THE WONDER YEARS

It has been a wondrous week. A little FREAKY, a little upstaging, yet filled with Wonder! 

It all began on a breezy Tuesday evening as I walked briskly in the community park. 2 preteenagers playing basketball- or rather, passing the ball amongst themselves, while they had an animated conversation. I could not keep myself from overhearing.

 

 “Hey! I had an appointment for my passport today. Just two options for gender on the application form, you know?" said the first boy.

“Of course,” quipped the other boy- Male and Female- what else, da?” 

“There are thousands of genders, you do not know?” 

“There’s gays, lesbians, transgenders…” his voice trailed off as I ran from the basketball court. Despite the sprint, I was shivering when I got home. 

 

I had better ask my kids to never talk to those two boys!!! It is absolute blasphemy! What material have these kids got their hands on? 

“Ma, what are you muttering to yourself? You sound queer!" teased my daughter. I winced at that word. Had she been talking with those scoundrels down at the park?

 

My thoughts wandered into the realms of unimaginable frenzy. I was brought back to reality by loud, squealing sounds as my two children were embroiled in a fistfight over the television remote.

It took a couple of days for me to get back to a peaceful and relaxed state of mind- ready to handle Exam Week. Trust me, two young kids having a week of tests together in a single house is unnerving, to say the least. 

 

So, here we are- my 5th Grader and I as we study science together.

He goes for one of his frequent water breaks. It is only during examinations that we feel unusually thirsty! In the meantime, I glance over the Science textbook and flip a few pages forward. 

Chapter 2 – The Human Reproductive System. I am shocked! Isn’t this chapter supposed to be taught in ninth and tenth grades? How is it printed in a 5th-grade textbook? Academicians who devised the Cambridge syllabus think it is appropriate, 

Not Me!

 

I know time passes quickly, but aren’t we rushing things a bit? We are in such a hurry nowadays to tell our kids everything. I cannot understand why? Is it money matters, time management, multi-tasking, and, about puberty and sex? Next time my daughter looked up at me wide-eyed- “Mamma, how was I born? How did I come out from your tummy?” Should I say- “Ask your 10-year-old bhaiya? He knows it all!”

Scary! Too much information to young minds can be dangerous and, confusing. 

 

The children of today, however, have innumerable sources of information. Imperatively, they should receive the knowledge from the right source. My only doubt is regarding the time. A little too early, I feel. Or is it only me trying to push time a little? Struggling to stop the flowing tide? Foolishly trying to hold onto that little shred of innocence that keeps them children still.

 

Taylor Swift, the American Pop Star is every little girl’s favorite. “She’s too hot,” said a tenth grader on the school bus home. Obviously, our seven-year-old comes home and sweetly asks, “Mamma, you know that there is another meaning of the word HOT?” Little does she know I am breaking into a sweat right now! 

 

The time has come for me to wake up to a new phase in my parenting journey.  A different and cumbersome dawn awaits. I realize that my ten-year-old prodigal son is no longer the fussy eater, skinny, happy-go-lucky boy that he was. Of late, he’s become a different person from the one I’ve been raising all these years. The newly developed emotions are complex and deep. Feelings are hurt very easily these days.  We are careful in our choice of words while conversing with him.  Be a bit careful while being firm, but not overstrict. We cannot be over-friendly too. He can easily outsmart his incredibly gullible parents. 

 

The daughter has grown up from our little doll, whom I used to love to dress up in laces and frills. “EEW! I won’t wear that even if it’s the last dress on the earth”, she exclaimed, the day I picked up a frilly dress for her to wear on a play date. I was forced to exchange it for a funky crop top, which she paired with blue boyfriend jeans to complete the look!!

 

Conversations on a play date with a couple of 7–9-year-old girls usually revolve around clothes, hair color, makeup, and BOYS!!! Believe it or not, Barbie and Ken are for real!

 

Kevin and Winnie, the lead pair of the hit series “The Wonder Years” could probably be my go-to for tips and advice. As youngsters, we loved to watch the two teenagers in their struggle with unknown emotions and teenage turmoil. Personally, we could not identify too much with them. But, for my current generation of American-inspired kids, I’m sure I’ll find help for The Wonder Years that my babies are stepping into.