It has long been our custom to tell moral stories to children from a very young age.
Throughout our childhood, we are constantly regaled with numerous moral tales—admonitions such as “one must never lie” or maxims like “revere your mother as God and your father as God.” This practice of telling moral stories to children is not unique to this country; it is a tradition observed in nations across the globe. One might assume that, upon hearing these stories, children would transform for the better; yet, this is not the case. Whether they are children or adults, what resonates most powerfully with them—even more than the moral lesson itself—is the immorality depicted within these stories.
The negative elements within these tales exert a strong attraction. We tell children, “You must not lie.” However, prior to this instruction, they may not have even been aware that the concept of “lying” existed. Simply forbidding them from lying does not guarantee that they will refrain from doing so. Instead, an individual decides whether or not to lie based on their own specific needs and circumstances; merely being told “do not lie” does not, in itself, prevent a person from telling a falsehood.
Furthermore, parents often offer only lip service to the principle of honesty. While they verbally instruct their children not to lie, those very same parents frequently turn around and tell their children to lie—for instance, by instructing them to say, “Dad isn’t home,” when creditors come knocking.Furthermore, the mother constantly emphasises that everyone in the household must be treated equally and accorded due respect. Yet, in the absence of the grandmothers, she instructs the children to simply take whatever is available in the refrigerator and eat it. In doing so, the mother is essentially engaging in deceit—even while simultaneously preaching that one should never tell lies.
It is not just the mother; the father behaves in the same manner, as do the teachers. What message, then, is actually being conveyed to the children? They are merely being told not to lie, yet their role models’ actual behaviour does not align with this precept. In this context, it is behaviour—not words—that serves as the true medium of communication.
Therefore, rather than merely narrating moral stories to children, if we demonstrate a virtuous life through our own actions, our conduct will serve as a benchmark for them. Only then is there a genuine possibility that they, too, will grow up to be virtuous individuals.
Moral Stories for Children Moral Stories for Children
