Encourage the children to speak up..

There was this very rude teacher in my school who would not think twice before speaking rudely to a student. I remember how once he had humiliated a very brilliant boy in my class and for no rhyme or reason dragged his father in between. As was in our times, the boy kept quiet and the teacher kept on insulting him and his father.

Today when a boy took a stand and questioned a professor when he called the student a terrorist for being a Muslim in front of the entire class, it made me happy. Children should be taught to question any kind of uncalled for remark or behavior, be it anyone. We were taught to keep quiet, not question or answer back the elders, and that didn’t help in life. You need to take a stand for yourself, your self-respect, and let’s not equate that to being selfish or ill mannered always.

Along with academics, teach your children to be strong, to question, and to speak up. Self-respect is precious.