Thursday, September 25, 2008

The other day when I was driving back from the grocery store, I saw one of those little cars for children (the kind where they actually sit in it and drive it) on the sidewalk. Behind it came a toddler, all dressed for the big ride, cool sunglasses and all....The first thought that occurred to me when I saw the little car was, "I bet that's one of the things my son is going to buy his son when he's all grown up." The reason being that that was one of the things he always wanted when he was 3-4 years old and for some reason, we just never bought it. It was always, "not now, sweetie" or "maybe later" Of course one reason behind my reluctance was that he would speed away and I would not be able to stop him.Not to mention the exorbitant price for it. It always felt like, it would be used for maybe a year and he'll outgrow it so why waste good money on it. We always found something else to buy instead, something which both brothers could use for a longer period of time.

Well, anyways, the little car got me thinking. Isn't it funny how, we always try to provide for our kids all that we never had as kids. My parents always felt that my brother and I should have all the things they didn't have while they were growing up. We always got to buy the latest fashion in clothes(as long as it was decent, of course!)They always made sure we had money in our pockets for anything we might need or for any emergency expenses-for me this emergency always translated to a severe craving for pani-puri at the road side stand:)When they were growing up, money was not something they always had and had to go through so much for even the smallest of needs. They always tried to provide a stable home environment for us, something which they themselves lacked, growing up.

Then I had my kids, and what did I do? I tried to provide for them all that I didn't have while growing up.There were a few things I felt like I could not have as a child.It is not always material stuff, I remember when I was growing up,my friends could not always come to my house to play, because my mom worked. So, most of the time it was me going to my friends houses to play. Sounds silly, but it stuck somewhere and now my kids friends' practically live at our house. However, me staying home and not working full time means, that my kids don't always get what they want or don't get what they want right away, because we have to budget our money. Hence, the little car got pushed to the background with all the other things we felt were unnecessary at the time. My husband, on the other hand, a big sports buff,(he played cricket for his state)was the last of 10 children in the family. Though he was pampered quite a lot, he still always had to borrow sports equipment when he went to play cricket and never had any of the fancy stuff the other kids had.There were just more important things the family needed. So, what does he buy our kids? All the sports equipment they ever need or even mention the slightest interest in.

I am sure, when my kids grow up, they are going to buy their kids all the stuff they never had. It may or may not be material things, but I am sure, when they are parents, they will have this big list of things they didn't have or didn't get to do.Funny how the cycle of life continues, right?

You must be wondering, this is a travel blog,so why the constant rambling about life and its little quirks? Well, I think of life as a journey too. The journey of our thoughts, sometimes down memory lane and at others somewhere into the distant future. But, a wonderful journey nonetheless, with all its twists and turns.

13 Comments:

At 11:13 AM, Blogger Mridula said...

Don't worry, I often am in the same spot! I finally realized it doesn't matter, after all I blog for myself and I will write whatever I wish! How does that sound to you?

 
At 5:36 AM, Blogger AJEYA RAO said...

I have seen this happen and also sometimes otherwise. SOmetimes parents think, giving the kid that they did not have as a child is a waste of money. Both of this nature exist in people.

 
At 1:18 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

t.p.:

me too, though i never bought my kiddo the small car (the kind you are referring to) that i coveted as a kid, i've tried to get most other things that i wanted as a kid.

so, your husband played for which state, when, and at what position? :-)

- s.b.

 
At 1:55 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Good observations... and it is true...

I always wanted one of those pedal cars but never got one...for the same reason your kids didnt get one :-)

So when my son was the right age.. I went and bought him one...I must confess that I did try to squeeze into his car.. unsuccessfully...

 
At 3:29 AM, Blogger AJEYA RAO said...

TP...Can you email me to ajeyar@yahoo.com...I wanted to know your email id

 
At 3:05 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

as a kid, i asked for a wooden bat, and i got one after an year of pestering, and that too not a branded one - my dad made one at home, from the 'maradha halage' kept as 'soudhe',and the grip was a cycle tube!

loved the post, tp.

 
At 2:30 AM, Blogger Couch Potato said...

I got a lot of stuff that you didn't. A car was one of them. Jealous? :)
True, we are trying to give Adu what we didn't have as kids. He gets sports equipment that he doesn't use beyond a day, books that he reads and tosses aside within hours and so much more. More importantly, everyone of our holidays is spent in the jungles. My blog post this time is Adu's trip diary on our holiday in B.R. Hills. I've also started photographing professionally, Rooli. Drop by my website: http://www.vvittal.com.

 
At 4:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

hello... hapi blogging... have a nice day! just visiting here....

 
At 9:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

 
At 1:16 AM, Blogger Vamsee Modugula said...

I came across your blog in Ajeya's blogroll. You have a nice blog and I completely agree with what you say there. My mom was never able to finish college, so she made sure my sister and I went to the best colleges and gave a lot of importance to education. I feel like I grew up without any talent (music, dance, instruments etc), so I am going to make sure my children are more well-rounded.

 
At 7:47 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

I remember a tele-film...

Mother cldn't learn dance, therefore daughter forced to learn it although she loved music; her daughter forced into music but she forced her daughter into badminton, who forced her daughter into painting and so on....

the flip side, some parents also force their passions n interests on their children..like in the tele-film.

First time here and will be seeing you again.

Ashesr

 
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