Dr. R. K. Anand gives tips on good parenting and shares his prescription for a healthy and happy family.
For about 55 years, I have had the privilege of working with thousands of families. That experience has given me the insight to write the following prescription for a healthy and happy family.
Prescription for a healthy and happy family
Be fit! You as parents must serve as role models for your kids. Lead a healthy lifestyle. If you follow a lifestyle with right food habits, daily exercise and adequate rest, your kids are likely to follow suit.
- Your diet, vegetarian or non-vegetarian, should include more whole grains, leafy vegetables, salads, seasonal fruits, nuts and sprouts. Aim to eat at least one home-cooked meal each day with the whole family.
- Consume less fat, sugar, salt, red meat and other refined foods.
- Exercise daily. This could be in the form of a brisk walk, an active sport and light weights for strengthening the body. Yoga and Pranayama are helpful for maintaining good health as well as for increasing the flexibility of the body.
- Stay away from tobacco chewing, smoking, alcohol and recreational drugs.
- Develop a hobby and have social-interaction with people to grow. Do consider joining voluntary groups to promote the rights of children. If your children see you reach out, they too will be outgoing.
- Most important, smile and be happy. Indian scriptures teach us that “You are already happy, for that’s your real nature. A veil of ignorance sometimes makes you unhappy when things do not seem to go your way.
- Positive visualization. While the baby is still in the womb, pray and visualise that your child is healthy and is growing to become a happy and caring person.
- Be conscious of the dangers of consumerism and materialism. A serious problem of ‘affluenza’, not influenza, is rapidly spreading across the country. Teach your child the value of money. Giving in each time to the child’s demand may do more harm than good.
- Encourage your children to enjoy reading from an early age.
- Respect your children. Learn to listen more and speak less; praise more and criticize less; love more and judge less. Of course do not hesitate to be firm when the situation demands. Also, respect your children’s friends and know their families.
- Let your children learn from you to respect all communities and cultures.
- Don’t underestimate the role of fun! Playing hide and seek with your two-year old or playing scrabble with your older one, sharing jokes, playing music, intelligent TV watching, taking annual holidays together are essentials for raising happy and confident children.
- Learn to balance career and family life. Spend quality time with your spouse and your children. Also find time to take care of your own health.
- Cherish your joint, extended or nuclear family. Remember that each one of us has our moods. Find the right occasion to share your feelings and help each other grow in an atmosphere of love and acceptance. A family which prays together, stays together. If you believe in a Higher Power, let the family pray together before going to bed. If there are elders in the home, let the children greet them on getting up and get their blessings.
- It is fun to live in a laughing, loving family. May I wish all readers this blessing.