Narwana : It was an unlikely place for one of the most radical call in recent times. You must have heard about organic farming, the one without fertilizer and insecticides. At SD Kanya Mahavidyala, Narwana, OP Singh, IGP in Haryana Police and Haryana Sports Director from 2008-12 enjoying an iconic status in sports administration, created quite a buzz by giving a call for ‘organic parenting’ today. Around 500 parents and teachers of Nursery to Class V listened in rapt attention as OP Singh chastened them for over-stepping and urged them to allow children to grow up to be best in what they good at, make them physically active and spend money on quality education.
He surprised many by saying that as parents we over-value our role in children’s life. Clinton and Obama didn’t have parents at all around yet they grew up to become two-time Presidents of the USA.
“Dreaming big is what you need to do to get anywhere in life. You miss out here and entire life you will miss one thing or the other” he said
“You need to help your children in identifying what they like doing the most. Your job is to encourage them to strive for a career in line of their aptitude. Its like swimming with the current. Excellence and achievement will flow”, he assured.
What drew people’s attention was the backdrop – upside down tap with sapling struggling to grow out. OP Singh said that it is what most of the parents think to be good parenting. He recalled what Sachin Tendulkar said one of his TV interview: “A good parenting is saying the same thing that is good for your children again and again without getting irritated”.
He called upon parents and teachers to be organic in their approach to children – let them be themselves, tell them that they are good and strong and encourage them to think out of box.
He hailed parents and teachers as the change-makers. “As you are in-charge of them, your approach to children will decide whether they will grow into a dependent job-seekers or enterprising innovators taking country to the next level”, he said. .
On clash between education and sports, he said that it is superficial and uncalled for. Research shows that sports boosts scholastic ability and raises health standard. It helps in developing key personality differentiator like perseverance, commitment and competitiveness among children. These are the traits that determine one’s place in pecking order in adult life, said OP Singh.
On education getting expensive, he said that it is a non-issue. Nothing can hold back a determined person. Least In today’s interdependent world where schools and workplaces world over are open to talented boys and girls. History is full of people who turned adversity into advantage. All that one needs to do is to work hard on one’s talent and have a heart to hang on when going is not great.
On being asked why he has limited his interaction to parents till Standard V only, he said that it is the right bandwidth if aim is to raise innovative and enterprising future generation. “Choices made in first ten years lay down the foundation for rest of the life. Any intervention at this stage will help the most”, he said.
The principal of the school thanked OP Singh for his inspiring talk. He said that it will bridge the information gap and show the way ahead to young parents and teachers. Jugminder Singh, District Sports Officer of Jind said that the workshop will change the way parents see their young children and will help them in helping their children better. Participants in the workshop said that now they have more clear idea about their role in children’s life – to help them to be the best in what they are good at.