Raising Mentally Balanced Children

The internet bursts with all kinds of news everyday making it really hard to keep up. The swiftness with which the news fizzles out makes it impossible to discuss or even learn the lessons presented in some situations.

Some weeks back, I read the news about a boy that wanted to kill the new girl in his class because she displaced him from the 1st position in their class assessment. 

His plot was unraveled by some other students in the class who saw him when he was about changing the water in the girl’s water bottle to a poisonous substance. Like the news on its own isn’t heartbreaking enough, we were told that the kids involved are about twelve years old.

The positive angle in the gloomy story is that he failed in his attempt but then we are left with a lot of questions.

How could he have conceived such thoughts? 

What made him feel like he had to take out anyone in his way?

What could have driven that boy to carry out such devilish act?

Try as we may, we may never fully understand the reasons behind his action but this much is true, children are raised differently and a lot of factors come into play in shaping children’s behavioral patterns. However, certain behaviors are definitely reflective of our shortcomings as parents or members of the society. 

Children raised to believe that scamming others or pick pocketing is legitimate ‘hustle’ will grow up scamming others.

Attempting to kill another is even more extreme and experts say that kids that carry out such acts are mostly victims themselves. They come from physically or emotional abusive backgrounds that make it hard for them to be attached to other people.

Parents need to understand that raising children in this world is way beyond a biological process. There is so much more work to be done to save your child or children from becoming menaces to the society.

Also, children need to be made to understand that class assessments don’t define their success in the long run. Class assessments are great and children should be encouraged to give their best but it shouldn’t be a do or die affair. 

There is a very thin line between healthy and unhealthy competition.

Not everything is black or white. 

We all have different strengths. Some kids are slow starters while some are very fast. Some kids may excel in arts while some will go on to discover the cure to cancer. 

It is absolutely unfair to think all children are wired same way. 

They may be encouraged to find inspiration in other people’s success but we should be mindful so we do not push them over the edge.

Your children's destinies are in your hands, commit them into God's hands and stay committed to helping them achieve their life's purpose.