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What I Learned Raising a Son in a Small Town In India
As a mother, you should listen more than you speak
When I became a mother twenty-five years ago, I did not have any guidebooks. I only had my instincts, many long talks with my mother, and anxious pauses in between taking care of my child and getting him to school.
Parenting is not a grand affair in a small town in northeastern Himalayan India. You can hear it in the courtyards, in secret talks between neighbors, and in the quiet moments of a busy life, but it’s hard to find anyone to talk about parenting.
It was not easy to raise a boy in this environment. I was concerned about his education and meals, but even more about his character as a man. Could he grasp the idea of empathy? Would he show respect to women?
Would he still be honest when the world often praises those who take shortcuts? I didn’t always know what to do, but with time, I understood that being a mother meant being there, patient, and learning together with your child.
Listening beyond words
Earlier on, I thought being quiet meant I was complying. If he did what he was told, I considered everything to be fine. Sometimes, children communicate in ways other than words. They communicate through their behavior…
