The Responsibility of the Parents

THE parents who send their children to schools or Ashrams have to fulfill some responsibilities. If these are not fulfilled, children, institutions to which they are sent, and the parents themselves are put to loss. To begin with, they must first acquaint themselves with the rules of the particular institution to which they intend to send their boys. They must study the habits and the needs of their wards and stick to a decision once they have made it. Usually, children should not be removed from an institution—once they have been admitted to it — for the period of their education there. Often, parents withdraw boys from an institution when they find an opportunity of getting them appointed to a suitable job. This should not be ; much less should they be asked to take leave from it for joining in marriage and other festive occasions. Just as parents do not drag their children to most of their other activities, they should not also drag them to weddings etc.

Keep Children Away from Temptations

Children should be allowed to concentrate their attention fully on their studies. Besides, boys must be taught to be perfect Brahmacharis during their education period. If they develop the desire and the fondness to see marriages and other secular celebrations, it may prove to be a great hindrance to their devoting themselves to their studies and practicing Brahmacharya. It is, therefore, necessary to keep them away from such things. Besides, during this period, when marriage cannot even be thought of , it is sheer injustice to offer temptations in any shape or form to a boy who wants to keep away from it. At the present time, when people are weak-willed, when their capacity to resist temptations has gone down greatly, if we find anyone desiring to practice any moral vow, we must help him to strengthen his determination and implement it. On the contrary, if we ourselves help in breaking those vows, we will increase our existing weakness. What has been stated here in regard to marriage will apply equally well to other things. Parents, who desire to bring up their children wisely and well, will discover a number of occasions when, instead of helping their development, they have seriously retarded it though, perhaps, unwittingly.

— Navajivan : Dec. 15, 1921