Call your children by the names you have given them with love, so that they may live their entire lives and be recognized by these names.

Labelling, whether positive or negative, should never be used. Children should be called by their names or referred to as sons or daughters. Parents often shout, “Oh, naughty one, my smart child,” etc. This may be acceptable by definition, but it has a negative effect on this child and other children.

In my class, there was a very bright student. He was labelled “smart” by teachers. I asked the teachers not to label the child. However, by this point, the child had already been heavily influenced by the label. The effect was so strong that the child stopped working from home and got low grades in his secondary examination (matriculation).

Other children’s names are kept alongside the label; how can a parent call their child by any other name after lovingly naming them, a name that will forever replace the original?

Let me explain this with an example

Once a special meeting of the neighbours was held at our home which was with some organization and some development work was to be done in the area. The representative of the organization was calling the names from the identity cards of the citizens and getting them to sign the form. An identity card (name) came up that no one was picking up on.

Everyone was looking at one another and asking, “Who is this person? Among our neighbours, there is no such person”.

When the representative called out the father’s name, then someone got an idea and asked the other person, “Isn’t he taking your correct name?” He then nodded, got up and signed the form.

This person lived his whole life without knowing his name. This might be the first time since his birth or the first time since replacing the name that someone was calling him with his original name. A name which was given by his parents with deep love and emotion.

Therefore, my experience suggests calling your children by the names you have given them with love, so that they may live their entire lives and be recognized by these names.

Don’t label them either positively or negatively, so that the child can work to their true potential.

I Wish Every Parent Knew This- Dr. Afzal Badshah

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