Pujya Guruji Swami Tejomayananda emphasized that the vision of Balavihar is successfully translated when children get the knowledge they need, when they need it, customized to their developmental needs. Children require role models who demonstrate unconditional understanding and live by their principles.
At a young age, it is difficult to give children the reason and rationale of all that is being taught to them. Also, too much logic and reasoning is not required for a child. There is enough time for explanations. These can be given to them in stages as they grow.
Besides, some people erroneously think that all the child’s questions must be answered. Though children do ask questions, they do not have the ability to understand all the answers. Keeping this in mind, replies to their queries should be uncomplicated and easily understood. They should be given only as much information as is necessary and sufficient for their understanding. Take, for instance, the time when a very young child asked his physicist father: “Papa, how does it rain?” Being a scientist, the father launched forth, “With the heat of
the sun, water evaporates….”
The poor child was in a daze. Fortunately the child’s grandmother happened to be present. She rose to the occasion and saved the day. She put her grandson on her lap, used actions and mimed sound effects, and related the story of the Rain God, Indra and his elephant, Airavatha. The child was delighted.