New Delhi, July 26 (FN Agency) Former Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Kiran Bedi urged people on Tuesday to opt for ‘planned parenthood’ for welfare of their children and future generations. Speaking at the launch of Ajayya Kumar and Praveen Parameshwar’s book ‘Mindful Parenting’, Bedi said, “I love the definition of parenting given by the author. He calls it a ‘selfless committed act’ that in reality is accidental parenting.” Bedi pointed out that several people give birth to children, often hoping for a son. Sharing an experience from her time as the LG of Puducherry, she said, “In Puducherry schools, children don’t come to learn but come to take the food, free bag, free clothing, and shoes.
Exceptions are everywhere, but I can tell you what I saw in the majority. Most of those parents are labourers, workers, coolies, etc. “When we surveyed Puducherry, we found that more than 75 per cent of fathers were drinking every day and were not interested in their education. Meanwhile, the mother worked as a labourer and somehow manages the house with the help of government schemes. “The nutrition of those children is taken care of, but there is no parenting for them. They are being brought up by accidental parents. “I asked the Principal of one school — Do they have a parent-teacher session? He said there is but parents don’t attend these. Then I asked the teachers — Do you visit your student’s homes? The teachers don’t make the visits either. So the children are growing by accident.” Bedi concluded that children should not suffer because of the irresponsibility of the parents, and schools have a role to play in this. She said that the parents must be made accountable and a system should be developed where teachers and parents can coordinate for the well-being of the child.