Does acquiring power and authority - professionally and spiritually, give one the power to misbehave with one’s parents at home? Do you approve of such people?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No, not at all. Both the parents and the children need to understand and be careful in this situation.
For parents, I would advise them not to be overly strict with children. Remember what has been said in our scriptures. In the Nitishastra and Dharmashastra, it is said, ‘Aprapti shodashe varshe putram mitram-vad archaret’.
When you child becomes 16 years old, you should be like a friend to them. So give some freedom to your children, and do not try to overly control them in everything that they do.
But do not give too much freedom also. If you give them too much freedom, then in the future they will only blame you for their own conditions.
It is like this, if you hold the reins of a horse too tight, the horse will not be able to run. And if you keep it totally loose, then the horse will run wherever it wants to. So adopt the middle path here.
For parents, I would advise them not to be overly strict with children. Remember what has been said in our scriptures. In the Nitishastra and Dharmashastra, it is said, ‘Aprapti shodashe varshe putram mitram-vad archaret’.
When you child becomes 16 years old, you should be like a friend to them. So give some freedom to your children, and do not try to overly control them in everything that they do.
But do not give too much freedom also. If you give them too much freedom, then in the future they will only blame you for their own conditions.
It is like this, if you hold the reins of a horse too tight, the horse will not be able to run. And if you keep it totally loose, then the horse will run wherever it wants to. So adopt the middle path here.
