Skip to main content

A parent-teacher's dilemma

 Caught Between Love and Discipline: A Parent-Teacher’s Dilemma


There are moments when I feel torn between two identities—one as a parent and the other as a teacher. Both roles demand patience, understanding, and endless effort, yet the way children respond to each is strikingly different.


At home, the exhaustion of daily life often makes it harder to step into the role of constant guide and controller. In truth, control is not what parents want. What we long for is that children begin to understand themselves, to learn from their own choices, and to grow stronger through their failures. Yet, watching this process unfold can feel difficult, because while we may have the ability to help, children are not always ready to accept it.


In the classroom, the dynamics shift. Children listen more, respect more, and respond with greater readiness. Perhaps it is the structure, or perhaps it is the space created by a different kind of relationship—one not weighed down by daily routines and emotional entanglements.


Even so, neither parents nor teachers can fully place themselves inside a child’s world. We try, but emotions—ours and theirs—often blur the view. Ultimately, children learn best through their own experiences.


What becomes essential, then, is cooperation and balance. Parents offer love and belonging; teachers provide guidance and direction. And when children learn to value both, love and discipline no longer stand apart—they complete each other.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

When silence becomes a cry

  When Silence Becomes a Cry: Reflections on a Child’s Inner World The recent news of a student’s suicide in Delhi has left a heaviness in my heart that I cannot shake off. It forces me to look beyond headlines and into the shadows where a child’s unseen emotions often sit quietly, waiting — sometimes too long — to be heard. As teachers and parents, we find ourselves asking the same painful questions: Who went wrong? When did it go wrong? How does a child reach a point where ending life feels easier than living it? Children today live in a world far more complicated than the one we grew up in. We like to believe that they are protected, loved, pampered, and supported — and many of them are. Yet, beneath that comfort lies a silent pressure. Their minds are overloaded with expectations, comparisons, judgments, and fears they don’t know how to explain. A child rarely says, “I am scared” or “I feel ashamed.” Instead, he withdraws, hides behind a smile, or breaks down over something...
Post a Comment
Read more

calmness in the face of destiny

  Calmness in the Face of Destiny We often come across conversations about astrology, hard work, destiny, and the paths we choose in life. There are people who are astrologically not aligned, yet they decide to make their own destiny—sometimes by working tirelessly, sometimes by accepting situations as they come, and at other times by simply choosing not to react. They stay calm, pray, chant, and draw strength from an invisible power. And strangely enough, these practices truly help. Looking back at my own journey, I often wonder how I passed through certain testing times—whether it was a personal challenge or a difficult situation with a dear one. Somewhere, I’ve realized that the images of gods we keep around us, the symbols of faith that we carry, add to our inner strength. There is an aura, a protective energy, that holds us steady when we feel shaken. After watching the play Hamare Ram, I reflected deeply on the character of Lord Rama from the Ramayana. His life is the g...
2 comments
Read more

The great power play

  The Great Power Play: Where Do We Stand? Power—whether political, economic, or psychological —has always fascinated humankind. Every individual aspires to rise high enough to influence decisions, shape narratives, and dictate terms. That’s human nature. In governance, this instinct materializes through political parties—groups formed on shared beliefs and interests. On paper, it’s simple civics. In reality, it’s an intricate web. We call ourselves democratic. We vote with care. We choose wisely. Yet, despite the promise of representation, citizens often remain caught between conflicting interests when two opposing parties shape the nation’s discourse. The ruling party pushes its agenda; the opposition challenges it. While criticism keeps the ruling bodies in check and drives them to work harder, the motivations are rarely altruistic. After all, human beings, by nature, gravitate toward self-interest. Zoom out to the global stage, and the power play becomes even more pronounced. ...
Post a Comment
Read more