Written by Jahnavi Sarma |Published : October 2, 2019 10:05 AM IST
"Keep your words positive, because your words become your behaviours.
Keep your behaviours positive, because your behaviours become your habits.
Keep your habits positive, because your habits become your values.
Keep your values positive, because your values become your destiny." Mahatma Gandhi
October 2 is the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, also known as the Father of the Nation. His life is an inspiration for millions of people around the world and there are many lessons that we can derive from the way he lived his life. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869. He was a lawyer who sacrificed everything and worked tirelessly for the freedom of India from the British. He is seen as the symbol of non-violence by people from all over the world.
The way he lived his life and worked tirelessly for people is an inspiration for children and adults alike. As parents, it is your responsibility to encourage your child to imbibe the life lessons of the Mahatma.
Let us take a look at what we can take away from his life and what you can do, as a parent, to inculcate the values of the Mahatma in your kid's life. Because, in his words, "If you want real peace in the world, start with children."
Did you know that Gandhi wrote a book titled Key to Health? In this book, he wrote about healthy eating habits among other things. And, he practised what he preached. He was a vegetarian and he included a lot of leafy green vegetables to his diet. He believed in the importance of having natural foods. Also, he believed in controlling the portion size of his food and avoided condiments.
Help your child: Ask any modern-day nutritionist about healthy food habits for your child and the answer will be to plan a balanced diet that includes a lot of leafy green vegetables. Small portion size will ensure that your child will maintain a healthy weight. Be sure to give him a lot of seasonal fruits and vegetables and exclude processed and fried foods from his diet. According to many nutritionists, a vegetarian diet is also good because it can reduce the risk of certain cancers and prevent heart diseases. Take the Mahatma's example and teach your child to always follow a healthy and wholesome diet.
Mahatma Gandhi once said, "It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver." And, he believed that physical exercise is the key to good health. The Mahatma walked a lot. He also did everything himself. For him, this was a way of keeping fit. He always believed that to maintain optimum health, exercise is a must.
Help your child: It is well known today that walking is the best form of moderate intensity exercise. Just 30 minutes of walking a day can reduce your risk of developing high blood sugar, heart diseases, diabetes and obesity. Walk with your child to the market instead of taking the car. Make an effort and take her to the park. You can also engage her in some form of physical activity there by playing a game with her. Throw a ball, run a bit. Encourage her to go out and play with other kids her age. It will clear her mind and help her sleep better at night. Moreover, exercise will improve bone and muscle health. It will also improve energy levels and reduce the stress of everyday life.
"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong," said Mahatma Gandhi. He always preached the importance of forgiveness and once said, "An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind."
Help your child: Teach your child the art of forgiveness. Try to inculcate a reasonable and forgiving nature that will help him in the journey of his life. It is a natural human emotion to retaliate and get revenge for some wrongdoing. But this leads to unpleasantness and stress. But if you let go, you get mental peace. Again, teach your child by example and be that example yourself.
Mahatma Gandhi always led by example. He lived by what he preached. Gandhi was a man of simple needs, simple ideas and simple values. He led an uncluttered life that was aided by an uncluttered mind. Also, he never wasted time on frivolous details and instead applied himself to the main task at hand. This helped him tread the path that he did.
Help your child: Gandhi demonstrated that we have to train our mind to deal with what really matters in life instead of running after trivial pursuits. Teach your child to focus his energies on what really matters. This will also help him to be more positive and carefree.
"A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes," said Gandhiji. He always maintained a positive outlook in the face of immense adversities. This helped him to overcome impossible odds in life and emerge victorious.
Help your child:A positive attitude is one of the most essential attributes if you wish to achieve your goals. You must definitely groom your child to be positive even in the face of adversity. Don't try to sugar-coat the harsh realities of life for your child's benefit. Instead, teach him how to overcome such situations. Instil the belief that a positive attitude will help him face any situation that life may throw at him.
"In a gentle way, you can shake the world", said Mahatma Gandhi. And shake it he did. He adhered to his ideals and unshakeable beliefs and made sure that India got her Independence from her British rulers. And, he did all this in a non-violent manner with just his perseverance and his belief in his ideals.
Help your child: This is one of the most important lesson that you can impart to your child. Unlike Gandhi, most youngsters today lack perseverance. He always finished what he set out to do. This is what makes him so great. Instil a sense of determination in your child. Teach him that to succeed in life, he has to persevere and be focussed on what he wants.
In Gandhiji's first year of high school, the Educational Inspector came visiting. He asked the students to write five words as a spelling exercise. Gandhiji misspelt the word 'kettle'. The teacher tried to prompt him to copy the correct spelling from the boy next to him. But Gandhiji refused to so. In another instance, he had cut off a piece of gold from his brother's amulet to pay off his brother's debt.
When he was a teenager, he also started pilfering money to buy cigarettes. But he soon realised the folly of his actions and admitted to all his wrong doings in a letter to his father. His father forgave him because he had the guts to admit to his mistakes. Though he was scared he took the chance and did what he thought was right. After this incidence he always stood by the truth and never resorted to dishonesty of any kind.
Help your child: Teach your child that honesty is indeed the best policy. If you are honest nothing can ever pull you down. You will help your child to stand tall without any fear. He will also learn the importance of admitting his mistakes. This will help him march ahead in life with confidence and steer him towards success. It will increase his productivity and help him achieve his goals with ease.
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