Do kirtan alone and force them to join as you are elder then if they like it tell them vedant philosophy to convince them then ask them to read bhagwatam
Abhay chauhan > Abhay chauhanMay 13, 2015 at 10:37am
Just like they are interested in westetn culture try to show them how interesting devotion is and make them to build their intrest in it by kirtan and scientific explanation through vedanta
Every parent/person wishes there was a shortcut to convince or to be convinced to do Krishna Bhakti. If we show the path of Bhakti to someone, world will show a million other paths. If we walk the path of Bhakti then others will be inspired to follow.
Krsna clearly says this in BG - Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.(BG 3.21)
The king or the executive head of a state, the father and the school teacher are all considered to be natural leaders of the innocent people in general.(BG 3.21)
Fortunately there is no shortcut. HHRNSM says a few powerful words regarding parenting. Here are links
You have asked a very relevant question and it is undoubtedly a very difficult thing to get a teenager to comply to rules and regulations - for anything. I had once asked an Additional Comm of Police what is more difficult - handling criminals or teenage daughters? His laugh gave me the answer.
Having said that, we can try - the rest is Krsna's mercy.
It really depends on the teenager - if the kid is argumentative, then simply ask the kid - who are you? and build on it. When the kid realises that he/she is not the body, but the soul that lives in the body, then the beginning is done. Then you can give a Gita to the kid and ask him/her to read it. Take it forward from there. If you are the parent and you chant, then you can tell the kid that all your strength comes from chanting, you can give personal examples and realisations about how chanting has helped you.
Teenagers love to be treated like adults, so you have to give them bite sized information and make them think and arrive at their own conclusions. If you tell them to do something, they will not. But if they arrive at the same thing with their brains, then they will do even if you stop them.
Another very important thing is to keep them in association. When they see other teenagers or even younger children into KC, they will realise that it is not an oldie thing to do, its cool to be KC. Make for them interesting prasadam and give them only after offering. Ask them how the plate should be laid - they love to give advice.
This is what I can think of mataji. I do not have hands on experience, so everything I have told you may be merely theory. Pls see how much of it you can apply.
Replies
Hare Krsna
Every parent/person wishes there was a shortcut to convince or to be convinced to do Krishna Bhakti. If we show the path of Bhakti to someone, world will show a million other paths. If we walk the path of Bhakti then others will be inspired to follow.
Krsna clearly says this in BG - Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.(BG 3.21)
The king or the executive head of a state, the father and the school teacher are all considered to be natural leaders of the innocent people in general.(BG 3.21)
Fortunately there is no shortcut. HHRNSM says a few powerful words regarding parenting. Here are links
Responsibility of parents
How parents can show real love to children
Hare Krsna
Hare Krsna Mataji,
PAMHO.
You have asked a very relevant question and it is undoubtedly a very difficult thing to get a teenager to comply to rules and regulations - for anything. I had once asked an Additional Comm of Police what is more difficult - handling criminals or teenage daughters? His laugh gave me the answer.
Having said that, we can try - the rest is Krsna's mercy.
It really depends on the teenager - if the kid is argumentative, then simply ask the kid - who are you? and build on it. When the kid realises that he/she is not the body, but the soul that lives in the body, then the beginning is done. Then you can give a Gita to the kid and ask him/her to read it. Take it forward from there. If you are the parent and you chant, then you can tell the kid that all your strength comes from chanting, you can give personal examples and realisations about how chanting has helped you.
Teenagers love to be treated like adults, so you have to give them bite sized information and make them think and arrive at their own conclusions. If you tell them to do something, they will not. But if they arrive at the same thing with their brains, then they will do even if you stop them.
Another very important thing is to keep them in association. When they see other teenagers or even younger children into KC, they will realise that it is not an oldie thing to do, its cool to be KC. Make for them interesting prasadam and give them only after offering. Ask them how the plate should be laid - they love to give advice.
This is what I can think of mataji. I do not have hands on experience, so everything I have told you may be merely theory. Pls see how much of it you can apply.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Rashmi