. What is important is that parents should be there when they need you.
Age of your children written by you is when upnayan sanskaar and vedarambh sanskaar are necessary. I live in Himachal, Yol Camp. If your residence is nearby, then you can come here for sanskaars with your husband, otherwise you may seek a learned Acharya/purohit of nearly Arya Samaj mandir.
If you desire, some Vedic preaching, written in my English book, can be sent on receipt of your postal address which may also be taught to your children.
