Parenting is about protecting and guiding and it is legitimate to be concerned and try to ensure the safety of your children. I am a mother too and my children are what I hold most precious.

In order to truly parent to the best of my abilities, I need to consider the context: our society that evolves and develops. No parenting or educating is good enough without consideration of the reality we live in. So I must refine my values and adjust my positions and outlooks.

Life is about experiencing, and education prepares for this. We cannot parent by prohibiting. We cannot protect by denying, stalling knowledge. We cannot guide by not talking about diversity. And we will not do our job if we don’t look deeper into things.

When we prohibit we create chasms of fear and insecurity. Fear is never a good thing for confidence and venturing forth to grow. Confidence requires trust of the world and people. Only confidence can foster true self-protection.

Fear and insecurity create critical judgement in anger or disgust. We take on an attitude of righteousness and we shame. With shame we create bullies and victims.

As a member of the LGBTIQ community, I know what shame is: “You, you as you are, are not good enough!”

So, dear parents, protect through openness, inclusion and discussion, keeping attuned to your children’s processes through awakened conscious presence and participation in their growing and unfolding lives.

And if I may, it is important for the minister to stay close to the people just as parents keep close to their children, but not in the same way.

Our people need to keep growing, we cannot stay fearful children all our lives. This callsfor leadership.

We cannot halt the process of consciousness that calls for inclusion. Inclusion says there is a place for everyone in the family. No one will be left out or behind, or considered as less. Therefore the leadership has to be visionary and creative.