Children or young adults?

Navratri is that time of the year when the tone for the festive season suddenly picks up. This longest festival puts everyone in a celebratory mood. With Diwali round the corner, people are upbeat about the season.  For the youngsters, Navratri is always special.

Youngsters are super excited since it’s the only time of the year when they have the freedom to have fun all night. As if they are given a license to make merry at unearthly hours. While this comes with its own share of problems and issues, I feel youngsters in our country are too subdued and controlled. Despite being in an age bracket where they are at the end of their teens, they are never treated as young adults.

Parents tend to question the safety and security of their children during this time. They feel, their ‘grown up kids’ may not act responsibly.  Such doubts are a product of the bringing up process. Right bringing up will evoke the right behaviour. Why can’t we instil the right morals in our children so that they can turn into accountable individuals?

When we compare the children of the west to our children there is a stark difference. I used to take pride in the fact that our children remain children even after they turn teens. They still have streaks of innocence. In the west, most of the children take a leap from childhood to adulthood on turning adolescents. There is no ‘in-between’ phase. What I failed to realize is that this ‘innocence’ comes with a cost. It takes a toll on the children and their parents. Children are too engaged in ‘the moment’ that they fail to see beyond their nose when placed in temporary independence zones. Parents on the other hand are haunted by thoughts about–  what kind of company would they be in – same or mixed? Would they be in a group or with a single individual, et.al?

Conditioning of the children and parents need to change. When the right values, principles and ethics are inculcated, the independence is seldom misused. Its not easy when its not a part of the inherent bringing up process. We must realize, we need to trust our children. Let them make mistakes but don’t let those mistakes mar the important lessons of life. Parents let your thinking grow so that your children can grow up.