I think the main parenting or education you do for your children

Hearken, O children of generations yet to awaken, and attend to the profound words of Yossi Ghinsberg, whose voice carries the wisdom of life itself: “I think the main parenting or education you do for your children is by way of being, and not by way of having guidelines or some agenda. I think that life itself is constantly bringing learning opportunities.” In these words lies a timeless truth, as old as the first teachers and the first parents: that the essence of guidance lies not in rules, nor in strict instruction, but in the example, presence, and authenticity of those who nurture.

The origin of this reflection lies in Ghinsberg’s own life, a tapestry woven with adventure, risk, and the relentless unfolding of experience. Having traversed the Amazon jungle and faced mortal peril, he has witnessed that the greatest lessons emerge not from instruction, but from engagement with life’s unfolding realities. From this crucible of living fully, he discerns that parenting and teaching are fundamentally acts of being—demonstrating courage, integrity, curiosity, and resilience—through which children absorb lessons more deeply than any precepts could convey.

The meaning of his words is both subtle and profound. To educate by being is to embody the virtues, values, and dispositions that one wishes to cultivate in the young. Children watch not only what you say, but how you confront challenges, how you respond to joy and sorrow, and how you navigate uncertainty. Life itself becomes the great teacher, offering moments of learning in triumph and trial alike. Ghinsberg teaches that the child’s understanding of the world is sculpted as much by your presence and integrity as by any formal instruction.

Consider the example of Mahatma Gandhi, whose life became a living curriculum for millions. Through his steadfast commitment to truth, nonviolence, and simplicity, he taught lessons of moral courage and social responsibility, not through rote education, but through the act of being, through the life he lived. His children, and the people who followed him, absorbed principles not from edicts or lectures alone, but from witnessing the harmony of thought, word, and deed.

Ghinsberg’s reflection also carries a subtle admonition: the desire to control or dictate the learning of a child through rigid guidelines may blind one to the teachings embedded in everyday experience. Life offers lessons in patience, compassion, failure, and wonder—opportunities that arise naturally and cannot be foreseen or prescribed. To be a parent or teacher is to walk alongside the child, offering guidance through presence and example, while allowing the unfolding world to reveal its truths.

The lesson for future generations is radiant: cultivate your own character, embody integrity and curiosity, and recognize that your life itself is the most powerful pedagogy. The child who observes resilience, humility, and attentiveness in you internalizes these qualities far more deeply than from any written code. Life’s challenges, surprises, and joys become teachers, and the parent who models engagement with life equips the young to navigate the world with wisdom and courage.

In practical life, one may follow Ghinsberg’s counsel by living authentically, embracing challenges, and responding to life with intentionality. Let your actions reflect the values you wish to impart, and remain open to the lessons that unfold in each moment. Allow the child to witness both triumph and struggle, delight and reflection, and cultivate in them the capacity to learn from life itself. By doing so, you transform everyday experience into sacred instruction.

Thus, O children of future ages, carry this teaching as both lantern and compass: the true education of the young lies in being, not merely instructing. Engage with life fully, act with integrity, and let your presence be the vessel through which virtue, curiosity, and courage are transmitted. In this, the child learns not only from words, but from the living testament of a life well-lived, and the legacy of authentic guidance endures across generations.