AT THE FEET OF THE MOTHER
Ask Alok da

My son just does not listen to anyone. I am thinking of sending him to a hostel, that would only set him straight, is there any other option?

There are few advantages in a hostel such as enforced discipline. It also helps if there is constant fight in the house and the general atmosphere in the home is depressing and discouraging.

However hostels often make things worse. Children living together often pick up certain bad habits from each other.

While they may develop little bit of discipline but life in the hostels is generally not monitored closely giving scope for wrong influences to enter. Some children take it as a punishment and instead of improving get hardened.

The best way is to discuss all issues with the child, to listen to him and try to understand the reasons for his resentment. Then one needs to reason out things rather than impose through authority which hardly works. Appealing to his goodness is always better than forcing the child to obey. It takes longer but the effects are long lasting.

Affectionately,

Alok da.

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