Dear Friends,
This week, I heard many incidents and stories related to parenting decisions. In fact, it is easy to clear the UPSC exam or the CAT exam, but raising kids is a tough job! No parenting counselling session can teach this skill. No degree can supplement this knowledge.
When you are rich, parenting revolves around what luxuries you can provide or limit, which courses would help them maintain their privileged position, and how they can avoid any negative associations, etc. When we are in the middle class, parenting revolves around how we can provide a good education and how they can settle well in their jobs, marriages, etc. When we are in poor conditions, parenting revolves around how we can provide basic food, shelter, and other psychological needs.
Recently, I read about an incident in which a mother took a bold decision. A 13-year-old boy named Austin became a hero after swimming four hours through rough Australian seas—first with a life jacket, then without—to reach shore and alert rescuers, saving his mother and two younger siblings. The family had been kayaking (like a boat in which the paddler sits facing forward, legs in front) and paddle boarding when sudden weather changes swept them 4 km offshore; they drifted up to 14 km total over 8-10 hours as darkness fell. His mother made the tough call asking him to swim for help, and he focused on positive thoughts like "just keep swimming" amid massive waves before collapsing on the beach at 6 p.m. He finally flagged the team, and a rescue helicopter located the others clinging to a paddleboard just in time.
There was a shocking incident in which three daughters took an extreme step after being denied access to their mobile phones. In fact, they were addicted to mobile games. When parents made decisions for their own good, it was not well received by their children. A similar incident happened in AP, where a daughter was scolded for watching continuous reels; she took an extreme step as a protest against her parents. In another incident, a son was addicted to games and a few apps, and when the mother stopped funding them as a protest, the son killed the mother. Likewise, the number of such incidents is growing. In fact, this was the case during our times as well, but media reporting was weak. In every generation, parenting is tough.
The other day, we were visiting Araku Valley and driving through a few hamlets. It was almost dark. A few families were living in bamboo-supported shelters. Kids were playing outside, and parents were not nearby. Snakes and other wild insects could be common visitors. However, if we reflect on their parenting decisions, I am sure they were not worried about safety gadgets, but rather about how they would feed their children tomorrow. In a similar scenario, in the case of rich kids, parents would panic if Odomos gel (mosquito repellent) were unavailable!
After observing these cases, I feel parenting becomes tougher as we earn more. The more we have, the more we try to build sophistication. Once kids become comfortable with that level of sophistication, they cannot adapt to a lower one. If it is denied or unavailable, they may become arbitrary in their decisions.
Having said that, finally, in my view, it all depends on God’s mercy, no matter how much you plan, prepare, and practice!!
Do you agree?
Ravi Saripalle
