The Growth

Laalayet pancha varshaani
Dasha varshaani taadayet |

Praapte tu Shodashevarshe
Putram Mitravadaacharet ||

A child should be pampered till its five years old.
Then for the next ten years the parents should subdue the child.

From the sixteenth year the child should be treated as a friend.
This subhaashita speaks about bringing up a child.

The poet clearly tells us about the different phases of growth and the way parents should handle the child. Initially, for first five years during the tenderest part of it the child has to be pampered.

From the fifth year onwards, the child starts learning, discovering things in the world. It starts growing inquisitive. It should be repressed from this point or else at a point of time in future it may lose the sense to judge right and wrong.Also giving moral education to the child during this period is very important.
It is during this period (may be till 16/18 years) the attitude and character of the child gets moulded.

From the sixteenth year onwards the parents should treat the child as a friend. From this age the person starts developing his thinking and opinions. It’s very likely that he/she may not follow the things imposed. So suggestions and friendly advice would work.