By Dr. Neolla Godinho

When we look around us these days all we see are piles of uncleared garbage, dirt, corruption, and filth. All we hear are environmentalist lamenting loud and clear, to all who care to hear, the future of the planet earth. All we smell are stenches from overflowing drains. All we taste are adulterated foodstuffs which not only leave a bad taste in the mouth but undermine our health with every bite. What then can we leave our children? Legacy! When housewives can barely balance their daily budget for, they are down to the bare essentials and there is nothing else they can cut down on. Yes, legacy, which only we as parents can give and give in abundance.

CARE – Show children you care for them and not just tell them. Caring does not mean seeing to their material needs alone. They need to be shown in various ways that we care enough about them to know what happens to them. Care enough to listen when they talk, to attend to their problems no matter how trivial they may seem to us. Caring builds in the child a sense of caring in turn, which can manifest in their adult lives to care enough for their fellow men to help them in their problems.

LOVE – Tell children you love them not just show them. For us adults showing love means working hard providing them with all sorts of luxuries which is proof enough we love them. Children cannot fathom that line of logic. Not having time for them means to them you do not love them. Once in a while hold them, cuddle them and above all tell them you love them and see how they thrive on the knowledge. Love is the corner stone in their building blocks for if they receive love, they will learn to give love in return. Unless one receives one cannot give. Give and give in abundance and watch your child blossom before your very eyes into a loving individual. For love is the key to a better and more fruitful life.

TIME – This is what every child craves for no matter what his or her age. Devote some of your time to them every day no matter how busy you are or how full your day is with important appointments. Just a little bit of your time everyday devoted exclusively to them means a lot to them. Too busy? No time absolutely? Important meeting the boss? Consider the time spent with your child as important as any other business meeting and you will see how you manage to find the time for it. Most important take time to play with them, to sit with them, to listen to them and I promise you, you will never regret it.

TRUST – Trust your child. Give him more responsibility. Too young you think to trust him with anything. The irony is that the more you trust him the more responsible he becomes. Trust builds in your child not only a sense of responsibility but also a sense of confidence, of accomplishment, of realization he can do something because someone believes he can. Trust him, believe in him, and in return he will learn to trust and believe you and his fellow men.

FAITH – The most important ingredient of your legacy to our children is instilling in them faith in God. Faith transcends all. Teach them young to love, trust and talk to God when they are happy, talk to him when in need, talk to him when in sorrow, talk to him when you just need to talk to someone. Faith is the one and only factor that will sustain them during their darkest hours, when you are not there to hold their hand and comfort them. Faith it is that will help face a new day, and that is important for who know what tomorrow holds for them. This, then, is the legacy, the best legacy, we can leave our children. Care for them, love them, give time to them, trust them and above all instil faith in them. Children do not need luxuries as much as they need you. For what we give them in terms of ourselves today will last them a lifetime and help them cope better as individuals. Give them what they need, give them a part of you, a part they can always treasure and in return you will find that not only they, but you too lead a much more meaningful life.

* Please read, circulate, and keep with you for future reference *