How to interact with children?

Questioner : How can you interact with children on their level? Is it by becoming like them?

Dadashri: Do you act like a child in order to interact with your child? Children are afraid of their elders, so your behavior towards them should be such that they do not fear you. You should point out your child's mistakes by explaining things to him rather than intimidating him. You do not gain anything by intimidating children. Because they are younger than you, they will be easily frightened, but this will not get rid of their faults. Instead, their faults will increase internally. Only through explanation will you be able to rid them of their faults.

Questioner : Yes indeed that is what happens, this is my experience that I am sharing. This is my own question and this happens again and again to me.

Dadashri : Yes, that is why I am giving you this example. Suppose your son is twelve years old and you discuss everything with him. He will understand some of the things you tell him and he will not understand the rest. He does not understand your viewpoint so you will have to calmly tell him, 'This is my intention. This is how I look at it. This is what I am trying to convey to you. Whether you understand it or not, please tell me about it later. And if there is anything about your viewpoint that I do not understand, then I will try my best to understand it.' Talk to him in this way.

That is why I tell people that after the age of sixteen they should treat their child like a friend. If you speak to him as a friend, your tone will come out right, but if you behave as a father with him, you will not make any progress and conflicts will continue. What would happen when you behave as a father when he is forty?