~Shradha Tiwari
“If you want children to keep their feet on the ground, put some responsibility on their shoulders”
Abigail Van Buren
Just as we humans have feet, we have invisible wings too. And it doesn’t take too long for those wings to fly us to a ‘land of self-destruction’. As for the children and the youth, the wings seem to be in ever action.
If children or the youngsters are not given responsibilities, they would ‘fly’ with those invisible wings only to realize one day that they wasted the golden days of their lives ‘flying’.
Therefore, maintaining a balance is necessary. With responsibilities they learn to ‘fly’ even higher and with care.
Thus, it is very important that the parents make their children aware of their share of responsibilities, right from the beginning.
Also, the parents must acknowledge the importance of a child in the family. A child is the base of the entire family’s future.
Table of Contents
The Stages of a Child’s Life
- Infant
- Kid
- Teenager
- Adult
Roles and Behavioural Patterns
Infant
The importance of a child in the family as an infant is immense. There are a lot of feelings that an infant goes through.
Now the question is how can an infant be important for the family? It is possible and quite easy.
When the two companions marry, they become a small family. With the arrival of the child, their bond gets stronger and they become more responsible. The couple starts to solve their problems for the greater good of their baby.
The baby becomes the centre of focus as it needs a great amount of pamper, care and time. If the baby feels being less considered, he/she either cries, laughs or shakes his/her body to bring the attention to him/her.
The infant might not have the ability to talk verbally, but senses everything. With the help of non-verbal cues, the baby successfully grabs everyone’s attention.
Kid
As kids, children stay mostly on the extremes. It means that either they are stubborn by nature or obedient.
Rarely, children are the mixture of both the cases. They feel neglected and unworthy when their demands are not fulfilled if their nature is stubborn.
An obedient child fears being rebuked by the elders while committing even minor mistakes. The importance of a child in the family is the softest during this phase as this is the beginning of the kid’s learning curve.
In a family, kids are the lifeline. From entertaining and spending beautiful moments with their grandparents to being a constant side-kick to their parents, kids keep the family alive.
Teenager
This is the trickiest phase for both parents and their child. A clash of perspectives and beliefs begin to emerge the child and the elders, which often lead to arguments.
This is a period in the life of a boy/girl which requires utmost care and guidance of the parents. The hormonal and psychological changes during this period make the child more of ‘a rebel without a cause’.
Children tend to go against their parents decisions and wishes during this time. Parents must actively sow the qualities of responsibility towards the family during this time in the child.
Teenagers, although a cause of worry for the family are yet an important part of it. Not only do they bring new ideas and widen the family’s outlooks, but they are always there, whenever the family needs.
Adult
For parents, their child never grows old. When a child becomes a mature adult, he/she only wants the parents as their mentor and guide but not as a decision maker.
It depends on the nature of the person. If he/she has always been a quiet and an obedient kid, he/she likes to be under the shade of their parents while on the other hand, a nuisance or a stubborn kid is only keen to get freedom and take their own decisions without their parents’ interferences.
Whatever the case is, parents take a sigh of relief knowing that their child is an adult now. They are sure that they can finally rely on someone, through thick and thin.
The Roles of a Child in the Family
Not every family is equal. Hence not all parents raise their children equally.
However, the following points summarise the roles and importance of a child in the family.
- Serving and obeying the parents
- A friend in need
- Bridging the gaps between the family members
- Being a reliable support for the parents
Let us elaborate the points in-depth.
Serving and Obeying the Parents
This goes without any saying that a child is bound to serve his parents. Just as the parents look after their child selflessly, it is the duty of the child to return their favours.
Also not to mention obedience. Obedience and respect towards one’s parents should be the moral duty of the son/daughter.
Obedience and self-control is the basis for a focused mind and a selfless personality. The more one has self-control, the better one’s accomplishment of goals will be.
Also, selflessness would maintain a cordial spark in your equations with others regardless of any discrimination. Others could learn from it.
A Friend in Need
Earlier, children actively participated in the working of the family. That helped them learn the aesthetics of responsibility and unity.
Helping their father in the work, their mother at home ensured that the children inherited their parent’s skills as well as helped them.
Even now, a child should help his mother in the household chores be it cooking, cleaning, and so on.
He/she should go along with his/her father to different places, and if possible, to his workplace to get a notion of the outside world.
It can be concluded that children have been and will always be the ‘friend in need’ and the perfect side-kick of their parents.
Bridging the Gaps Between the Family Members
With the advent of technology and globalization, people have certainly become busier. The busy schedule has made the family members afar even when they live under the same roof.
A child is the adhesive that keeps the family together, from falling apart. With their innocent activities and the constant need for attention, children certainly make the family lively.
Their innocence is bound to brighten the faces of the family members, no matter how hectic their day has been.
Being a Reliable Support for the Parents
Jamilette Arango from Santa Rosa, CA, serves the community of those people who don’t know English and are devoid of their resources, becoming a victim of discrimination.
Her parents got divorced when she was young. She acknowledged her mother’s struggles. As a result, she got motivated to work for the minorities.
This proves that the importance of a child in the family is not only restricted to entertaining, helping or accompanying the family members.
A child should understand and acknowledge the hardships the family faces and adjust accordingly.
As the child transforms into a teen or an adult, he/she begins to share the family’s burdens. During a financial crisis, the son/daughter of the household, being in a part-time job surely provides a monetary relief.
During any unforeseen circumstances, the son/daughter or the children is always there to provide emotional support.
As a matter of fact, during their old age, the child becomes the sole supporter as well as the guardian of the parents.
Conclusion
Children are the investment of a couple for a better future. Not only do they become an asset for the family but also a change for the society.
With proper care, guidance and education, your child can be the difference that the society needs.
To conclude, the importance of a child in the family stands as precious as an insurance plan for a secure future.
Image Courtesy: Pixabay
