Too Old to be Young
As we grow out of our naïve childhood and set foot onto the threshold of adulthood; we find ourselves lingering in a phase of life where we are incapable of returning to the familiar playground and simultaneously too young to do the things adults do. The time when we begin to develop feelings for others, when we deal with bodily changes and question everything we know to be true; is a time we call “Adolescence”. Adolescence is a beautiful yet confusing time of one’s life as we get to discover life in a different light. It is the time when one is not afraid to explore themselves and the things around them. Adolescence is full of magical and mystical experiences; when one is not a kid anymore but can’t possibly behave like an adult, one demands the perks of adulthood without paying the price. A child’s mind is like a sponge, absorbing everything around, good and bad; however, this tender age, they cannot distinguish between right and wrong. Battling peer pressure and resorting to rebellion, teens are pushed to fit the constraints of parental expectations. To deal with an adolescent, one needs a great deal of patience and love; reacting to their behavior incorrectly will only invoke their ego to become more rigid and stubborn, making things worse. To instill and inculcate good values, guiding them towards the path of spirituality is the correct way to raise and nurture an adolescent.
This is not to forcefully drag them towards the path of spirituality, for most youngsters perceive spirituality to be for older people. Spirituality is simply the medium to know the true purpose of life, to give one direction and guidance. Knowing the difference between right and wrong, and developing an accurate moral compass is very important for a teen. When their minds are fragile and versatile, they become very gullible; they may think that even misunderstand advice due to a gap in communication.
Parents worry for their children in an unavoidable manner, but they need to let teens be, and not impose conditions on them, for they can take it negatively without trying to understand the point. One needs to let them decide what they want for themselves, but only backing them up and supporting them, with subtle hints by making them realize where to draw the line of right and wrong. Parents’ liberal mind set and open mindedness makes them closer to their children; their child does not hide anything from them and they can match their kids’ pace of learning. Parents need to nurture their children in such a way, that they have roots to cling onto, yet grow wings so that they can fly. A child must learn good human values and money management from their parents; the results can be undesirable if picked up from a third party at this age.
It is not always that parents teach their children, they also learn from them. With spirituality, one gets a clearer head space and they learn early not to hold onto things which do not hold value in life for making it better, this helps them to rise above any bad circumstance and work harder to achieve their goals with ease. This makes them achievers and not only dreamers. Even when they would fail on their way to success, they won’t feel disheartened; they would work harder to achieve what they have had dreamt of. Spirituality makes you bolder and braver to take charge and go head strong into any situation, fearlessly.