Parenting is one of the most powerful roles we play in shaping the future. Our words, actions, and decisions influence how our children see themselves, others, and the world. Sometimes we forget that even our mistakes and shortcomings can leave a lasting impression.
And if we are not mindful, these real life scenarios can become the lessons we unknowingly pass to our children:
When we fail to keep our promises, we teach them that ‘word of honor’ is not important.
When we talk bad about other people, or laugh at demeaning jokes, we teach our children how to grow up as bullies.
When we beat/abuse our spouse, we teach our sons that it’s okay to disrespect the women in their lives, and to dominate over them. We also show our daughters that she can never stand strong against men.
When we are mean and casually shout at our spouse, we teach our daughters to despise and fight men. We also teach our sons that men and women cannot normally get along.
When we refuse to apologize when we are in the wrong, we teach them that “maturity” means taking pride in themselves, and that saying sorry is a sign of weakness.
When we avoid, or reprimand them about, having sensitive conversations, treating certain topics as taboo, we teach them to go explore those “mysteries” on their own. Such curiosity, when unsupervised, often leads to confusion, hurt, and emptiness.
When the parents engage in marital affairs, we teach the children to fear and distrust the sanctity of marriage.
When we are absent from their everyday life, and fail to spend time with them, we teach them rejection and the belief that they are not valuable.
When we use our social status/power or wealth to intimidate, and look down on other people, we teach the children to be arrogant, and dismissive of other people as well.
As parents, we are the architects of our children’s character and future. The foundation we lay today will shape how they approach relationships, challenges, and even their own parenting journeys.
The truth is, many of us still carry the weight of the bad lessons we unknowingly learned from our respective parents. These deep emotional scars remind us of the impact that words and actions can have on people over a lifetime.
Let us choose to build a legacy of love, kindness, and integrity that will endure for generations to come.
_______________________________________
Author’s email: [email protected]
