How can I raise children for a better world

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Although you and your husband may have your different ideas about how to raise children it is important that you discuss and agree on any differences to ensure your children‘s welfare - which is undoubtedly of paramount importance to both of you.

Your children will be suffering if their mother is suffering, so try to bridge or - if possible - overcome your differences for their sake.

If necessary remind your husband that a happy relationship between their parents is best for the psychological and physical well-being of your children and remember that, as mothers, every day of their lives, we teach our children that:

• girls’ and women’s hunger is less important when we feed our husbands and sons first.
• girls do not deserve the opportunities that come from an education when we only send our sons to school.
• we raise violent men when we teach our sons that it is manly to be violent
• we teach our sons that it is acceptable for a man to beat his wife and children when we do not speak out against violence in our neighbour’s house.

As mothers, we have the power to change who our children will become, and can teach our:

• sons to be kind and compassionate, so they will grow up to be kind and compassionate husbands, fathers, and brothers.
• daughters to value themselves, so they will expect the same from others.
• sons to share and take pride in household work, so their sisters, wives, and daughters do not suffer the burden of overwork.
• daughters to be more independent by finishing school or learning a skill.
• sons to respect all women and to be responsible sexual partners.

Sources

• Burns, A. A., Niemann, S., Lovich, R., Maxwell, J., & Shapiro, K. (2014). Where women have no doctor: A health guide for women. Hesperian Foundation.
• Audiopedia ID: en021018