learnings

Like the pawn broker who was cleaning out his shop and dumping the litter on the road. Like the party worker's car having the party flag goes past toll gates without paying. Like the father who will pay 7 lakhs to admit his daughter in a deemed university! Like the men who spit out anywhere and everywhere. Like the rich kid who thinks he can get away from law because he drives an Audi! Like the man who has bought just 2 items expects to be billed before you just because your cart is full!

As I stopped at the traffic signal, I glanced idly around. I could see a rush at the street  juice stall. People were searching for an inch of shade. The bikers removed their helmets. The pillion riders were sweating out more. The poor traffic cop was having the toughest time- battling the heat in his starched uniform day long. The dog ambled lazily, with its tongue out. I sat in my little car comfortable for the aircon was on. It hit me hard. How privileged I am... I may not have an Audi or BMW but I have a car and I am enjoying its cool confines. So do many of us. Yet do we pause to reflect on our gifts? Do we think of reaching out to help the lesser privileged? If you do not know how to do so then do visit www.help2grow.org

We always think of politicians as corrupt and dishonest. Just as movies reflect the society or vice versa,  it is the same with our government and us. How can the minister be so corrupt? How can the CEO of a popular paper be so dishonets? These questions flood us. The truth is dishonesty runs across all of us irrespective of gender, religion, caste and social rank. I have seen them all- helicopter parents, fussy parents, permissive, authoritarian, authoritative but the ones who baffled me the most were the ones who were ready to compromise on integrity for the sake of their wards and themselves. There was this unassuming, middle class man who had come to drop off his son for the entrance exam. He looked desperate. His son had failed in the first attempt. The beauty of the architecture entrance exam is that one can attempt the exam any number of times. I tried telling this to the father. I tried to tell him that there are almost 50 colleges offering the course.There was noth...

Here is a group pf parents/adults who are so nervous and worried that they transmit this behaviour to their wards. They reduce themselves and their wards to nervous wrecks before an exam. Papers go flying. Pens slip. Bagas are searched a million times. They will keep assuring themselves and their wards zany number of times! They will keep seeing off their wards ( bye bye)  into the exam hall ( the next room from where they sit). If we ask the wards  to sign on a given document they will stare at the document as if expecting an alien to come up and guide them!! Then the fuss-drama begins all over again... For god sake grow up parents.. I want your wards to grow up too.

Lately I have been doing admission counselling for a popular professional college. I have been meeting almost 30 sets of parents every day. It has been a great journey of learning. There are different types of parents. Here I give you an account of the 'helicopter parents' These are the ones who fuss and hover around the child constantly. They carry the bags for the children sorry teenagers. They watch over them hawk eyed,. They do not allow the child to take a decision. They answer on behalf of the child. They do not allow the child to even take a pen out of the bag. Oh no, they have to take it out. They are the ones who barge into the office and take the seat instead of the child. Please note that the candidate is needed to fill in forms and sign at several places. The child stands like a minion or is seated timidly, always glancing at his/her parent's face for every question put forward. Even the date and time slot of the entrance exam is decided by the parent wit...