ROLE MODELS...

Albert Einstein, Michael Jackson, Sachin Tendulkar, Alfred Hitchcock.... What is the primary impact of all those remarkable personalities? They become role models or benchmarks for individuals to aspire for. People can look up to someone's journey towards success in their "respective fields" and learn from their triumphs and failures. That is the normal case that we usually encounter but there is another dreadful impact which is leading to misery for young minds. Remarkable personalities and them impacting negatively doesn't jell well, right? Yes, but it is not the personalities who are directly influencing things but the parents who are setting these personalities as "targets" for their kids to achieve for. It doesn't matter if the kids are capable/interested or not, the kids are the parent’s angels (puppets) who are supposed to make the parents' dreams come true. Never dare to ask any parent why they didn't try to make their dreams a reality by themselves rather than passing the buck!!!

The real meaning of guidance is misunderstood and is ending up being forced. If a sportsperson shines in his field, the kids should grow to match him. If a scientist comes out with sparkling success, then the kids target is changed. Every parent wants their kid to be a star, so whoever is there on the top, shinning, should be their kids. Of course they should be cashing a lot of money too, financial security is the ultimate goal of any human being, right!!!

Off late the scenario is changing with people who suffered from it determinant not to inject the same venom into their kids but at times they tend to overdo things. Too much of pampering and overly cocooning is leading kids to be in an imaginative world filled with fun, safety and unaware about being responsible towards thyself or the society. Many teachers are getting affected because of this. When we hear about the suicide or suicide attempts by kids for being scolded by teachers, we tend to imagine that the teacher should have been so harsh for the kid to take such extreme steps but that is not always the case. Often the teachers are on the receiving end of the byproduct of illogical pampering, which is costing their career and life.

The primary thing one should understand is, the parents are the first and best role model for any kids. There can't be anything better than their acts and deeds that can mould them towards being a smart and successful individual. The world is not full of happiness or success, it is mix of everything and it is the responsibility of parents to make their kids be aware of it and make them educated about the value of being righteous. Showering money or materialistic stuffs will give happiness but more than that sowing the right attitude and character and grooming them as responsible individuals is more prosperous. Everyone wish to be in the limelight or recognized and kids should be made to realize that it is to be earned and for the right reason which will have chain reaction of right things, which will be long-lasting.

I would like to quote an example of the inspiring worlds of a mom that helped her son to grow to heights. Rajalakshmi was a homemaker and she didn't set targets for her kid to be an engineer or doctor or scientist or sportsman or whatever but she asked him to give the best irrespective to the field he was in. She quoted that even if her son chooses the profession of housekeeper who cleans the toilet, he should "give his best" and should learn and grow to be the best in what he does. It was very obvious that the stress was on giving your best and that probably made it easier for the kid. For him everything he does was an opportunity and the competition was within and not with the lakhs who contest for limited seats or designations. Had it been a specific target set, his choice would have limited and been under stress to catch the bus and never miss it. The kid's first job happened to be a barber (though for very short time), and even at that time the mom stuck to her words and didn't criticize. The kid ended up being a versatile performer in Indian Cinema. He took his mother’s inspiration words throughout his career and excelled in all that he was exposed to, whether he took up role of child artist (where he won the national award in his first movie itself), or being dance master, or script writer, or singer and so on, grooming himself to be well-versed in all those fields. The kid is "Kamal Hassan".

Preaching alone has not yielded results, so parents it is time for practice. Be the hero to your kids, they will become heroes by time.

SATHISH N