Whosoever says kids are innocent
are perhaps ignorant themselves. My observation, being father of two kids - kids are extremely sharp and generally read
people and situations like an open book…
It is a well-established fact in
my family that both my kids “figured me out” before completing their first year
of existence on this planet. Pretty early they figured out that this fellow is
malleable and ductile and can be pulled in any direction. Not that I am not
aware of this weakness - it is just one of those rare occurrences where you
actually enjoy being manipulated. This also is reason why my wife keeps me at a
safe distance when some discipline related decisions need to be taken!!
My daughter, just like any normal
child, freely used her charms to get her way – be it about choice of her
clothes, food and now her career (she is 17 and has decided to pursue a career
in archaeology for some reason which I am yet to figure it out!).
Of late, what annoys me is she
has stopped demanding anything from me. Whenever I travel (which is every
week!), my 7 year old son is always ready with a new shopping list and
patiently explains me his priorities in that list. My daughter used to do the
same which she has stopped.
Yesterday, I had gone out to meet
a few friends when I received her text message saying she needed a specific
brand of pen. Finally!! I was happy that she demanded something. A few minutes
later she called me and said, “Look, do not go around searching for that pen.
If you find a shop on your way just get it, otherwise it is not all that
important. Knowing you, you will roam around half an hour to search for that!”
she giggled and disconnected the phone!
I was stunned at the accuracy
with which she could predict my behaviour! It is strange that she continues to
read me the way she did right from her early childhood – only the
end-application of that knowledge is very different now. Though it is very
sweet of her, I am still not sure I like it – somewhere deep down I just feel a
pain of her growing up!!
