I was brought up in a very conservative family, a little bit too strict about academics. To top it, I spent my childhood in a gated community which made matters worse.
Everyone, students to parents to teachers knew each other and trust me you, there was constant comparison of marks and talent. I unfortunately was on the receiving side of my parents’ ire, especially when I was forced into pursuing engineering and I forever ended up with ‘not as good marks as Sharmaji ka Beta’.
Post marriage, ofcourse the pressure from their side reduced, and I opted for teaching ( which too was their idea, calling it a safe job.)
I love teaching, but again it’s all technical.
For quite sometime, I could never explore the literary field.
And since then I swore.
I Won’t Be Like My Parents.
My son chose Mass Media, he is happy, pursuing post grad in PR, and I’m glad I never forced him.
I didn’t do too bad either. I completed my M.Tech and though I know it’s a tad bit late, i intend to register for PHD. I am disciplined, I try my best to divide time between teaching learning and, writing singing.
So, this brings me to the thought,
The discipline I think I possess, my desire to grow academically, my effort to try and be an author….
Didn’t All This Stem From The Fact that My Parents Instilled a Competitive Spirit in Me, From Early On?
Blame them as much as I would, haven’t they imparted good and sound principles?
Yes, they too were young back then, they thought engineering was the path to Nirvana.
But Teaching Engineering hasn’t harmed me whatsoever. I am learning new subjects, I am doing okay.
Being a parent to an adult now, and listening to him constantly complain that I am a helicopter mom, I am now understanding my own parents a lot better. All this while, whatever they imposed, wasn’t it for my well being?
So, Parental Pressure, is it as bad as we make it out to be?
Or is it necessary at times.
Food for Thought?
