All Over Again

Yes, we make the same mistakes all over again. As parents, it is innate that we begin to dream up a future for our children... the second they are born. And if we thought we would be any different, we were wrong!

Even before Vedant was born, we had created a profile in our mind of the "ideal child" and are already beginning to make him live our dream. Is that fair? I know my parents had many a dream for me - some I didn't live up to, others I overachieved in ;-) For example, I bet they still wished I was an IIT/IIM graduate, but I didn't care for engineering very much (or was it because I was afraid that I'd fail and shatter their dream?). I think I have redeemed myself though, in a circuitous way, by finally finding my way to management ;-) Despite my deviation from their dream for almost 10 years, my parents patiently supported me until I found my way again! I guess there's a lesson in there for us - even if our children don't do what we want them to do... we jolly well be supportive! As for overachieving, they only asked I marry a smart tam brahm - and I managed to find a smart vadagalai iyengar boy with a wonderful family who appreciates me (and my cooking)!

Time's running out, Vedant is 6 weeks old. He better get his act together soon if he wants to be

- Tennis champ (as his Lakshmi patti desires)

- Neurosurgeon (as his Kamala patti desires)

- High-altitude mountain climber (as his Amma desires)

- Famous Carnatic classical singer (as his Appa desires), disciple of T.M. Krishna (as both pattis desire)

Thank God we had a boy and not a girl... else the family would have designed and ordered a vairam (diamond) necklace for her wedding by now!

Growing up we are frustrated with the lofty dreams are parents have for us and insist on living our life our way, but now we do the same for our children. Maybe that's what having children is about - you finally understand why your parents did what they did. Parents never change, we make the same mistakes over and over again ;-)