Amar was new to my school and class. His father, a district judge, had come to Varanasi on his next transfer, and he enrolled his only son, Amar, in class seven.
Amar was a fair complexioned boy, milky fair with rosy cheeks. But he always kept himself aloof and reserved. His soul was so pure and unadulterated that he had no inkling of any profanity or abuse.
I tried to befriend him and wanted him to mix with other classmates, but he was shy and hesitant. One day when we came back after the recess, we found him crying, but he quickly wiped away his tears.
After class I asked him the reason, but he declined to share. When I prodded him further, he divulged that two boys from another class had come to the class during recess and repeatedly made various gestures at him, while calling him Chhakka (Eunuch) and also assaulted him. He meekly asked me what the word Chhakka meant.
I asked him to complain to the Class-teacher and the Principal, but he remained calm even after repetition of such insults. After a few days, he left the school to get admission in a better school.
At that time, I had no idea what helicopter parenting meant, but that was certainly the case with Amar.
His mother used to drop and pick him up everyday. He was not allowed to play outside in the garden or playground with the children. He always lived within the four walls of his house, as his parents felt that he would be corrupted by outside influences.
This was also reflected in his behavior in class and school. But in the process, he was denied the normal development a child should have to grow into a normal individual, capable of navigating the streets of society with courage and confidence.
Children do look up to their parents expectantly in infancy and early childhood, but some parents are so overprotective that they keep a helicopter eye on the kids, which leads to loss of self-confidence and sense of responsibility.
There are both good and bad elements in the society. If we decide to know only one aspect, we cannot appreciate the other side. Those who have experienced darkness know the importance of both light and darkness.
If you want a coin, you have to accept both sides of it. That's why I love to write and highlight both the sides of the society which I have seen and experienced myself. If we decide to be different, then people also see and treat us differently.
If we want to blossom like a rose in a garden, then we have to learn the art of adjusting with thorns.
--Kaushal Kishore
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