A Parental Bond Secures Childhood

In the right amount and right direction.

- Prachi Arora

“The sign of great parenting is not the child’s behaviour. The sign of truly great parenting is the parent’s behaviour.”

– Andy Smithson.

After coming back from school, she would rush to her room; throw away her shoes, bag and her little pink tumbler. She could just not wait to finish up her lunch and lie beside her grandmother for a bedtime story. Although Nitya hated to sleep in the afternoon, but the excitement for the stories took away the sorrow of midday naps. Nitya’s grandmother, Mrs Arora, would try to pat the six year old to sleep but she would always say, “Dadi, tell me a story” in her soft voice. Mrs Arora also loved the story time and she would happily start, “Okay, once upon a time…” Because Nitya’s parents weren’t home all day, her dadi took responsibility for the parent time every kid deserves. Nitya’s parents would be off to work and the day time was Dadi-Nitya time.

Mrs Arora always enjoyed her time with her granddaughter. She would tell stories to Nitya and at the end, teach her the moral values involved. Mrs Arora was a retired school teacher and she realized how important it is to have a good and effective parental influence in a kid’s life. During the story-telling sessions, Nitya learned the basic values of humanity and ethics. She learned how to behave with her parents, to respect elders, to always do good to others and not to wish bad for anyone.