In a small village, there was an old tomb under a banyan tree. Nearby lived a boy named Ashu, who was average in studies but a master of mischief. From childhood, Ashu had a habit of stealing fruits, stealing small items from others and hiding them, and lying to get away with it. If anyone complained, his mother, Meera, would immediately say, "Hey, he's a child! He's bound to get up to some mischief. Our Ashu can't do that!" And his father, Dushyant, would often pat him on the back and say, "He's a lion's cub, he's bound to have some fun."
Once, he dug out all the cucumber seeds from his neighbor, Shyam Chacha's, field because Shyam Chacha had scolded him while he was playing. When Shyam Chacha complained to Dushyant, Dushyant settled the matter by paying double the price for the cucumber seeds, but didn't say a word to Ashu. Instead, he quarreled with Shyam Chacha and insulted him for blaming his innocent child. This incident instilled in Ashu a deep belief that his parents would always protect him, no matter how big a mistake he made.
This belief became even stronger when Ashu was in the eighth grade.
An iron donation box was kept near the shrine. Ashu and his friend took a rod and, one day, after dark, inserted it into the donation box to widen it. Then Ashu reached inside and took out all the money.
The next day, the shrine's cleric found the donation box open and the money missing. He immediately became suspicious. The house directly opposite the shrine had a CCTV camera installed. Upon viewing the footage, it became clear that Ashu and his friend were stealing by breaking the donation box with a rod.
The cleric was a good man. To avoid further trouble in the village, he went straight to Ashu's father, Dushyant.
"Dushyant Bhai," the cleric said calmly, "your son Ashu and his friend stole money from the donation box at the shrine. It's not much, maybe ₹500, but this habit is not right. The CCTV shows everything. My job was to inform you."
Dushyant became furious upon hearing the cleric's words. "Are you accusing my child? My child didn't steal anything! These days, it's the age of technology, anyone can be implicated! You're trying to defame our child!"
Ashu and his mother, Meera, were also there. Meera said angrily, "We have complete trust in our child. He couldn't do this! You're a liar!"
In front of Ashu, Dushyant and Meera abused the Maulvi and chased him away. They didn't even ask Ashu for the truth, nor did they scold him. Ashu stood silently, a hidden smile of triumph on his face.
The Maulvi and some wise men of the village whispered among themselves: "Tell me, what kind of parents are these! Even when the truth is right in front of them, they're trying to cover up their child's mistake. Today he committed a small theft, tomorrow he'll commit a major robbery. If the child isn't punished today, his future is bleak."
This blind support from his parents completely dispelled fear and shame from Ashu's heart. He felt that whatever he did, his parents stood as a shield.
Over time, Ashu's petty thefts turned into major crimes. First, he started breaking into nearby houses, then he joined a large gang of thieves. His confidence was sky-high because every time he was caught, his father used his money and power to save him. Instead of teaching their son right from wrong, Dushyant and Meera always protected him from consequences, believing him to be their "lion cub."
But one day, Ashu was arrested for a serious robbery and assault case. This time, the case was so serious that all of Dushyant's money and influence proved insufficient. Ashu's childhood record (which included the shrine theft and the cucumber seed incident) also went against him in court.The judge sentenced Ashu to life imprisonment.
As the police led Ashu away, Dushyant and Meera wept bitterly. Ashu was sent behind bars.
That night, Meera tearfully told Dushyant, "I wish... I wish we had listened to the cleric that day. We had scolded him severely for stealing ₹500 and made him admit his mistake. We saved him from punishment and ruined his future. The seed we nurtured in childhood has now grown into a poisonous banyan tree and swallowed us and him."
Dushyant's eyes were filled with tears too. He remembered, "Laughing at Ashu's bad habits as a child, supporting him, and thinking that a child's small mistakes should be ignored..."
💡Moral of the Story💡 : -
"A tree that is not straightened in childhood always remains crooked when it grows up." It is a parent's greatest duty to curb children's bad habits early on. If you cover up a small mistake, it instills in the child the belief that he will get away with it, which makes him less afraid of making bigger mistakes.
Siding with your child and scolding the person who complains, even when you know he's at fault, is the first step towards spoiling the child. This destroys his respect for truth and justice.
The child should be taught to face the consequences of his mistakes. This makes him responsible and self-controlled. Overprotective behavior by parents can make the child weak and criminal for life.
Read more : - The Wall of Belief
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