Read Unamuno to learn to be a good father

Photograph by Miguel de Unamuno.

Educating children is not always easy. Many parents will agree that, although they have a lot of information from psychologists or pedagogues, when it comes to putting his advice into practice, theory is not always properly adapted to practice.

There are many manuals but there are times when literature can masterfully teach how parents should or should not act before their children.

One of the books that should be treated as a wonderful  pedagogical guide is: “Amor y Pedagogía” by Miguel de Unamuno. This novel reflects to us in its plot what a father should never do with his children.

The plot of the book revolves around a man, Don Avito, that claims to engender a genius. For this, he even selects a certain woman who allows him that purpose. Although he eventually falls in love with another woman, María, and has the son with her, his idea is based on the fact that geniuses can be made and that perfection can be achieved.

With this conception educates his son, Apolodoro, in everything he believes is necessary to achieve his goals, thus separating him from his right to be a child. Avoiding, therefore, any contact with what may interfere with their education. He even goes to the limit of denying him the affection of his mother in order to avoid a possible future sentimental weakness.

"Love and pedagogy" is still an exaggeration of what many parents want with their children. A phenomenon that on another scale, it is repeated very often when children are drawn to carry out actions, study according to which disciplines or participate in certain activities that are not to their liking. Just because parents find it beneficial to their growth and development.

Ultimately, it ends up being the adult who believes what is best for the child without wondering if it is to their liking or not. Don Avito wants his son to become a genius through aggressive learning. His intention, logically, is to do good to Apolodoro but finally he does not manage to make a genius but a wretch.

For this reason I think it is a beautiful novel for all parents who, with the best intention in the world, They want their children to be one or the other but they forget, as Don Avito does, that they are really happy.