Becoming a father, especially for the first time, is an emotional experience. I remember how I had felt an overwhelming rush of emotions, when Ananya broke the news of her pregnancy. I was so much in seventh Heaven. I have always been fond of kids, I had always wanted to be a father and thought I would be good at it. But as the date came nearer, a cascade of doubts and anxieties crashed down on me. I do not know if it happens with all the first-time fathers or it was only me but I was terribly anxious and stressed out in the last few days leading up to the birth of Aadyasha, my daughter. Suddenly I became very nervous. I would often get emotional and anxious thinking and wondering whether I would prove to be a good father.
All of those doubts and worries however, suddenly vanished away the moment I held Aadyasha in my arms for the very first time. My heart swelled with love and an indescribable happiness as I took my tiny, swaddled baby from Ananya and cradled it against my chest. The world around me blanked out for a moment, there was only me and my daughter. I felt an instant connection with her. I could feel tears sting the back of my eyes, it was such an emotional moment, something that can't be put into words. I could have held her forever. That very moment I told myself that I would do everything I could to shape her into an independent and responsible adult and so that she grew into a healthy womanhood.
Parenting is never easy, raising a child is probably one of the most challenging jobs one will ever have and yet there can't be a more fulfilling job than it. As parents, Ananya and I have fumbled at times and have made mistakes too but we made sure that we instilled good values in Aadyasha like humility, honesty and sense of responsibility during her formative years. We didn't want to raise our daughter as per the old stereotypes of what girls should be or that one gender is better than the other. Rather we have always wanted our daughter to blossom into an independent and a self-sufficient girl, so that she faces the world and its challenges with confidence and wisdom.
Parents can become so overprotective at times, fearing for their child, that they might get hurt. Of course as parents it's our responsibility to make sure that our children remain safe. But children are by nature very curious to know all about what surrounds them. They always remain keen to explore the world around them and seek answers to all the questions that crop up in their minds.
However, on the other hand, parents often thwart their children's curiosity out of concern for their safety. Also at times, we parents unwittingly overstep the boundaries of guidance and disciplining. Sometimes while trying to discipline our kids or to guide them through right and wrong, we become overbearing. But we can't child-proof everything! A child needs to experience the world firsthand, he/she may make mistakes but only then will he/she learn and grow! When it comes to his/her child, a parent needs to find the balance between freedom and protection. So we (Ananya and I) have always nurtured our daughter's independent spirit.
The advantage that we have always enjoyed in our relationship with our daughter is that both Ananya and I have been more of a friend to her than a parent. We have always tried to be the kind of parent whom she would want to approach and not run away from, whenever she was facing some trouble or had committed some mistake. Right from the very beginning, we have always encouraged and developed open communication with her. And we have been patient listeners too. Of course our daughter has rebelled on a few occasions like most teenagers do, and we have had our share of disagreements and arguments as well. But the groundwork that we had laid with love and affection during her growing up years and our open-minded attitude about her perspective to suggest that we respect her opinions, has always ensured that she feels comfortable in confiding in us and thus it has resulted in a loving and an everlasting friendship between us.
I have had so many buddy moments with my daughter Aadyasha right from the time when she was a small child and such moments have always been fun. Nothing can probably liven up your day as much as when you try to see the world through a child's eyes. Kids can provide us with such refreshing perspectives on things like no one else can. With their limitless imagination, they form their own innocent perceptions of the world which are often very unique. Like, the first time when I took Aadyasha to a movie theatre, how she had promptly queried about the remote control of the giant TV (the movie screen)! "Where is the remote of this huge TV, Papa?" she had asked innocently. She would often ask me such innocent questions and catch me off-guard, like while I was trying to teach her how to blow soap bubbles for the first time, she had asked me, "why are the bubbles round?" and I had no answer. She was so inquisitive that she had always got a question to ask. While I taught her how to ride a cycle and then a scooter-bike, she has also taught me a few things like how to take a selfie on the phone and how to video chat on Skype. In fact it was she who introduced me to the social media platforms like Facebook, twitter and Instagram. There have been several other 'Khushi Ke Pal' when I have felt myself as a kid and it's an awesome feeling.
So a parent can very well be a friend of his/her child! It's a very fine line to walk and takes some effort but it's well worth it. It's essential that parents remain actively involved in their children’s learning and that part becomes even easier if they can be their kid's best friends! Not only does that help in forging strong ties with their children but in the process, parents too get to learn a few new things. Kellogg’s Chocos helps in creating such ‘Khushi Ke Pal’ between a parent and his/her child, and thus it helps them to bond better. Such ‘Khushi Ke Pal’ in turn translate into a joyful and uninhibited childhood for the kid, he/she remains in a happy space, assured that his/her parents are always there for him/her. ‘Khuljaye bachpan’ is thus all about this emotional bonding between parents and their kids and brings out the best in both of them.