Teaching children to be broad-minded

The other day when I took my two-year-old daughter to the sports club she was eager to see the people around the swimming pool. Some children aged between 12 and 15 were playing and throwing balls to each other. My daughter enjoyed seeing it. A few minutes later a small boy arrived and was watching the children play. The children in the pool started throwing the ball to the small boy, and in turn he was throwing it into the pool. My daughter was eager to catch the ball too, but the children in the pool kept on throwing the ball only to the boy. I never imagined that such fair faces would have such crabby hearts.

At their age, why did the children ignore the fact that the other child was also a small child and they should have thrown her the ball too. Are parents teaching their children to be broad-minded and that they should help others? Not only parents, but schools should also try to implant these virtues in children.

Parents are eager to send their children to summer school. They yearn for their children to acquire more knowledge. Certain basic attitudes should be taught by parents. Attitude measures aptitude. Attitude is not a commodity to be brought. It can be obtained only by yourself. It is the heart that conquers us and not the brain.

Love should be selfless. He whose love knows no bounds, and stops to consider high or low, has the whole world at his feet.

UMA RAMAKRISHNAN

Jakarta