I remember my childhood days when I was so scared of my parents , especially my father.I would not open up so easily in front of him. I would convey my feelings , likes and dislikes to my mother but it was not easy in front of father. Later on as I grew up , it was an approach from my father , to befriend me, to share his feelings and opinion more as a friend than as a parent. I saw a sudden change in my nature too. I was a more open and confident person, who shared and discussed problems , issues, success , happiness and sad moments with ease to my parents. I brought a change in my overall personality and my attitude towards life. I started to excel not only in academics but sports and extra co-curricular activities also.
There was a transition of extrovert person from an introvert.
Having experienced this change in my life , I realize the importance of being a buddy parent. Though I am still to become a father but what I am seeing and had experience in the past , I have already decided that I will try my level best to be a buddy father i.e. I will be more of a friend , philosopher and guide to my kid than a strict and discipline oriented guardian. The importance this approach also rises from the fact that there will always be generation gap between father & kid, and as a parent it is very important to bridge this gap to make sure our kids to an ideal upbringing. As a parent it is also a learning experience to keep pace with change and try to understand this new gen Y. There is lot we can learn from them. The Y gen kids are full of ideas, opinions and innovation. They don’t hesitate to speak their minds and this is what makes them so special and ahead of their time.
Being a buddy parent involves getting involved in their day to day activities. One has to make sure that we are not acting as instructors , rather as buddies, interacting with them closely as friends. The more we will get engrossed in their world , the more we will learn about them and also in process learn new things. Buddy parents are those who make learning fun and create bonding moments with their kids that go on to make for a happy and secure childhood.
How often we complain that the best days of our lives were when we were kids and miss our childhood. Well life has given one more chance to us to relive of childhood and that too with our own kids. So I think we should make the make most of this by reliving our childhood days as buddy parents along with our kids.
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