12/02/2023
A mother’s mental health ensures a happy family
We cannot forget this in our bid to build a healthier, happier nation
As Napoleon said: “Give me a good mother, I'll give you a good nation.”
Mothers are the pillars of our society. They love us, they teach us literally and by example, and try to instill values within us that they believe will make us the best human being possible.
Our mothers provide us with proper guidance on how to be empathetic, compassionate, kind, and loving towards others, and show us how to respect our elders. And to respect men and women equally, and also to love our country.
All such values and the ethical compass should be within our children; the difference of right and wrong, and the consequences of taking wrong decisions. Hopefully, our mothers should have these ingrained into our being.
Hence, it also becomes our duty to check our mother's mental health too, to ensure that they are happy and balanced human beings with a positive outlook on life.
Many mothers suffer from depression that is never treated. Men should be giving them proper understanding and time so that they can guide the new generation with adequate love and values.
Men should love and respect their wives so much that the children can understand that marriages are indeed made in heaven. And that ups and downs are a part of life too. Good and bad will coexist in any relationship and that should be dealt with kindness and empathy and support.
A girl child should be brought up with a vision that they are indeed equal, and should be given a healthy childhood where their mental health should be nourished -- so that they are mentally healthy enough to perform the above roles as mothers.
These young ladies one day will be our mothers, mothers-in-law, aunts, and sisters. One should not expect them to be mean and evil in nature. If they become mentally healthy human beings, they will remain happy and can give a happy childhood to their children as well.
We have seen daughters and daughters-in-law treated differently. Mothers should also understand they were also daughters-in-law once, and it's their responsibility to give love to their daughters-in-law and accept them as they are and give them proper respect, independence, and freedom. They should also create a space for daughters-in-law so that they feel it's their home too.
Happiness is a must which should be nurtured in them abundantly. No jealousy, no rivalry. There should be mutual respect. At times, there should be a sense of formality between each other. Sometimes, a little bit of space can help the relationship remain healthy. They should take care of each other, be there during each other's good times and bad times -- that is how a real family will be created with everyone's love.
We should ensure women have healthy childhoods so that they don't think of the events they missed out in their life with discontentment. One must realize that times change, and that generations are different; their perspectives, thought process, views, attitudes towards handling their children -- many things will be different than that of the previous generation. So the new generation should be treated with a different level of understanding.
Mothers should teach their sons to become responsible, respectful men who will interact with their mothers and wives intelligently and tactfully. Mothers-in-law should not feel as if their sons are being detached from their roots.
And the same rule applies for their daughters. They have to teach them that daughters have responsibilities, they have to respect their in-laws too. And to accept and give some space to their husbands' families. They cannot have the mentality to think that they will marry and detach the men from their family. Let time decide what will happen.
The children should observe the family's happy relationships and become a happy generation. No more drug problems and mental health issues will hamper their life. The new generation will be happy citizens of our beloved country.
So mummies, please be happy and contribute to the country's new generation's mental health. You are our shining star, our soul, our peace and happiness.
Aditi Sonia Mansur is a Senior Lecturer at North South University.
https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2022/12/04/world-bank-high-air-pollution-levels-creating-physical-mental-health-hazards-in-bangladesh