Part and parcel of grooming kids in a healthy way is communicating with them openly. However, in Pakistan, our culture has labeled several topics taboo, creating a communication gap between parents and children.
These neglected topics need to be spoken about for the betterment of our children.
1. Hygiene
The essential topic of discussion between parents and children is unfortunately also one of the most neglected ones. Conversations on hygiene get lost in the sensitivities of privacy and respect as parents feel it is inappropriate to speak about such matters with their children. Naturally, children reciprocate the same attitude and suffer as a result.
2. Failures
Pakistani meme culture thrives on the narrative of pressurizing parents. Children are burdened under the growing weight of their parents’ expectation of only the best. However, what many parents neglect are conversations surrounding failure.
Every path to success is not without its bumps. Speaking to children about failing often will ease them and make them learn to appreciate the process of developing more.
3. Expressing Emotions
“Boys don’t cry” is a phrase we’re sure everyone has heard or even said. However, this is a neglected topic which only creates more problems. Crying or expressing grief is not a sign of weakness, rather a sign of strength because it shows that a person is being true to themself.
4. Sex Education
In Pakistan, there is a passionate resistance to any and every talk about sex education. Contrary to popular belief, sex education only makes our children safer. This is because they receive knowledge of and about their body. Only when they are properly informed can they treat it/seel help for it safely.
5. Abuse
Many incidents of sexual abuse are unreported because, for a long time, the victims are not aware that what they are experiencing is abuse. Children are not told from a young age that no one must touch their private parts. They are not intimated about physical cues that can be dangerous.
6. The Importance of Expressing Opinions
It is rare in a desi household for parents to consider the opinions of their children in any matter. After all, when the elders are speaking, what can the young ones contribute? The truth is that in cases like this, it is not a matter of wisdom. Rather, it is about what is being instilled in the minds of the young.
Asking them for their opinion or encouraging them to share it does not mean you have to implement it. However, it will convey that their words have a value that will make them more confident.
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