This picture from my archives, taken two years back at the Pondichery beach came to my mind when a family came to visit me with their two children. One of them was fond of dog and the other was almost fearful.
I remember watching this child about three years of age, being taken to the beach. For almost half an hour this child would go up to the edge of the water and return. His mother patently led him to the water when he was ready. She stood with him. While the mother and the child got wet in water the father stayed away from the water. I was curious to find our from the father his reason for not wetting his feet in the water. He said, that ‘I am more fearful than my son’. When I said,’ Your son seems to have overcome the fear. You too can!’, he ignored me.
We convey our attitudes, fears, likes and dislikes behaviourally to our children.
Let me suggest that our children need behaviour education.
Often in the early childhood, behaviours are imitated. We cannot expect our children to do anything differently from what we d as adults! One mother has an ongoing struggle with his three years old son to serve just enough and eat all that he has served. But he would leave some food. In a conversation, when the mother was trying to lead him to a good practice, he told her,'Why are you not helping daddy to eat all the food from his plate’!
All the early childhood habits have an origin in the family. The way we offer behaviour education to pre-school children is to practice them ourselves before we instruct them!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
I remember watching this child about three years of age, being taken to the beach. For almost half an hour this child would go up to the edge of the water and return. His mother patently led him to the water when he was ready. She stood with him. While the mother and the child got wet in water the father stayed away from the water. I was curious to find our from the father his reason for not wetting his feet in the water. He said, that ‘I am more fearful than my son’. When I said,’ Your son seems to have overcome the fear. You too can!’, he ignored me.
We convey our attitudes, fears, likes and dislikes behaviourally to our children.
Let me suggest that our children need behaviour education.
Often in the early childhood, behaviours are imitated. We cannot expect our children to do anything differently from what we d as adults! One mother has an ongoing struggle with his three years old son to serve just enough and eat all that he has served. But he would leave some food. In a conversation, when the mother was trying to lead him to a good practice, he told her,'Why are you not helping daddy to eat all the food from his plate’!
All the early childhood habits have an origin in the family. The way we offer behaviour education to pre-school children is to practice them ourselves before we instruct them!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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