When William Wordsworth wrote the above quote, he must have meant that the seeds of an adult’s personality are sown in the childhood. Consequently, a great deal of responsibilities falls on parents’ shoulders to properly groom their child.
I am reminded of a story. A man was watching the wonderful emergence of a butterfly from the skin of a caterpillar. Seeing the butterfly’s struggle to break out of the tight skin, he decided to help. He tore open the skin making it easier for the butterfly to come out. However, on emergence, the butterfly fell on the ground fluttering its wings in vain. His kindness killed the creature that could have mesmerised the world with its beauty. Nature has its own design to prepare every creature for its survival in the world. The butterfly’s struggle was the process of strengthening the wings.
Similarly, every child must grow through a process of struggle at every stage. It struggles to breathe soon after the birth. It struggles to turn when curious of its surroundings. It struggles to walk when fired with the desire of reaching for tempting objects. The journey goes on until obsessive parents interrupt it with their excessively caring approach. Perhaps, the hyper parenting has more to do with parents’ needs to feel important than it does with their child’s needs. Besides, how long parents can be around to provide protection? It is necessary to protect a sapling from the attacks of harsh weather. It is also desirable to provide support when the plant is growing. But, the protective support must be gradually withdrawn as the plant grows in its size and strength. Nature knows how to protect. Let’s give enough breathing space and elbow room to our children so that they may spread their wings fully, while we are still around, and soar high in the sky later.
I am reminded of a story. A man was watching the wonderful emergence of a butterfly from the skin of a caterpillar. Seeing the butterfly’s struggle to break out of the tight skin, he decided to help. He tore open the skin making it easier for the butterfly to come out. However, on emergence, the butterfly fell on the ground fluttering its wings in vain. His kindness killed the creature that could have mesmerised the world with its beauty. Nature has its own design to prepare every creature for its survival in the world. The butterfly’s struggle was the process of strengthening the wings.
Similarly, every child must grow through a process of struggle at every stage. It struggles to breathe soon after the birth. It struggles to turn when curious of its surroundings. It struggles to walk when fired with the desire of reaching for tempting objects. The journey goes on until obsessive parents interrupt it with their excessively caring approach. Perhaps, the hyper parenting has more to do with parents’ needs to feel important than it does with their child’s needs. Besides, how long parents can be around to provide protection? It is necessary to protect a sapling from the attacks of harsh weather. It is also desirable to provide support when the plant is growing. But, the protective support must be gradually withdrawn as the plant grows in its size and strength. Nature knows how to protect. Let’s give enough breathing space and elbow room to our children so that they may spread their wings fully, while we are still around, and soar high in the sky later.
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