Parenting tips to steal away from literature's inspirational mothers

Literature can teach us a lot about life and living. After all, it is a reflection of reality in the form of fiction and non-fiction narrative. When it comes to parenting, stories and literary narratives hold answers to many challenges parents face in their day to day life. Throughout literary history, there have been many characters who have spread the message of love, highlighted the importance of togetherness and shed light on the power of resilience.

Read more: 5 parenting tips to learn from around the world to raise independent kids

Mothers are the epitome of love, care and intense willpower. Literary mums therefore showcase a wide range of emotions and great decision-making abilities. That said, here are parenting lessons to steal away from literature's most inspiring mothers.

Many would see Mrs. Bennet as a selfish, money-loving and an unkind person. The narrator in the book refers to her as “a woman of mean understanding, little information and uncertain temper”. But what would you really expect from a mother of five daughters, living in a society that created a space where women were completely dependent on their husband's inheritance. As a mother, Mrs. Bennet tried her best to fulfill her responsibilities. She dedicated her life to securing her children's future and even got criticised for it.

Photo: Amazing Reads

Margaret March or Marmee as she was popularly called, is the mother of 4 daughters. As akin to Mrs. Bennet, she too had to undergo a lot of challenges. Her daughters were rebellious and listened to their heart, which as per the society was unruly. Given that her husband is away, she alone had to take care of her kids, helping them behave and adhere to various rules and regulations. One of her parenting tools was to remind her children of the privileges they enjoyed over the less fortunate. This evoked a sense of gratefulness in them and made them more responsible.

Photo: Vintage Children's Classics

Through Akela, the wolf mother from Rudyard Kipling's "The Jungle Book", we learn that we must love and embrace our kids, no matter what values they hold, what ideologies they inculcate and what path they choose. While your child's ideas and beliefs may differ from yours, it is important to accept them as they are.

Photo: Amazing Reads

Ronald Weasley's mother, Molly is like a supermom, who not only does magic, but also takes care of her seven children. She knows when to stand by her family. She supports them through every thick and thin. However, she does not shy away from pointing out their mistakes and makes sure they are apologetic for the wrongs they commit. The best parenting advice to steal from her is to shower immense love on one's child, but never spoil them.

Photo: Bloomsbury Children's Books

If there is anything that concerns Ma from "Room" by Emma Donoghue, it is to protect and and to provide security to her son. The story revolves around a mother and her five-year old child, born after repeated rape by her kidnapper. As a child, Jack, grows up in a 11ft by 11ft room and all he knows is his Ma and the room. With her resilience, she is able to raise and nurture a strong-willed kid, who she teaches how to read, write and even gets him to escape the room.

Photo: Picador