Be a Natural.

"Look at him, He is the state first in Class X this year.

I want you to be like him. I know you have it in you.

If only you can cut down on your playfulness and be a little more attentive..

Atleast during the exam times.."

Yup..thts my mom ...in case you hadnt figured yet..

I surpassed my own expectations then....No No ...I dint get close to what my mom wanted..

But atleast One of us were happy...:-)

Im sure she would have been happy too, or rather relieved...

Atleast this time, I could have my dad sign my progress report, rather than having to forge his signature..,like I did the previous time..

That was the first time I did and she found out...cause Id been telling my dad that I havent recieved the report card yet frm school.

The reason...I had performed badly in one of the papers and was telling him, that the teacher hasnt given us the papers yet..:D

That had soon gotten erased frm memory.,

Imagine the fun when the tables turned.

The last time I had gone to India, my cousins complained that I was being a PIA' ( Pain in the A_ _ _) for them.

Reason, the first line that my mom had bugged me with, has now been uttered, 'quote verbatim' to them..by their parents..


Imagine the surprise when, my Dad's colleague came home a couple of days after I landed in India with his son in tow.

He wanted to tell him what to study and how to proceed further in his career.

I looked at my dad and couldnt make out if he was laughing at me or just smiling.

I just told him whatever I knew, the poor chap was feeling so pissed of. I could sense it.

I prolly should have taken him aside and told him, but somehow mine and his dad were around..and eagerly watching what I was gonna tell to him. My dad because, he knew me and was eagerly expecting what Im gonna blabber..and his dad for some sign of redemption for his son.

To me, it seemed as if all that the guy wanted was to get things over with., so he could go home and be himself.

I totally agree with him...

Therez a huge cry now in India, what with everything becoming so competitive....

I remember seeing and hearing about all kids having to go for various classes. Their whole day seems to have been charted out and slabbed into various one hr slots....one for math, one for chemistry, one for IIT, one for State engg/medical colleges, cricket coaching etc..


The same applies to Indian parents in the US too...Instead of subject tutions it is for singing, dancing, swimming, Indian culture..etc.. etc....


Itz a pretty competitive world, and I knw you can get left behind pretty soon if you dont bend your back. But then, is that the only way to do so....


I remember, the guy who used to be the class topper in Grades XI and XII @ high school, he used to cry even if gets to be second in the class, or miss out on a hundred in Math or science..

I used to really go crazy seeing him, "Why is this idiot crying...I'm trying to keep my head above water and here he is...crying cause he missed the 100 by a whisker.."

Only later did I realise that he had demanding parents, who would even beat him or not give him food for the night, if he did not measure up to the standards they had set for him.

Both of them were IITians and they wanted no less for their son.

He is doing good now, but then so are others who exactly didnt measure up to him...

okee this has become quite long, All I can think of is, Let them be Themselves..

Guide them, but not lead them...into what you think is right...Im sure they will learn to swim with the tide. The experience learnt that way will be more than what they would get, if their hands were held... all the time.