Parenting is an adventure full of love and experiences that one undertakes. Parents wish and hope to see their children lead a life full of values and meaning. While examples of modern parenting abound, ancient Indian wisdom offers timeless lessons. The life story of Lord Krishna is amongst the greatest inspirations; divine and deeply human. His relationship with his parents, caretakers, and disciples extends an exceptional insight into nurturing children.

Let us now look into all these parenting lessons from Lord Krishna’s life in the course of parenting.

Trust Your Child’s Potential

One of the greater parenting lessons that Yashoda and Nanda, Krishna’s foster parents, have left for all the parents is that they had always viewed their child as gifted with special abilities. They never gave up trust in him, nor did they ever underestimate him. They gently corrected him for his pranks, such as stealing butter, rather than punishing him severely.

Parenting Tip: Every child is gifted with unique potential. Do not try to curb their instincts; inspire them with boundless love and trust. Take pride in their individuality. Allow them the freedom to explore and grow.

Be a Role Model

The courage and the self-sacrifice shown by Krishna’s biological mother and father, Devaki and Vasudeva respectively, were immense. Suffering for long periods would never etch their virtue. The same suffered by Lord Krishna was an inspiration for him to defend the downtrodden and work for justice.

Parenting Tip: Your children will reflect you. So, whatever you do, imbibe these values: Courage, kindness; integrity. Your actions will teach your children more than your words ever could.

Teach Through Stories and Play

Krishna loved to narrate stories from childhood, and simple stories turned into profound parenting lessons. He explained the universe by showing his cosmic form and imparted lessons through playfulness. He engaged with the children and kept the lessons engaging and memorable.

Parenting Tip: The more fun lessons are, the better children learn. Do the teaching through moral stories, games, and real-life examples of virtues like honesty, compassion, and perseverance.

Encourage Curiosity

Questions formed the very foundation of Krishna’s childhood. Whatever questions he asked, be it about shooting stars or riddles of life, would find answers in the face of Yashoda, who answered Krishna’s questions with admirable patience and wisdom.

Parenting Tip: Inspire your child to be curious and ask questions about the universe. Curiosity indicates intelligence and creativity. A discussion with them would nurture the child’s curious mind.

Accept Their Defects

Wherever Krishna went, he left behind a trail of mischief that earned him the nickname of “Makhan Chor” (butter thief). Instead of scolding or punishing him, his parents lovingly accepted his defect and guided him with great care.

Parenting Tip: Perfect and imperfect are two oppositional sides of the same coin. The better way to go is to accept the child’s flaws and gently guide him on the right path. The focus is more on modification of behavior and less on being judgmental of the self-esteem of a child.

Teach Responsibility Early

In his childhood, Krishna was tasked with the melliferous duty of the protection of cows and nurturing the Gokul community. This was a way to nurture leadership and responsibility at a young age.

Parenting Tip: Let children share responsibilities according to their age. Chores and assignments develop the virtues of accountability and confidence in a child.

Balance Discipline with Freedom

The parenting style of Krishna included a mix of discipline and freedom for him to play freely and express himself while realizing where the boundaries lay.

Parenting Tip: Provide firm guidance on the boundaries you set, but grant the child freedom to make decisions. Balance of freedom aids in developing independence coupled with the understanding of how important rules actually are.

Instill the Value of Friendship

Krishna says that his indomitable faith in his friends forms the very basis of friendship. There is nothing more famous than Krishna’s humility and faithfulness in friendship, particularly with Sudama.

Parenting tip: Teach your child about meaningful relationships. Approach them kindly, loyally, and empathetic toward friends. Help them understand that trust and respect are the cornerstones of relationships.

Preparation for Life’s Challenges

Since childhood, Krishna has encountered huge challenges, including threats from Kansa. Nevertheless, Krishna grew up courageous and tenacious, supported by a bunch of his loved ones.

Parenting tip: If life isn’t easy for your child, you should help them prepare for it. Teach them qualities like resilience, problem-solving, and a positive attitude.

Raise Awareness of Knowledge

In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna spoke of knowledge and self-awareness. Through knowledge and scrutiny, he aided Arjuna in conquering doubts and fears.

Parenting tip: Encourage your child to learn from experience and take learning away from experiences. Teach them the importance of reflecting on their actions and learning from their experiences.

Similar to life itself, parenting is a divine journey. The life of Lord Krishna is a treasure trove of parenting lessons that tell us to lead us with love, patience, and wisdom. Let them trust their kids, allow their unique perspectives to emerge, and emulate those unrealized values to steer them toward an enigmatic and meaningful future.