Parents should get weekly classes on how to deal with children: Sajal Aly

Actor Sajal Aly made a bold move that may make some people uncomfortable when she said that children are not the only ones who need to be taught how to behave — parents need to learn how to treat their children right as well. It is a relationship that requires effort from both sides and she couldn’t be more right.

“I believe, along with teaching children how to behave and conduct themselves, we should also teach parents how to treat their children,” she wrote in a tweet. “Parents should get weekly classes (one hour a week, minimum) on how to deal with children and their dilemmas.”

The Sinf-e-Aahan actor highlighted the fact that children are not playthings that can be moulded according to their parents’ liking — they’re individuals who deserve the same respect and disciplined response that is expected of them. It is a two-sided relationship that requires effort on both sides but the greater side needs to be the parents’ — to bring another human being into the world is automatically shouldering the duty to raise them and do right by them. This includes learning to give them the space and attention they require to grow healthily.

This is not the first time a celebrity has brought attention to the parents’ responsibility in the dynamic. Actor Mohsin Abbas Haider went into detail discussing the issue of child abuse as it pertained to an upcoming drama of his in 2018. He said we need to teach parents to listen to their children and hoped to achieve that through the drama.

“We want to bridge the gap between the family and the survivor of abuse. We want to teach children that the moment they are uncomfortable with someone they need the confidence to say it to their parents and we want to teach the parents to listen to their children and understand where they’re coming from,” he captioned his Instagram post.

Expanding a bit more on bridging the communication gap within families, he said, “Parents are supposed to be the most trustworthy unit for their children. We want children to be instilled with such confidence that they can tell their parents about anything and parents need to have awareness and be alert with their children.”

The “awareness” and alertness that Abbas mentioned needs to apply to all situations — parents need to be attentive of the needs and behaviours of their children and sometimes that requires learning. No one is born a parent but everyone has the choice to make a conscious effort and learn more about it to allow their child to have the best shot at life and a good relationship with their parents.