‘You Are Enjoying Your Childhood, My Child!’

Dear baby, do you remember the time, you started your school days? You were so happy to experience the outside world. You wished to fly out. So did I, in my childhood days.

However, after the initial days at school, you’ve started to get tired off the closed classrooms, incessant lectures, oncoming exams and the competition around. Although you are studying at a school that offers overall development, you’ve started to find excuses to back away from the school.

I don’t wonder why! I had been through these frustrations, during my childhood too. When I held you for the first time in my hand, I was panicky about the competition, frustrations and hard work that you would have to face. I was even tempted to join a programme to teach you from the age of four months.

Then… I restrained myself from enrolling! I convinced myself that you don’t have to be a celebrity, but a responsible human being for yourself and the society.

When you had complained about your school curriculum, I proposed you to drop out from school. However, I purposely pointed out its advantages too. You made friends there and learnt to cope up! You learnt to raise your voice against the bullies at school. You found the school games and cultural activities as interesting as your evening games. You learnt to cross the road with the help of your teachers and school assistants. You learnt to lend a deaf ear to the flatteries of strangers. You glowed when your English teacher told that your writing skills are good (Not, excellent).

Then at the end, you always wanted to stay back there…

Eventually you also joined music classes, dance classes, painting classes and gardening too. Now you are sticking to the violin classes only. I always encouraged you to stay back, but at some instances you decided to fall apart!

During all these, you also enjoyed the holidays, as- you run after the bird flying among the bushes in our flat’s courtyard; follow the motion of waves, as we swam together in the open swimming pool; ponder over the evening light and starry night on the open terrace with your friends; get soaked in the rain; visit the zoo, temples, historical places, tourist destinations, shopping malls, cinema halls and other places of your interest. You enjoyed these even after a hectic day at the school.

Here, you must understand that nobody can enjoy the life only through holidays. Your hard times make the holidays sweeter. I am not a mother who can every time put a blind eye towards your failures that resulted purely out of your negligence. I forcefully introduce you to some courses to get a taste of that subject. I don’t let you to bunk any class, only because you hate that teacher. I sit with you late night until you finish your homework. I make you wake up early for the coaching classes... The reason? The life is yours!

I don’t want to you to lament on the lost opportunities of childhood in your adulthood. You should make the most out of your childhood- its hard times, its happiness, playtimes, friendship and small frustrations. I want you to put your heartfelt effort in everything you do. I believe that when you aim at the stars, you will be able to fly out comfortably. I won’t be there always to push you. I wish that this childhood would help you to become self-trained person in the future.

I admit that, may be you cannot experience each and everything in life during this childhood itself. But trust me, you have a long life ahead! You can recreate every moment as I do it now. Be patient and gulp the capsule knowledge that you get at this point and that together with your imagination will make you healthy for a better life. I can assure you that for every good and correct step, I can be the wind beneath your wings and for all your broodings I will be the lap for you to fall down.

Love
Amma