How do we teach children good habits?
Just giving instructions won't help.
They may obey instructions, but that will not help them in the long term.
Concepts passed on with logic and reasoning can work much better.
The reasoning need not be always scientific.
Acharya Vinoba Bhave talks about one such topic from his childhood.
Children waste food.
This is very common.
Vinobaji tells how his mother and father used different kinds of reasoning to convince him not to do that.
Mother said: never waste food.
Eat a little less, does not matter.
But don't put more and then waste.
It is predestined how many grains one would eat throughout his life.
So if you eat less, you can live longer.
Good concept, right?
Father said: see, she is putting so much effort to make the food tasty.
She is spending hours every day just to make the food tasty.
If you put it in the mouth and immediately swallow , then what is the use?
You are not even enjoying the taste.
All her effort is going waste.
So you should put the food in your mouth, keep it there longer - meaning chew for some time - enjoy the taste and then swallow.
You know, children always tend to hurry when taking food.
They don't chew properly.
When you chew properly and take a longer time to eat, then it improves digestion also.
See, one approach is spiritual, the other approach is scientific
Vinobaji got two reasons two improve his eating habits.
Instead of this if you just say: don't waste food, why are you wasting food?
It won't work with children.