It's An Indian Parent Thing- I don't Know This, You Should not Know This As Well

 Asian parents are built different. The entire planet at a corner and Asian parents at another corner. No one can beat them in their approach to leave an impression in the lives of their children. While some movies portray this characteristic as over-controlling, Asian films would call it bare minimum emotions.

Why not? After all, the directors of these movies too have Asian parents.

It has not been on my lot till date to know how parents around the world are. But, I know how Indian parents are- 

• Protective ? ✗ Super-Protective
• Dramatic? ✗ They can leave you feel guilty for their mistakes.
• Intelligent ✗ Have this seventh sense with which they can predict things and their words manifest before your prayers can!
• Planners? ✗ They have your retirement scheme planned before your graduation.

However, one thing that I would like to ask Indian parents (those who are to become and those whose children are in their academic peak) is: When are you going to learn about the things that you do not know? 

I want to know: Why does your child have to spend 90% of their energy in convincing you that whatever they are pursuing is worth it? 

I mean in the current employment scenario where your child is already beaten up by: 

• Biased recruitment, 
• The degree that they did not know exists and is important, 
• Workplace bully
• Underpayment
• Threat of Substitue
• Want to travel the world but then every other day someone is getting blasted!

So, of all the major crisis that your child is already facing, why are you being one of them as well? And this question might be extended to every parent on this planet, but I would like to question Indian parents first.

It is so, because I have an uncle, I know the father of a friend and I have heard a few similar stories where children were forbidden from courses related to Statistical Engineering, Genetic Research, Social Sciences, Chartered Accountancy etc etc... 

More than 70 to 75% of children in India relate to Farhan from 3 Idiots. 

Meanwhile, Abba be like:

 

I am not even escalating to passion-driven professions of art, music or sports. This is about professions and educational choices of things that do not identify themselves as Banking, Engineerning and Medicine. 

Indian Parents (Most) prefer that they children do something big, but not unique. Indian parents want their child to become rich, but not an overnight celebrity. Indian parents love to see their child succeed but not struggle. 

In case of mothers, it is a little easy approach. They are receptive. They might not know things. They might not care to know who else has succeeded. But, Indian mothers are more inclined to learn it from their children their plan of action. If it sounds satisfying and doable, you have got a chance. 

Fathers in India are receptive, but their conditions are varied. 

This pushes children to a see-saw of struggle and success. This see-saw of struggle and success is where Indian parents would rather wish their child to live a comfortable life, doing things everyone is doing and becoming successful in their own parametres. 

Honestly, one thing That I have realised over the years is that success has no objective parameter. To each person, success has a different approach. While some people are happy in their round chapatis, to some people selling more than 200 gol-gappe are success, to some people cracking a deal of INR 1 crore is the milestone. To some people have a good presentation is their success of the day, to some people seeing their child secure Grade-A at school is success, to some people having the highest selling concert is success of the month. 

Success cannot be put on a definite ruler. It has various shades. 

Dear Indian Parent, you have not known many things. Till your child grew thirteen, you did not know that rafting and rappelling are two different things. But that thing exists. It is scary, it is dangerous. It is fun and a lifetime experience as well. 

You may not know what your child would do after doing something that is not mainstream Engineering or Medical. But, you need to know whatever he or she is choosing, what are the possibilities of it. You need to guide your children at the path they wish to pursue, (unless they want to become something illegal or anti-nationalist). 

It is your child and their fate that would decide if they would succeed or not. 

But, It is you who would decide if the fate your child is walking towards would be a distant dream or a planned pursuit. 

Dear Indian Parent, your child needs you. He needs your thrashing. She needs your fierce scolding. But, with that they need you. They don't need to know what other children are doing and what else they can do. They need to know how to do, what they wish to do.