1. CHILD REARING PRACTICES IN THE INDIAN CONTEXT
Author’s Name:
Naorem Binita Devi,
Assistant Professor;
Department of psychology;
MZU.
As we all know that a child is the future of one’s Nation. A child’s mind is just like a mud. He /she can
be shaped in any way whatever the parents/caretakers want like a potter makes a pot in different
shape using mud. As John Locke suggested that the child’s mind is like an empty slate/white sheet of
paper that can be filled up by the parents/caretakers/adults advice. So, the main focus for the good
mindset and good thinking process lies in the hands of the child rearing practices who are taking
such main role for the development of one’s mind at the early stages.
If you observe the child rearing practices in the Indian scenario, you can find many differences
among north-eastern part, northern part, western part n southern part. Inside one part also you
find differences in terms of the ethnic level, cultural level etc. inside the ethnic level you find
differences from one family to another family. such differences from each family come up in the
mainstream in the National and International level.
Child rearing practices are related to the child’s upbringing but if you looked back child rearing
practices you find very surprising scenario how the child had been treated. According to Aries
(1962), children were initially considered miniature adults in medieval society but in later eras,
children were regarded as beings that were distinguished from adults. while the end of the
Renaissance began with brutal oppression of children, the 1970s celebrated and cultivated the
natural child.
If we look into the child rearing practices in the Indian context, you may encounter n observe many
things like how the child is exploited for their daily two square meals in very poor family especially
male n parents use girls for nurturing their younger one. Had you observed such things? On the
other hand, you can observe very good child rearing practices of those good parents. As Diana
Baumrind (1967,1971) gave 3 styles of child rearing practices ( i.e., Authoritarian, permissive n
Authoritative) based on fourth dimension ( i.e., expressions of warmth, strategies for discipline,
communication and expectations of maturity).
But when the author observed the scenario in the Indian context, the child-rearing practices is based
on the Varna system, religion factors, ethnic factors, economic factors, environmental factors etc.
Varna System :
As you, all know that Indian social structure consists of 4 varna system (i.e. Bramhan, kshatriyas,
Vaishya, n shudras), which is quite visible in every parts of the Indian states but less visible in north-

2. eastern part. When a child is given rearing practices under such guidance, and come into the
mainstream to all the other people, what may be happened? On the other hand, children who
brought up without giving such mindset of hierarchy may do better in the mainstream. Sometimes
the author wants to emphasize the level of thinking in each child.
Religion factor:
Here the author wants to emphasize the religion factor that are dominated while rearing practices
take place. See if you observe, a child is totally endowed with one religion factors due to child
rearing practices, the child may lack thinking of another religion factor existing in one’s Nation. On
the other hand a child who is given values of existing many religion in one’s society, may able to
think better than another one as the author mentioned. What do you think on this matter?
Ethnic factors:
You, all know that our society consists of diverse aspects of religion, ethnic, language etc. In one
particular place you,may find only one ethnic people are inhibited. Just imagine one moment for the
child who are brought up under one ethnic groups n those who are brought up many ethnic groups
in a particular place. yes, it depends on the child rearing practices of the parents/caretakers also. Do
you think which one will be better in coping with multi-cultural issues existing in one’s society? Who
will have more tolerant attitude n more social skills?
Economic factors:
This factor is the most important in nourishing a child’s mind giving good diet, proteinous food etc
with the help of parents/caretakers. Here just compare rich n poor family and their style of child
rearing practices with good values injected to them through their caretaker/parents. But one
exception is that it does not mean that only good family produce good child rearing style. What do
you think on this matter?
Environmental factors:
Here the author wants to emphasize good environment n impoverished environment. Good
environment with good child rearing practices may boost up the child in many ways what he/she
wants. On the other hand, Impoverished environment with good/bad child rearing practices
may/may not bring good results to the child in dealing with peoples.
Conclusion:
The child rearing practices existing in the Indian context is based on varna system (but change may
come up), ethnic factor, religion factor, economic factors n environmental factors. According
observers can treat in different way to each child. Sometimes one can find a child’s attitude is very
much approaching type/non-approachingtype;/expressing/nonexpressing;/value preservation/non-
value preservation;/affected by feelings/non-affected by
feeling;/complaining/noncomplaining;/defensing more/non-defensing;/high moral vaules/low-moral
values etc. All such things are totally depends on one’s way of child-rearing practices of the parents/
caretakers. Sometimes you may encounter in your neighbour how the parents are doing for the

3. child. Sometimes some parents,shouted instead of convincing, sometimes conditional way of child
rearing practices to the child,like, “ if you did well in the exam., i shall buy whatever you like.” Do
you think this is good? Sometimes, you may find allowing the child to do whatever he/she likes
because the caretaker/ parents wants to free etc. such things are quite visible. In the last point the
author wants to emphasize to all the parents/ caretakers to give good moral values, good diverse
aspects existing in one’s society, to respect one’s cultural aspects, give the value of morality, give the
value of education in one’s life n its implication to solve Nation or International problem.
NAME OF THE AUTHOR:
NAOREM BINITA DEVI
E-mail : binitadevi@hotmail.com
binitaji@yahoo.co.in
LIVING RELATIONSHIPS: RIGHT OR WRONG
Author’s Name: Naorem Binita Devi,
Affiliation : Mizoram University
Position: Assistant Professor;
E-mail : binitadevi@hotmail.com
Living relationships whether it is right or wrong gave me to think of the urban life style, rural life
style, village life style. It may quite appropriate to the urban life style rather than the other
remaining two lifestyles. But in urban life style also, i want to keep my viewpoint about the nature of
the family and the person’s way of thinking regarding on this matter. Sometimes the person coming
from the village also adopt such living relationship without thinking the boundaries of the
village/rural life styles. I am not saying it does not happen in rural and village life style. But such way
of relationship is quite visible in the urban life styles based on their way of thinking, economic
independence, reason behind the relationship, convincing power to their parents etc. once the
economic independence comes to the person, people want to adopt such way of relationship for
their emotional support to each other but sometimes they are bound by their parents. When you
observe, those boyfriend and girlfriend live together and they studied together n once they got job,
then they took the permission from the parents n got married. In positive viewpoint i think it is good
but need to marry otherwise many negative consequences may arise from this relationships because
all people are not same thinking. I am not saying they are bad, and i heard many people live together
without marriage also. In my thinking it is better to marriage. But some people may not want such
proposal also because they understand their soulmate and their opinion may be “no need to
marry”. Regarding on this matter it is totally a matter of ‘strong bondage relationship’ between the

4. two person. My thinking here is that, if you have governed by such ‘strong bondage relationship’ it is
more easier to get marry. I am not opposing regarding the living relationship between the two
person. I said right but you have to economic independence or some other else. Another thing is
that it does not mean that living relationships is bad. But such things never want from some sections
of the society whether it is Urban, rural or village. So my emphasise on this matter is that it is totally
depend on the person concerned. The person have also keep in mind before adopting such
relationship because it does not mean that all living relationship have positive point; it has negative
point. When something happened in such relationship, you could not claim regarding on this
relationship because such relationship are happened in you and your soulmate, you donot register
your relationship in the court/according to your religion traditions. We have to keep such things in
mind. Regarding on this matter living relationships have to turned into marriage ceremony even
though they have strong bondage relationship otherwise another psychological n social issues may
come up. Those who are living together in strong bondage relationship also realised such things
giving due respect to the societal rules and regulations. Yes, they have no problems for them but
those who imitate such relationship but have no strong bondage relationship may get severe
consequences from such living relationship. That is why, i want to emphasize that living relationship
is right but it compulsorily have to lead to marriage ceremony to the court/according to your religion
traditions.
Thus, living relationship is right in one sense if the two person have a ‘strong bondage relationship’ n
‘strong commitment’ for their relationship but i want to keep my viewpoint on this matter, better to
transform such relationships to marriage form under the societal norms.
Each and every living relationships never bring right approach, sometimes it brought wrong due to
differences come out n such living relationships remain temporary. May be some feedback comes
out, “it is better to know each other”. If she/he can control such temporary living relationship, yes, i
can proudly accept such things but mostly people come under the psychological and social issues
under such wrong living relationship.
In concluding part i want to emphasize that living relationship is right in one sense if they have
strong bondage relationship, strong commitment, economic independence, moral support ,able to
face the challenges coming towards them together etc but want to marry for them also under the
societal norms.
In another sense living relationship is wrong when their living relationship is bound by temporary
relationship. But they may think that it is good for them to know each other if there is no
psychological n social issues come out. In case if such consequences come out i think it is a bad
effect to the person n it may bring a health issue to the person. What is your opinion? So preparing
mind is very much needed before adopting such living relationship as i think sothat you can prepare
yourself when such negative fault comes out from this living relationship.