And Abhinav Bindra got India an individual gold in the Olympics. Old story already, but what made me mention him was his simple yet profound act of thanking his parents. What about that? Well, good parenting. His dad knew that shooting was not exactly on the same level as cricket, Bollywood or politics, but spent a crore on an Olympic standard-fully air conditioned shooting range for his son. How many would do that, even if they were millionaires?
Most parents (let’s forget unborn children and abortion for the moment) want the best for their children, and put in a lot of effort in getting it for them. But I think that in most cases, the good intentions are misplaced. After all, parents are just human beings whose objectivity might be clouded not just by the societal pressure that they have to handle as individuals, but also because of their own inner demons.
Which perhaps is why I see a lot of kids around who, move around groggily from karate classes to music lessons to tuition classes, and simultaneously use pester power to get what they want, but sometimes, reveal their childhood innocence too. It makes me realise that there is perhaps a huge difference between doing the best for your child and doing what’s best for the child.
The difference is Abhinav Bindra winning the gold and thanking his parents, and Abhinav Bindra winning the gold, but saying that was never what he wanted to do in life.
until next time, not child’s play
never thought on these lines. umm, good thinking!
So, you have also moved from blogger. let me complete 5 yrs first and think about it though I am sure, I’ll still be on blogger. 🙂
Enjoy the new place. I can see the mix of themes.
ailla. few days im out of circulation and what happened? yus brant links is good. i keep on misplacing it.
Doing the best for the child is to let the child be ! In our rush hour filled lives, thats just not going to ring a bell !
the child is more an extension of the parents dream ! Huh !
Yes true. I like what you have said. Recognizing the child’s ability to do something well could be quite tricky for parents too. Else, children would just become an extension of their parents expectations (to be something big).
arunima: thank ye 🙂 on the blo, like i said, its a bit like renting a house, and buying one .. both work, differently for different people 🙂 personally, this was a good challenge 😀
cynic: feed, woman!!!! and a reader!! 🙂
kavi: it is, and by the time it realises it, it could be too late.. but I see that this generation seems to be handling themselves better, thats a generalisation..still..
Mo: Its tricky, yes, and our perspective of ‘good’ and ‘best’ is just that, a perspective..
Have feeeds. keep on forgetting to check it. what to do? old age.
Things are changing now Manu. And we have to start doing that. Its great in Mr&Mrs Bindra’s part to let, aid, motivate what Abhinav wanted to do. You hardly find such parents. But i guess post 2000, metalities are changing and changing for good. Ofcourse slowly and we need to wait and see how this would result in getting more Gold from the olympics than from the mines of Kolar.. 😉
cynic: 🙂
chethan: I wonder Chetan, take a look at the coaching classes and kids being shepherded around. It will take quite a while to change a decades old mindset.
i was wondering why this page looks diferent…and finally it struck me that you bid adieu to blogger…:)
this was interesting…sometimes i think parenting is no longer as easy as it once was..we are under pressure, the poor kiddos are under pressure…what’s with society? thio i must admit, i’m perhaps a very laidback parent…is that good or bad?