Why Sadhguru says parents should stop trying to fix their children

In recent parenting discussions, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, a well-known spiritual guru, has advised parents to alter the conventional parenting style, which includes correcting the weaknesses of children and instead of controlling and correcting every step of their children, Sadhguru has stressed that children should be treated as individuals with their own nature, creativity, and potential. His advice, disseminated by his followers on social media platforms and video-sharing websites, urges parents to change their mindset from correction to awareness, presence, and support, which helps to create an environment for the child to grow in without constantly trying to shape and judge them.Children are not projects to be fixedThe main point that Sadhguru wants to make is that children are not flawed or defective; they are complete human beings who are born with their own instincts and joy. He also likes to remind parents that “a child is not something to fix, but somebody to allow to unfold.” Rather than judging actions, he also points out that when adults think children are flawed at their core, it is actually the adults' fears and expectations that are reflected in the child, not the child's nature. This helps parents to understand and observe rather than correct every mistake made by the child. The focus should be on self-awareness, not controlSadhguru also says that the emotional state of a parent affects a child much more than what the parent says. He highlights that children learn from their parents by observing them, not by listening to what they say. Rather than trying to control the actions of the child, parents should try to remain calm, aware, and emotionally balanced. When parents are working on their own development and emotional balance, children pick up good habits without any pressure.Let children explore and make mistakesOne of the most important reasons why Sadhguru recommends that parents should not try to fix children is that children need to make mistakes and explore. If parents try to fix every mistake, they will end up crushing the children’s curiosity and confidence. Sadhguru recommends that parents try to build an environment around the children that will allow them to explore, learn from their mistakes, and build resilience. This will help the children develop emotionally and psychologically in the long run rather than just being obedient and avoiding failure.Children are not the owners of their parents’ expectationsSadhguru also recommends that parents should not consider their children as an extension of their own expectations and ambitions. Parents often tend to make their children work towards what they want, which is not what the child wants. Sadhguru’s advice to parents is to recognize that children are individuals who have their own journey to make and should not be treated as a tabula rasa that needs to be shaped in the same image. This will allow children to explore their own interests and talents, and will result in wholesome growth.Conscious parenting builds trust and connectionLastly, what Sadhguru has to say on the subject of conscious parenting is that parents need to move away from being authoritarian figures in their children’s lives and become a source of strength and companionship for the children. If parents are able to stop trying to correct their children’s mistakes and instead try to understand, support, and be there emotionally for the children, the children will feel secure, trusted, and loved. And this will help parents and children develop a strong bond and will help children grow up as confident and self-aware individuals who can face life with curiosity and resilience.