But Mom Everybody Makes Mistakes!

Young people are filled with hopes, dreams and what they perceive as new ideas. Older people are often scoffed at. The younger generation believes that the world would be so much better off if they were in power. Keeping this in mind as soon as we reach teenage years, our automatic reaction is to rebel against the very thing our parents tell us to do. I’m no different. I do the same. 

I told you not to put your socks on the bed. I told you, you were not wrapped warmly enough; now don’t whine about your flu. I told you to start studying earlier, I told you, and I told you to do this. Why did you have to go and do that? My child just won’t listen to me.

Isn’t this the cry of every parent nowadays? From the beginning of time, there has been some kind of discord between each generation. To quote what a wise lion once said, ‘it is the circle of life.’

  

A few days ago, my family was at a wedding that was held outside in winters under the open sky. My parents, in their experience and wisdom had asked me time and time again to wear warm clothing and proper shoes with socks. But no, off I went in my pretty heels and half sleeves shirt (it was really cold and foggy, I might add). Well, we all know what happened next, yes I fell sick.

So what is this within us that makes us ignore our parents repeated instructions, often at our own cost! I think it is our drive towards our independence. Since we are not on our own; enjoying complete liberty and all its perks, we try to find ways of distinguishing ourselves from our parents, to feel we have some measure of control over our lives. We are on an eternal quest for the niche that fits us perfectly. Getting noses and eyebrows pierced, listening to music our parents cannot stand, adopting completely different political view points, are but a few examples. Nothing really compares to the thrill of working and living on your own, but you take what you can get in those transitional years, don’t you? It’s the only way for us to say, “I am not my parent; I am an individual in my own right.”

However, it is these very expressions of individuality which are the cause of frustration for parents worldwide. Moms and Dads just don’t understand when their trusting toddler becomes that moody teenager, all thanks to the fluctuating hormones. Our first bike, our first cell phone, our first iPod and our first part time jobs are all steps away from our parents. With every milestone we become less dependent, less reliant on them. Understandably, thus we become a source if anxiety. Where has the child gone who used to bring you broken toys to fix, believed you had super powers and could make everything right again? 

Unfortunately, the progression is inevitable, eventually all parents will have to accept the fact that their child is now an opinionated and an outspoken teenager. So why fight it? Why mollycoddle your children? You regale them with stories of your hard work and struggle everyday. If those hardships got you where you are now, they know they have to make their shares of mistakes. Their frost bitten toes will teach them the lesson. Your insight gained through the years will reach them some way somehow. So let them explore and experiment. Let them broaden their horizons; let them wear fancy heels when it’s chilly. “Now I have to go ask mama about the rock concert next week.”

Areeba Khan

AS Commerce