The Four Important Roles Parents Must Play in Raising Good Children : หน้า 64/207

In addition to being good parents and performing parental duties, they should also assume the following roles: 1. The role of a teacher. Parents must teach children to discern what is right and wrong, and what they should and should not do. If your child is too young to learn about cause and effect, parents must then be good role models for them. The effort must be gentle and spoken with a warm tone. Do not teach them with a bad temper. Punishment should be utilized only when it is necessary. Cleanliness should be encouraged while the children are still very young by involving them in chores like washing clothes and cleaning. Regular bathing and clean eating habits should be taught early. Do not neglect these lessons or assume that they are insignificant. Since parents are their children’s first teachers, they must instill what is right in their children so that it will be a foundation for their children’s good character. As the children grow up, this foundation will help them integrate good behavior into their natural habits. This will automatically steer them away from wrongful behavior. 2. The role of an angelic being. Parents must have a solid foundation of Dhamma in order to assume this role. They must train their children to love merit and be fearful of sin. This can be accomplished by reading to The Warm Hearted Family 127 The Four Important Rules Parents Must Play in Raising Good Children