Page 37 - Essence - 5
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Sunita, Asha’s older sister, and her two children, Pratyush and Kiran, visited them
during the holidays. Sunita protested Asha’s friendly behaviour with her children.
“Asha, what is this? You never punish your children?” she questioned her angrily.
“Didi, young children should not be terrified of their parents,” said Asha. Sunita
continued grumbling about how Asha’s children needed their mother for everything.
“When they are hungry, why do you have to make new foods for them every time?
Pratyush just calls a nearby hotel to place an order. And did you help Amar with his
Maths homework?” Sunita questioned.
She had nearly brainwashed Asha up to the day of her departure by repeatedly pointing
out that she was not raising her children properly. Asha was relieved when Sunita left.
Her perspective on her parenting skills had changed, and she was concerned about
whether or not she had raised her children correctly.
The children got busy as school started. When Amar asked his mother a Science question,
Asha responded bluntly. She said,“Amar, you should know how to study independently.
I do not see why you need your mother’s help constantly, whether it is to find your
things or make tea or coffee. See how independent your cousins Pratyush and Kiran
are.”
The following day, they behaved entirely differently, and they did not ask their mother
for any help. When Asha saw this abrupt shift in their behaviour, she was moved to
tears. She realised she had made a mistake. While Anisha was leaving for school,
Amar was looking for his tie. “Mother, I will look for it myself,” Amar stated coldly
when his mother came forward to help him.
“What is the problem, children? Why are you not letting me help?What is the problem, children? Why are you not letting me help?” she questioned. she questioned.
“Mother, you told us we needed to look after ourselves, and we are trying to do Mother, you told us we needed to look after ourselves, and we are trying to do
the same and be like Pratyush and Kiran. It is a form of love when we ask for your be like Pratyush and Kiran. It is a form of love when we ask for your
the same and
help. We adore it when our mother supports us. We enjoy your food because it is . We adore it when our mother supports us. We enjoy your food because it is
help
delicious, not because we cannot cook it ourselves. not because we cannot cook it ourselves.”
delicious,
After Amar finished speaking, the mother sobbed while holding her children and Amar finished speaking, the mother sobbed while holding her children and
After
apologised for her mistake.pologised for her mistake.
a
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