should kids do matha teek

[DhadiMania]

they say one should do matha teek with a full, pure heart and by that your dukhs will go.

i have noticed parents at the gurdwara make there kids do matha teek, (these kids mostly refuse, seeing they are below 5).

so i wander, should we make kids do matha teek when

a, they dont know the symbolism behind it

b, they refuse in the first place.

[GuruJiDiPyari]

Good logic...

This is what I think:

It is Guru Granth Sahib jee. Everyone should and could take matha in front of Guru Sahib, regardless of age or understanding. BUT, if the kid refuses, one should not force, instead the parents should try to explain the meaning of bowing in front of Guru Sahib. And teach them that we are giving our head to the Guru and why we are doing so. Teach them that it is not a book, but a way of life, and that way of life is taught by the words (Gurbani) inside the Guru Granth Sahib jee.

Take this for an example: My mom has not forced, but always told me to do Japji Sahib da phaat, but I didn't understand it, as I didn't try to understand it, but I still read it. As I read it more and more, I wanted to learn the meaning of what I am reading. In the same sense, the kid grows up matha taking in front of Guru Sahib and wants to learn the meaning of it.

Hope this makes sense

Bhul chuk muaaf

Waheguru jee ka khalsa Waheguru jee ki fateh!

[Gupt daasan daas]

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

if u dont understand a bani tuk, do u stop reading it?

just the act of bowing to guru je is great and wonderful

bhula chuka maf

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

[simmal tree]

vwihgurUjIkwKwlsw!

vwihgurUjIkI&iqh!!

I always used to think about this situation. Many times I saw parents who would make their children matha tek and the child would either get up dizzy or crying. I don't know what the proper gurmat approach to it is. I don't know anything but I've been taught that Gursikhs do everything in sehaj with pyaar, but at the same time the "udham" or the initial push must come from inside with guru's kirpa. Guru jee says "udham karo karaavo taakhur paykhat saadhu sang" ... I am guessing Guru Sahib is saying that we, Sikhs, cannot do much on our own - Guru Sahib does it and gets it done through us, by making us see the Saadh Sangat and then "sun galaa(n) aakaas kee keetaa aee rees." We become wonderstruck by the beautiful pavitr Saadh Sangat and want to be like them, act like them. That's why maybe it's important to try to take your kids to sangat.

I have a bad habit of thinking too much and sticking my nose into situations where i'm not really needed. Lately I think it's just better to go with the flow - if you have good intentions and a pure heart, Guru maharaj knows it all. We shouldn't judge parents and how they relate with their kids in this situation. As long as they are not being violent or creating a disrespectful scene in the gurudwara sahib, we should allow them to carry their duties as parents.

Anyway for the first time I took my little cousin to sangat - I took her inside and in front of Guru Maharaj the moment of truth came - I was about to encourage her to matha

tek by showing and then by slightly pushing her to do it. But she wouldn't do it, and I smiled and thought "now I know how those parents feel. They dont' want to disrespect Guru Maharaaj but at the same time their child will start crying right here in sangat if they force him/her to matha tek." So after that incident I decided that it's probably best to practice at home, to teach your kids before they come into sangat, and to give them the opportunity to learn by example from the saadh sangat. Let them see other Khalsas doing dandaut to guru sahib and let them feel the love to also bow in front of Guru Sahib... in the end Guru Sahib is going to get it done himself.

I don't know.. i might be wrong, bhul chuk maf karnaa,

vwihgurUjIkwKwlsw!

vwihgurUjIkI&iqh!!

[ms514]

Sat Sri Akal:

To this morrakh...yes. Why? Back when I was ms257 (half of my current age...so about 50 or so... ), I used to do matha tek without really knowing why. As I got older, I still did matha tek without knowing why. One day, I asked "Ummm...why I do that?" So I started to ask, look and finally found the answer...it is the a Sikh stating that they are in utter submission to the Guru sahib, that their head is present to Guru Sahib.

Many times, we do what parents tell us to do...and when we are young, we do it because our parents said so. As we grow older, we "rebel" against parents. What this rebelling is kids beginning to question the why of the actions being taken. If the parents themselves are able to explain the reason AND live in accordance to it, the "rebellion" actually becomes a learning experience. But if our parents are unable to explain it and themselves do not live according to its principles then (excapt for the blessing of Sangat), the kids will stop doing the parents tell them to do, because they themselves do not do it. However, if the seed of "doing because of parents said so" is not planted, then kids might not ever come to the stage of asking about why they do it.

Now, matha tek has meaning...but perhaps I would not have known if I did not do in the first place. Still, twice the age, half as wise... :wub:: .

Enough rambli

ng...time to put in some dentures, wrap myself in a blanket, and reminisce about the "good old days"... :cool:

[Jaspaul Singh]

I always used to think about this situation. Many times I saw parents who would make their children matha tek and the child would either get up dizzy or crying....

this is soo bad... and i see it all da time. Sometimes like if it was from my own family i would tell them please dont do by force. If i odnt know who it is it would be odd teeling them what to do with their kid.... :T:

A kid will ALWAYS do what he sees. Well if you want me to be exact... ok MOST of the times. But seriously a kid loves to watch others and do it himself. Maybe not first, not second, maybe third or the next time, the kid will start matha taek'n in front of guru sahib. And it will become a habit... and when days go on... it is OUR RESPONSIBILITY as parents (im not married YET, only 20 ) to teach the kid as he grows WHY he is matha taek'n in front of guru sahib. What is the purpose!?! Only then he/she will u

nderstand.

Remember if we dont teach. Wrong ideas, from wrong sangat/people, will cuz in anti-sikh views. Therefore, moving further and further away from sikhi...

bhul chuk maph

[Guest mehtab]

vwihgurU jI kw Kwlsw!

vwihgurU jI kI &iqh!!

When I was in Chicago last month with Son of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the Singhs were discussing this issue. It was stated that some parents actually grab the neck of the child and rub it on the ground ( ). The best thing to do is make the kid stand next to you, and you yourself do matha tek. Innocent kids always want to immitate elders, and so they will themselves do the same. Using force is never the right way.

bhul chukk maaf

vwihgurU jI kw Kwlsw!

vwihgurU jI kI &iqh!!

[Jassika]

i was thinking about that just yesterday. i think its good to start gettinf them in the habit when they're old enough to understand some of the things u say and u try to explain why they're doing it. if the kid is still at their baby talk stage they dont need to.