If you have anyone under your care either as parents,
guardian or senior/head in any group as well as future parents and guardian;
your responsibility will be made simpler, unique and worthwhile if you meditate
with this passage before and after every day’s encounter/event:
‘Whoever loves his son will beat him frequently so
that in after years the son may be his comfort. Whoever is strict with his son
will reap the benefit and be able to boast of him to his acquaintances. Whoever
educates his son will be the envy of his enemy and will be proud of him among
his friends. Even when the father dies, he might well not be dead, since he
leaves his likeness behind him. In life he has had the joy of his company,
dying, he has no anxieties. He leaves an avenger against his enemies and a
rewarder of favors for his friends. Whoever coddles his son will bandage his wounds;
his heart will turn over at every cry. A badly broken-in horse turns out stubborn;
a son left to himself turns out headstrong. Pamper your child and he will terrorize
you, play along with him and he will bring you sorrow. Do not laugh with him or
one day you will weep with him and end up gnashing your teeth. While he is
young, do not allow his freedom and do not wink at his mistakes. Bend his neck
in youth, bruise his ribs while he is a child, or else he will grow stubborn
and disobedient and hurt you very deeply. Be strict with your son and persevere
with him or you will rue his insolence’ (Sirach30:1-13)
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