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In the Bahá'í community, the role of
parents is highly valued and respected.
A new-born child is a being with
immeasurable potential. The child's parents, being aware of this fact, are
bound to feel wonder and excitement — as well as a daunting sense of
responsibility! The Bahá'í writings offer some helpful and penetrating insights
on the essentials of bringing up children so that they will make their
potential into a reality, physically, intellectually, socially and spiritually.
Our present day society often gives high
importance to achievement in academic learning, sports, and other forms of
success. The Bahá'í writings strongly support the merits of striving for
excellence in all fields, but they also emphasise that the foundation of all genuine
achievement, of benefit to humanity, lies in moral virtues. 'Abdu'l-Báhá wrote:
Children are
even as a branch that is fresh and green; they will grow up in whatever way ye
train them. Take the utmost care to give them high ideals and goals, so that once
they come of age, they will cast their beams like brilliant candles on the
world, and will not be defiled by lusts and passions in the way of animals,
heedless and unaware, but instead will set their hearts on achieving
everlasting honour and acquiring all the excellences of humankind.
A few of the virtues that parents would
hope to develop in their children include love for humanity, truthfulness,
trustworthiness, courtesy, a good work ethic, patience, forbearance,
friendliness, and generosity.
The Bahá'í writings urge parents to pray
for their children, and to pray with them. Prayer is a powerful means
for the development of moral values and spiritual attributes in children. It is
also a great source of strength and inspiration to parents in facing the
difficulties of raising a family.
It is in the earliest year's of the child's
life, when learning goes ahead at the most rapid rate, that the most
significant training takes place. It is also in these years before adolescence
that the influence of parents is greatest and it is therefore easiest at this
stage to shape children's behaviour, with life-long effects.
Give children the advantage of "every
useful kind of knowledge", the Bahá'í writings urge. Let them share in
every "new and wondrous art and craft." They must "work and
strive" and become accustomed to hardship, meaning, they should be
encouraged to face difficult challenges.
The mother and father together are the
educators of their children. Although, at times, the type of contribution made
by each parent will differ, the parents are a team. "It is incumbent upon
every father and mother to counsel their children over a long period and guide
them unto those things which lead to everlasting honour," wrote
'Abdu'l-Báhá.
When parents show respect for one another,
and develop an atmosphere of love in their home, this wonderful example speaks
much louder about good behaviour than words alone could ever convey.
An area of knowledge not to be neglected is
the knowledge of religion. When children learn about religion as they grow up,
this knowledge becomes a treasure that stays with them throughout their lives.
The Bahá'í community offers organised children's classes that can help parents'
efforts to teach their children to respect all religions. It also provides
study classes where the parents, too, can explore religious principles, and
learn ways of conveying these to their children.
Quotations in context
Click on the links below to search for
quotations from this page, in Bahá'í reference websites.
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