Joyful Parenting

I was twenty-six years old when I had Ariana (my first daughter) and as I held her in my arms I looked at her and I looked up as high as my eyes could reach and from my heart I called God and said “Dear God, you have given me a doll but there is no instruction manual with this doll”. 
 
Not did Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda only answer my prayer but he expressed himself in every situation. Gurudev has gifted me three girls and with every step every age he has guided me through his books which not only carry his teachings but every time we read the same book there is a new learning a new instruction a new guidance in the form of literature. 

As a family we sit together and read various text, some in the form of scriptures like the commentary written on the Holy Geeta by Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda, and for our youngest one who is two years old she has her collection of Shishu Vihar books written by Swamini Supriyananda. Isha (my two year old) will not sleep till I haven’t read the book “Mata, Mama and me” and “Go Hanuman Go” with her father. 

Now, when I look back and see how Pujya Gurudev has taught these children and united us as a family though his teachings. No instruction manual would have brought this base of values, connection and unconditional love. Marriage a melody has been one of my favorites by Pujya Guruji Swami Tejomayananda, having understood the importance of marriage for karma yoga I then started reading two books on parenting. One is called “Joyful Parenting Solutions” by Pujya Swami Swaroopananda and “Parenting” book by Pujya Guruji. As parents we always worry, what will these kids grow up to be? Will they have the right values? Will they be happy? Will they succeed? 

I understood that parenting doesn’t mean we possess these children so called “ours”. Parenting is understanding that they are a gift to us, gifts that will be unwrapped with a different surprise in the form of an impression every day, and how as parents we need to guide that impression into a positive one as role models, unless we as parents do not follow what we are teaching/preaching that child is never going to follow. Character is caught not taught. 

Fear was always something I carried, as those thoughts would creep in, I remember how I held Pujya Gurudev’s book called Kindle Life, not only did I dive into studying it and trying how to implement it in my daily life, but it changed my perception towards life, my own limitations that I had set for myself. 

Being in this social network called the world we always receive gifts and give gifts, while receiving or giving we want to make sure that the next person uses it, feels loved and it makes a difference to them. What better than gifting books? From the past twenty years we as a family have firmly believed that any gift should be given along with a book of wisdom. 

 - Karishma Punjabi, Pune