Rabbi Zamir Cohen Stresses Parents’ Role in Child Education Beyond School

Rabbi Zamir Cohen highlights the critical role parents play in educating their children, emphasizing that a child's wisdom often reflects the guidance received at home. He contrasts the wise child, who listens to parental discipline, with the mocker who ignores serious conversations, explaining that this disconnect often stems from parents being too busy or tired to engage consistently with their children. Instead of active parenting, many children are left to entertain themselves with screens and devices, which Cohen warns can lead to long-term relational and behavioral issues.

Cohen stresses that parenting involves more than providing material needs; it requires time, presence, and clear boundaries to help children develop their personalities and understand right from wrong. He criticizes parents who rely solely on the education system to raise their children, noting that schools primarily impart knowledge but cannot replace the foundational role of parents in character building.

Drawing from his own experience in a religious school, Cohen points to the importance of constant exposure to ethical teachings and role models, which shape a child's aspirations and values. He urges parents to carefully choose educational environments that foster not only academic learning but also moral development.

Ultimately, Cohen’s message is that education begins at home through everyday interactions, discipline, and example-setting. The responsibility for nurturing a child's inner world and maintaining a strong parent-child connection cannot be delegated entirely to external institutions but must start and remain within the family.