Discipline Starts from Young at Home

The writer believes that a beautiful camaraderie
makes life a wonderful journey.

            Since a few months ago, the number of individuals trying to join the Islamic State (IS) has been increasing, and surprisingly, several arrested are professionals with good education backgrounds. Their obsession and perception of jihad, unfortunately, make them choose the wrong way.

In universities, ragging has been a common culture to welcome juniors. Just recently, as other schoolchildren were busy preparing for final exams, a Form Two student from the Mara Junior Science College in Balik Pulau was assaulted by eight senior students at the hostel.

The scenarios prove that outstanding academic performance does not make one a better thinker. They fail in their attitude.

Parenting consultant Dr William Sears said: “A child has to learn how to empathise, to be able to think through an action before doing it and to judge how the consequences of his action will affect himself and others.”

Like charity, morality and discipline begin at home. Parents need to start disciplining their offspring early. A stitch in time saves nine.

            To begin the process, parents need to focus on basic routines that will determine children’s habits in the future. For example, when it comes to potty training, experts agree that children are best trained from two to three years. 

            Parents also need to teach their children that cleanliness is next to godliness. It is important to practise good hygiene and to keep the environment clean. Frequent reminders may be necessary to make them understand that it is not okay to leave a place dirty or to throw rubbish in the wrong place.

            When children start schooling, parents may need to schedule their reading and playing time. Effective time management is important for young children, especially with the prevalence of online games. If parents fail to restrict game time, children are unlikely to resist the temptation. As a consequence, they will be glued to their gadgets all day long.

            In addition, parents need to supervise their kids as they spend their time on TV to avoid them going for an extra hour. With Korean dramas gaining popularity, teenagers should be prevented from getting addicted to downloading new series to the point of neglecting their studies.

            To ensure that children will not turn into Jekyll and Hyde, parents need to develop cooperative partnerships with teachers to keep their children’s discipline in check. Parents and school authorities need to put a mutual effort to reduce disciplinary problems among students.       

 To get children to follow simple rules does not mean creating less happy childhood memories. Someday, children will realise that the once tedious do’s and don’ts actually help them live a regret-free life.

            Courtesy of New Straits Times

8 November 2014