Syed Majid Gilani
My late grandmother, Syeda Sakina Gilani, used to tell us many valuable stories when we were children. One of them is still fresh in my mind. It teaches how small mistakes at home can ruin entire generations.
In a small village, a woman lived with her husband and their only son. The husband was a hardworking man who often traveled for work. But his wife had a harsh nature and a sharp tongue. Whenever he returned home, instead of welcoming him with love, she insulted and humiliated him. To her, he was weak, useless, and unimportant. Her cruel words hurt him deeply. Over time, he started staying away from home because there was no peace left.
But the real tragedy was not just how she treated her husband. She also poisoned their son’s mind against his father. Every day, she told the boy that his father was worthless, had no respect, and his words did not matter. The young boy, still innocent, believed his mother and started looking down on his father.
The mother’s mistakes did not stop there. She spoiled her son too much and covered up all his wrongdoings. One day, he stole a pencil from school. When the mother found out, she did not scold him. That was the moment the boy learned that doing wrong had no punishment.
A few days later, he hit a classmate. The school complained, but instead of correcting him, the mother defended him. She said, “If he hit someone, there must be a reason.”
When he started smoking, his teachers warned his mother. But she casually said, “People drink alcohol, so smoking is not a big deal.”
As time passed, the boy’s habits worsened. He left his studies, made bad friends, and started stealing. Each time, his mother supported him. His father, helpless and broken, could only watch. His wife’s attitude and his son’s behaviour had made him silent.
Then, one day, the boy committed the worst crime—he killed a man while stealing. He was caught and sentenced to death by the king. When he was asked about his last wish, his answer shocked everyone ,”Hang my mother along with me!”
Everyone in the king’s court was surprised. The king asked him why, and the boy, with tears in his eyes, replied:
“The first time I stole, my mother did not stop me. When I hit someone, she supported me instead of correcting me. When I started smoking, she said it was a small thing. But her biggest mistake was filling my heart with hate for my father, who was a good man. She made me believe that my father was weak and a failure. She never let me respect him or listen to his advice. I kept walking on the wrong path, and at every step, she encouraged me. If my mother had stopped me when I stole for the first time, if she had taught me to respect my father, I would not be a murderer today.”
The mother stood silently, her head lowered in shame. But now, it was too late for regret.
The king granted the son’s last wish, and both mother and son were hanged together.
This is not just a story—it is a reality.
If a wife disrespects her husband, turns children against their father, and mistakes blind love for care, the results are disastrous. When a father is not given respect at home, children grow up rebellious, disobedient, and lost.
Love alone is not enough in raising children. They must be taught right from wrong, respect, discipline, and boundaries. A wife should respect her husband and teach her children to do the same. A mother should stop her child’s first mistake, correct the first act of disrespect, and set rules at the right time.
A single mistake by parents, whether from carelessness or stubbornness, can destroy not just a child but an entire family and even society.
(The author can be reached at [email protected])
