Book review: The Skilled Profession of Child-Rearing by Sri Daya Mata

Compiled from lectures of Sri Daya Mata in which questions about child-rearing were asked, this must-read booklet consists of invaluable advice for SRF YSS parents to bring up children of the 21st century.

Who was Sri Daya Mata?

Sri Daya Mata (1914-2010) was one of the foremost disciples of Paramahansa Yogananda.

A true “Mother of Compassion,” as her name signifies, she inspired those of all faiths and from all walks of life with the wisdom and great love of God conveyed through her talks, writings, and recordings.

Chosen by Paramahansa Yogananda to lead his work and serve as a spiritual mother to those drawn to his teachings, she was a guiding force of inspiration, wisdom, and compassion for SRF YSS monastics and members alike as spiritual head of Paramahansaji’s worldwide society for more than fifty-five years.

Her legacy lives on in countless hearts and minds as one who lived the Guru’s ideals to the fullest and who cared for all of God’s children.

Topics covered

• Training of Children Begins in the Home
• Children Need Loving Discipline
• Parents Should Share the Responsibility of Child-Rearing
• Cultivating a Close Relationship With Your Children
• Keep the Lines of Communication Open
• Introduce Children to a Sense of Responsibility
• Should parents choose their children’s careers?
• Dating during teenage
• Love marriage vs arranged marriage

Some useful quotations from the book

The proper training of children begins in the home. The schools have “gone to pot,” so to speak. But the deteriorating environment there is not entirely the fault of the schools. We must lay the blame where it belongs — lack of right education in the home.

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The best chance for success in raising children is if the parents themselves set the right standards by their own example.

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If a child is given everything he wants, he does not learn the value of anything. Teach the child that he should contribute his part to the family, to his circle of friends, to his community. That prepares him to cope with what others will expect of him as an adult.

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You have to guide children with firmness, but there must also be love.

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Do not try to be like your children. You are their parents, not their brothers and sisters. Teach them to love and respect you as parents.

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I don’t think the “buddy-buddy” relationship is healthy, or helpful to a child. A mother wanting to become a sister to her children is merely trying to nourish her own ego. She doesn’t want to grow up. She should be a responsible mother. And the same is true for the father.

Book Details

Where to buy?

• SRF bookstore: Buy Book
• YSS bookstore (within India): Buy Book
• Amazon: Available as a part of a set of 13 booklets on Yogananda’s teachings. To find on Amazon search for: How to Live Series Gift Pack 13 Booklets (or use google)

If you have any queries, feel free to ask in comments