Irresistible Force v/s Immovable Object

There was this time a few years back when my then 3 or 4 year old daughter wanted to apply nail polish on me. Reluctantly, I gave in but told her it could only be on the toe nails. Those I could cover with socks, I reasoned. And they’d go away with enough scrubbing or soap, I thought. Boy, it was one of the worst decisions I made. It was a nightmare having to wear socks every time I went out in peak summer. And nail polish doesn’t come off easily, I realized too late.

Ever since, I’ve said No to pretty much every girl-y nonsense she’s wanted to try on me. Mostly I’ve been able to stand my ground, and the few exceptions have been plain sailing compared to that nail polish fiasco.

I assumed the next big battles will happen only when she’s a teenager. Like she disapproving of how I dress. Or how I look. So I have peace on this front for a long time to come: after all, she’s only 6 now.

They say kids learn things/do things faster and earlier these days. Apparently trying to control what parents should wear falls in that bucket. The other day, I wore an old kurta that I found lieing somewhere. She’d never seen me in one before and disapproved of it instantly. She tried shaming me about it, but I’ve now had 6 years of experience to brush aside her criticisms of me with the contempt they deserve.

The next day, I went to pick her up from the bus stop in that same kurta. She was horrified. She can’t say it in these terms yet, but the reaction seemed to say, “It’s bad enough that you wear that thing at home, but to wear it outside too? And to be seen with me in that thing? Are you trying to embarrass me in front of my friends or what?”

Unlike the nail polish incident though, kiddo, this time the irresistible force is meeting the immovable object. It’s game on!

Comments

  1. Ramiah KumarMarch 2, 2018 at 8:56 PM

    This time around, it is more into child psychology! Well presented and the literary merit, as usual, shows.

    Parenting is a fabulous experience. There are many who don't miss out on details, while some parents may not notice and appreciate as much. In fewer cases, like this blog writer, not only one enjoys but shares in a way others live the same moments of child-parent view point exchange.

    It is sheer joy for grandparents like ours, whose relationship with grandchildren is wholesomely benign. It is the joy of experiencing child's ways, while leaving the responsibility part with the parents. Very convenient it is for doting on grandchildren! :-)

    ReplyDelete

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