Makkatperu

The Wealth of Having Children

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Makkatperu (The Wealth of Having Children)

Kural 61

பெறுமவற்றுள் யாமறிவது இல்லை அறிவறிந்த மக்கட்பேறு அல்ல பிற.

Kural 61 — Makkatperu. Among all things a person can gain, Thiruvalluvar says nothing is more precious than the blessing of children endowed with wisdom and understanding.

Reflecting on what really matters in parenthoodWondering what to prioritise for your child's futureFeeling pressure to give children material things

Read →Kural 62

எழுபிறப்பும் தீயவை தீண்டா பழிபிறங்காப் பண்புடை மக்கட் பெறின்

Kural 62 from Makkatperu (The Wealth of Having Children) teaches that children of upright character, whose good name never fades, protect their parents from evil across seven births.

A parent wondering what kind of legacy actually matters — wealth, status, or the character they build in their childSomeone raising children and feeling torn between pushing for success and teaching honesty and integrityA person reflecting on how their own upbringing shaped the kind of adult they became

Read →Kural 63

தம்பொருள் என்பதம் மக்கள் அவர்பொருள் தம்தம் வினையான் வரும்

Kural 63 from Makkatperu (The Wealth of Having Children) teaches that children are a parent's true wealth, but what they achieve in life comes from their own effort and deeds.

A parent who works hard so their children can study and have opportunities the parent never hadA grown child who builds a successful career through their own discipline and choicesA parent learning to let go and trust that their child's future belongs to the child, not to them

Read →Kural 64

அமிழ்தினும் ஆற்ற இனிதேதம் மக்கள் சிறுகை அளாவிய கூழ்

Kural 64 from Makkatperu (The Wealth of Having Children) teaches that porridge stirred by your own child's tiny hands tastes sweeter than nectar itself.

When a parent watches their young child proudly 'help' in the kitchen, even if they make a messWhen you feel exhausted from parenting and need a reminder of why the small moments matterWhen someone asks why parents treasure simple, ordinary moments with their children so deeply

Read →Kural 65

மக்கள்மெய் தீண்டல் உடற்கின்பம் மற்றவர் சொற்கேட்டல் இன்பம் செவிக்கு.

Kural 65 — Makkatperu. Touching a child's body is joy for the physical self; hearing their words is joy for the ear still deeper. Thiruvalluvar names the two pleasures no parent ever forgets.

Missing time with your childFeeling disconnected from the people you loveTrying to understand why ordinary moments with children feel so irreplaceable

Read →Kural 66

குழல்இனிது யாழினிது என்பர்தம் மக்கள் மழலைச்சொல் கேளாதவர்.

Kural 66 — Makkatperu. Those who say the flute is sweet and the lute is sweet have simply never heard the babble of their own children. Thiruvalluvar's most musical teaching on parenthood.

Feeling impatient with a child's noisy chatterTaking a child's voice for grantedTrying to understand why parents light up when their child speaks

Read →Kural 67

தந்தை மகற்காற்று நன்றி அவையத்து முந்தி இருப்பச் செயல்.

Kural 67 — Makkatperu. The greatest thing a parent can do for their child is seat them in the front of the assembly of the learned. Thiruvalluvar's teaching on education as the highest act of parenting.

Thinking about what your child really needs from youWondering whether you are investing in the right things for their futureReflecting on the difference between giving children things and giving them capability

Read →Kural 68

தம்மின்தம் மக்கள் அறிவுடைமை மாநிலத்து மன்னுயிர்க் கெல்லாம் இனிது

Kural 68 from Makkatperu (The Wealth of Having Children) teaches that a child who surpasses their parents in wisdom is a gift to all living beings, not just the family.

A parent watches their child choose a wiser path than they ever did — forgiving an enemy, staying calm under pressure, or making a selfless decisionA teacher sees a student who once struggled now explaining ideas more clearly and kindly than the teacher ever couldA community benefits because a young person grew up with better values and judgment than the generation before them

Read →Kural 69

ஈன்ற பொழுதின் பெரிதுவக்கும் தன்மகனைச் சான்றோன் எனக்கேட்ட தாய்

Kural 69 from Makkatperu (The Wealth of Having Children) teaches that a mother's deepest joy comes not from birth, but from hearing her child called a person of true worth.

A parent overhears someone describing their child as honest, hardworking, or kind — and feels a pride deeper than any birthday or graduation momentA mother learns that her son stood up for a colleague at work or helped a stranger — and feels more moved than she did the day he was bornA parent reflects on whether they raised a child who is good, not just successful — and wonders what kind of person their child has become

Read →Kural 70

மகன்தந்தைக்கு ஆற்றும் உதவி இவன்தந்தை என்நோற்றான் கொல்எனும் சொல்.

Kural 70 — Makkatperu. A child's highest gift to their parent is making people ask 'what great deeds did this parent perform, to deserve such a child?' Thiruvalluvar's most honest teaching on parental legacy.

Thinking about what kind of legacy you want to leave as a parentReflecting on what your child's character says about your parentingWondering how to think about the long-term work of raising a person

Read →