Amal Muhammad Amin
The upbringing of children is a great responsibility that constitutes the future of individuals and societies, a complex process in which several parties overlap, starting from the family, through the school, and ending with the friends and environment surrounding. A fundamental question is often raised: Who bears the greatest responsibility in this upbringing? Are they the parents? Or school? Or friends?
First: The family, “Father and Mother”: The family is the first nucleus in the child’s life, and through it it acquires basic values, such as love, safety, respect, and discipline. The basic responsibility rests with the parents, because they are the first to deal with the child from the moment of his birth. The father represents role models and power, while the mother represents tenderness and care, and their role is integrated. The child learns from his parents behaviors through imitation and observation, and therefore any defect in their behavior or neglect in education may lead to deviations or weakness in the psychological and social formation of the child.
Second: The school: The school comes second after the family, which is an educational and educational institution that directly affects the child’s thought and behavior. The school’s task is not limited to academic education only, but also extends to implanting moral principles, developing social skills, and enhancing the concept of belonging and responsibility. Also, teachers represent a new role model in the child’s life, and the school environment helps to enhance positive values or – in the absence of censorship and awareness – may contribute to the consolidation of wrong behaviors.
Third: Friends: Friends play an important role in late and adolescent childhood, as the child’s personality in independence begins gradually from the family, and comrades become a great impact on his decisions and behaviors. Here lies the danger, as friends can be a source of encouragement, motivation, or exactly vice versa. Therefore, it is the duty of the family and the school together to direct the child to choose his friends carefully, while developing the skills of critical thinking that makes him able to distinguish between correct and wrong behavior.
How to raise a normal child: raising a normal child psychologically and morally requires awareness and continuity of the family and those around him. This process begins with unconditional love and emotional support, as the child feels safe and belonging. It is also important to instill values from childhood, such as honesty, respect, and responsibility, through daily positions and open discussion. The child’s mental and social skills must also be developed by reading, purposeful play, dialogue, and encouraging him to express his feelings and opinions freely. Discipline is no less important, provided that it is based on positive guidance, not harsh punishment, which enhances self -confidence and gives the child the ability to make correct decisions and bear their results. With this balance between firmness and tenderness, the child arises together, able to interact with his society positively.
– Whoever bears the greatest responsibility? Therefore, the basic responsibility in raising the child lies with the family first. It is the first environment in which the child grows up, and sets the first foundations of his personality. After that, the school comes to complete what the family started, and provides a supportive environment for academic and social growth. As for friends, despite their great influence, they are not responsible as they are as a result of the previous upbringing. From here we find that the upbringing of children is an integrated collective responsibility that starts from the family and does not end with the school, but rather includes the entire society. In order to create a conscious generation, balanced, and able to face the challenges of life, cooperation between parents and teachers, while directing the child to choose his friends carefully.
