"Hey!! What's your name?" and passes a wave of terror...!!
We came out of Smokin' Joe's Pizza, after having a feast (we don't have pizzas very often for dinner!) on to the footpath of JM Road (Pune). We were kind of absorbed in some philosophical talks about our lives, when all of a sudden my eyes struck a kid, sitting on a chair in an IceCream parlour next to "Smokin' Joe's". She was a cute (should I use beautiful; with my definition of beauty could possibly be differing), little, nursery kid, enjoying her chocolate-cone. For a while I couldn't keep my eyes away from her. She was accompanied by her grandparents (probably) and seemed ignorant of the rest of the world!
I went close to her and asked with tenderness 'Hey! What's your name?'. All of a sudden, as if, those surrounding her got alarmed. "beta (referred for youngesters).. tell your name!" pampered her grandparents. She, as if already sick and tired of answering such questions, turned her face away from them, concentrating on her ice-cream still. "beta...this is shame, you should tell your name when someone asks!" iterated her grandparents. But she stayed unmoved! Now came her parents (they were near by) as if to check her disobedience. "She does not look to be in mood right now!" said I in a flirting tone (well, just to ease off the situation a bit) as I started to depart. "say Good Bye, Beta!" pamperd the grandfather and she waved her tiny arms with full zest! She felt relaxed as if a storm of terror just passed by her, leaving her unhurt!
This was just another instance. I had experienced this many times. I felt the urge to talk to some nice, little kid and not finding any good thing to start with, I end up with "Hey! what's your name?". And (frankly) I always feel very bad afterwards, having 'terrorized' a kid!
I feel, there is a serious fault in the way we (as parents) impart basic education to our youngsters. We directly connect the performance of our youngesters to our prestige in the society! And this stereotypic education starts right from the time a child is born. I felt this when I was a kid. I recall the long practice sessions taken by my mom and dad about what to answer when someone asks "what's your blah blah...". And the worst part was I was not allowed to make a mistake when all those aliens (when my brain's sphere of acquaintance increased, I started calling them 'uncle' or 'aunt') ask the same damn question, else I'll be inviting a tough and a severe lesson back at home for the next round!
I pity those kids (I seemed to have terrorized) for getting them another lesson from their parents back at home, and myself for being taken as a terror-element (when the reality is, I couln't find a better and quick way to start a conversaition!).
Why can't parents take that in a cool spirit? Why do they take it on their prestige, if the child willingly or unwillingly does not speak out the correct answer they'd like to hear? Why can't they understand, a child's mind needs freedom to think and react and that forcing him/her would hamper his/her brain growth and confidence to face the world! I find this ridiculous on parents' part.
I went close to her and asked with tenderness 'Hey! What's your name?'. All of a sudden, as if, those surrounding her got alarmed. "beta (referred for youngesters).. tell your name!" pampered her grandparents. She, as if already sick and tired of answering such questions, turned her face away from them, concentrating on her ice-cream still. "beta...this is shame, you should tell your name when someone asks!" iterated her grandparents. But she stayed unmoved! Now came her parents (they were near by) as if to check her disobedience. "She does not look to be in mood right now!" said I in a flirting tone (well, just to ease off the situation a bit) as I started to depart. "say Good Bye, Beta!" pamperd the grandfather and she waved her tiny arms with full zest! She felt relaxed as if a storm of terror just passed by her, leaving her unhurt!
This was just another instance. I had experienced this many times. I felt the urge to talk to some nice, little kid and not finding any good thing to start with, I end up with "Hey! what's your name?". And (frankly) I always feel very bad afterwards, having 'terrorized' a kid!
I feel, there is a serious fault in the way we (as parents) impart basic education to our youngsters. We directly connect the performance of our youngesters to our prestige in the society! And this stereotypic education starts right from the time a child is born. I felt this when I was a kid. I recall the long practice sessions taken by my mom and dad about what to answer when someone asks "what's your blah blah...". And the worst part was I was not allowed to make a mistake when all those aliens (when my brain's sphere of acquaintance increased, I started calling them 'uncle' or 'aunt') ask the same damn question, else I'll be inviting a tough and a severe lesson back at home for the next round!
I pity those kids (I seemed to have terrorized) for getting them another lesson from their parents back at home, and myself for being taken as a terror-element (when the reality is, I couln't find a better and quick way to start a conversaition!).
Why can't parents take that in a cool spirit? Why do they take it on their prestige, if the child willingly or unwillingly does not speak out the correct answer they'd like to hear? Why can't they understand, a child's mind needs freedom to think and react and that forcing him/her would hamper his/her brain growth and confidence to face the world! I find this ridiculous on parents' part.
--- To all of us, when we become parents!
posted by Sujeet Banerjee | 11:29 PM
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