Wisdom of the Ancients in Child Rearing, Part 2 of 2

At the heart of ancient Egyptian wisdom lies the principle of Maat, a guiding force that shaped how people lived, raised their children, and related to one another. It taught moral and spiritual rightness across three connected realms: the Divine, the natural world, and human society. The ancient Egyptians believed that harmony in the world began with virtuous living. For parents, these teachings offered a clear message: when children are guided toward honesty, self-control, and respect, they grow into adults who uphold harmony in society.

In India, the foundations of parenting wisdom are found in the Vedas, where ethical living and spiritual growth are passed from one generation to the next. Within these ancient literatures are the notion of Panch Kutumba Sadhana, or commonly referred to as the five Vedic parenting guidelines, on how parents are to nurture children and encourage them to follow the path of Dharma. The fourth principle is Dharma Svadhyaya (Continuing Self-Study): as young children will grow up and become independent one day, it is vital to instill in them the virtue of lifelong learning, that is to say, knowledge which is continuous and self-motivated.

During a conference in Washington, D.C, USA, Supreme Master Ching Hai (vegan) also expressed Her concern for children by proposing a curriculum for schools grounded in spiritual and moral standards. “Now, the basic moral and social standards, we must instill in the children at a young age and provide the inner support they can always lean on throughout their lifetime. […] Actually, all the children, not just the Indigo or Crystalchildren, are born very sweet and loving and innocent; and they do have a connection with God up to the age of three or four. […] The blessing, actually, to our planet, are the animal-people. We have to teach them the value of loving kindness to others, especially to the animal-people.”