Online Reporter
Dr Muso
MANY parents today love their children deeply and want to provide them with the very best. While this love is admirable, it sometimes leads to overprotecting and overindulging children.
In many homes, children are rarely expected to do even the simplest chores. Parents sweep their rooms, wash their clothes, including their undergarments, clean up after them and even wash the plates they have used. The only responsibilities left for some children are eating, sleeping and going to school.
Although these actions are done out of love, they may do more harm than good. Children who are never given responsibilities often grow up believing that someone else will always take care of them. When they eventually leave home for college, work or marriage, they struggle to cope with everyday tasks because they were never taught to be independent.
Good parenting is not only about providing food, clothing and shelter. It is also about teaching children life skills and good values. Parents should teach their children how to clean their rooms, wash their clothes, prepare simple meals and care for their belongings. These are essential skills that build confidence, responsibility and self-reliance.
Equally important is teaching good manners.
Children should learn to greet people politely, respect their elders, listen carefully and speak courteously to parents, teachers and other adults. Respect is not automatic, it is learned at home. A child who has been taught good manners is more likely to succeed at school, build healthy relationships and become a respected member of society.
Sadly, some children today become moody or angry when they are corrected.
They may refuse to eat, sulk or ignore instructions simply because they have been told to behave appropriately. Such reactions are often a sign that children have not learned self-discipline or how to accept guidance. Parents should remember that correcting a child is an act of love not punishment. Discipline helps children distinguish right from wrong and prepares them to face the realities of life.
Parents must also remember an important truth: we will not live with our children forever. One day they will have to make their own decisions, manage their own homes and overcome life’s challenges without us. The greatest gift we can give them is not endless comfort but the ability to stand on their own feet. A child who learns responsibility, respect, resilience and hard work will be better prepared for the future than one who has always depended on others.
Let us therefore raise children who are responsible rather than entitled, respectful rather than demanding and independent rather than dependent. Love your children wholeheartedly, but do not let your love prevent them from learning the skills and values they need to succeed in life. Our responsibility as parents is not simply to make life easy for our children, it is to prepare them to live meaningful, responsible and productive lives.
Dr Manners Msongelwa is an author, educator and youth coach. He can be contacted on
+263 771019392
