Things I want my kids to learn

I volunteered a marathon event few days back for women named Pinkathon. Delhi women had made the event a success by participating in a huge number. The participants were ranging from school going to college girls to working women to married women to new mothers while their kids clinging on to them, while running.

When the event was getting wrapped up, everyone was reaching the finish line, I saw a father who had brought his daughter to the marathon and the girl was tired like anything, not wanting to complete the marathon. But his father kept her spirit and zeal on. He kept saying "Just 10 meters away is the finish line" "there I can see the finish line". This could be a very normal episode. But this triggered me that I 'd want my children to learn the spirit of never giving up against all odds be it physical or emotional. This infused the idea to start a post with the same intent and keep updating it over the time. 

Here the list goes-

1. Attend such fitness events as mentioned above or practice any sport or dance. But I want them to be fitness conscious. I'd endeavor to accompany them everywhere in order to cultivate this habit in them.

2. I'll never tease them with remarks for the opposite sex. They would be brought up with the idea that opposite sex could be as good as a friend as the same sex. I'd never let them watch Salman Khan starrer Maine Pyar Kia proposing the idea "ek ladka or ladki kabhi dost nahi ho sakte". No restrictions for the opposite sex to visit home even when they are 5 or 15. I had faced the same situation in my home but I'd want myself to be progressive on this front.

3. I'd want them to be proficient in a language other than English/Hindi/Punjabi. In this competitive world, they'd need some edge. This should begin in the starting age of bringing them up.

4. I would never introduce them to the concept of "bad omens". One should not drink water before going out for some work, else there would be some obstacle, Continuous flickering of right eye for girls and left eye for guys is a bad omen. Not taking a head bath on Tuesdays or Thursdays. Not eating eggs or meat on Tuesdays or Thursdays.Not going to a temple when you are menstruating. And I can go on and on. My mother used to be and is still conscious and starts worrying when I try to do any of this things. This has made the above things settle in my sub conscious mind and sometimes not even knowing, I tend to consider such ideas as and when something happens. 

5. This reminds me of another thing I'd like them to learn. They should understand the concept of menstruation and sex at a reasonable age. They should not buy the idea that children happen automatically after marriage or some angel comes in the night and gifts the family a child. They should not get excited when in Class 10 (if they study the same curriculum by CBSE), the chapter named reproduction is being taught. It should be normal like chapter on Structural Organisation of Plants. They should not shy away nor the parents when an Sunny Leone advertises Kamsutra condom with new coffee flavor.  

6. They would be taught to respect elders/ grandparents even if they don't like them. No matter what , they are the ones who had brought them up along with the parents. I am not sure how much true it would hold for me but at least I will keep humanity before my personal conflicts.