I had an interesting chat with my colleague, and during the discussion, he told me about his four-year-old son. In his words, “it amazes him how his son keeps things in the right places at home without anyone’s prompting.”
It’s obvious knowing that children learn more and faster through observation. That is why parents and guardians should be careful of their actions and reactions in the presence of these young, active, and curious minds.
Children connect very well by observation because it is through this observation they know what love, care, attention, respect, selflessness, and security is all about. And some children grow up becoming skilful and a master in a thing they first observed at home, school or environment.
That’s why I wholesomely agree with the saying, ‘it takes a community to raise a child.’
Knowing this, what kind of parents, guardians, elder siblings, uncles, aunties, teachers, neighbours, and leaders should we be?
You cannot feed another comfortably when you’re struggling to survive. In simpler words, you cannot give what you don’t have.
The family circle, church, school, and community have failed so many children, and that’s why most of these children become a nuisance to themselves, family and society when they grow up. And unfortunately, the cycle repeats itself.
An adult who is rude, insensitive, always negative-minded towards everyone except themselves, proud, immoral, self-centred, depressed, never willing to learn, unloving, having low self-esteem, stagnant in life, etc., look carefully; it wasn’t overnight growth. A seed through observation was planted by the parents, teachers, or environment when they were much younger that germinated and bore more deadly fruits.
And when these adults get married and have their children, if not uprooted, transfer the same seed to their little empty souls given to them by God to fill.
As we invest in education, spiritual activities, and good relationships, please, invest in yourself with good characters because of that pure-empty soul around you. They may be your child, younger sibling, niece, nephew, cousin, pupil, student, neighbour’s child, etc.
Don’t allow God to inquire about the blood of any child in your hand.
Your actions observed by little children speak and work more wonders than your words.
Your words in the place of prayer are powerful and irresistible when served with the right actions and reactions.
Good character is the best investment you can ever make in your child(ren).
