Rucks was standing in the verandah, when i saw him gazing at the night sky. "Hey Rucks what happened? Why are you here, alone, at this time?" No answer came back. He was just busy staring the sky. "Rucks? What are you looking boy?" Moments later the 5 year old asked, "Chunk, can we sit up there?" He pointed to the tank above us.
I thought a little about what's cooking in his mind, took him up condition of keeping it a secret. I asked him, "Now what?" He pointed to the sky above us and said , "Look Chunk, the star there is red" pointing to the one blinking in the East, "and the one there is blue, while others are white", he said pointing to others. "Look how beautiful they look as if scattered marbles of my old lunch box or like those shimmering pieces of glass in mom's necklace", he continued. I was moved by his innocence and the brilliant ability to link things.
Just then the power went off, may be due to grid's failure. I wanted to take him down but to no avail. He was still lost in the sky and has the reasons to be. As the area around us became dark and scary, the sky turned bright and starry. Millions or may be Billions of stars popped up. I was gathering my self from being lost, then suddenly "Woo!, look the Shooting Star!", a stream of light pierced the sky. "Make a wish", he excitingly said. "What happens when the Star breaks, Chunk?" and the infinite questions began to crop up.
The incident left me wondering whether to tell him about the Science behind it. That Shooting Star are not the part of stars but are the rocks that are left un-burnt when they enter from the space, called Meteorites. The red, blue and white colours of the stars are not in reality but mere due to their relative speeds or most popularly know as Raman Effect. And the shimmering things in your mom's jewellery are precious stones and not pieces glass.
How can I end his childish questions with a more mature, scientific answer? I know that he will learn all this once he reaches a suitable age, but shall I answer him now? at his tender age of 5?
This is one such incidence which often amazed me about killing child's innocence with more factually correct replies. Why are we doing this crime? Are their brains developed enough to understand developed Science?
I have seen many parents/guardians wanting their wards to study hard and top the institution. They want their wards to succeed in every sphere of life, whether or not he is capable to do so.
Since the kid joins the kindergarten, he is sent for tuition, extra-curricular classes to develop his all round abilities. Here one's intention is always clear of developing kid's mind to suit to the competitiveness existing in the environment. Now, it has become a brand statement of making the kid join some class. This generally is done without noticing the child's inclination towards particular activity.
Children generally develop some basics traits during their childhood and they need their time to develop those.Even the course structure is as if they are trying to teach kids every thing at one go.
If we lay heavy bags on their shoulders and give them little/no time of their own, will we not be curbing their inquisitiveness. Child's brain is not for rocket sciences but is to play with mud, make clay dolls and learn through small tiffs with friends. Let them have their 'peace' of time.
I was in dilemma whether to kill Rucks' childhood innocence or save the theoretical details for the future. "Chunk? Tell me nah, What happen to these Shooting Stars." "They fade into the fairy land from where it comes boy", was my answer.I thought a little about what's cooking in his mind, took him up condition of keeping it a secret. I asked him, "Now what?" He pointed to the sky above us and said , "Look Chunk, the star there is red" pointing to the one blinking in the East, "and the one there is blue, while others are white", he said pointing to others. "Look how beautiful they look as if scattered marbles of my old lunch box or like those shimmering pieces of glass in mom's necklace", he continued. I was moved by his innocence and the brilliant ability to link things.
Just then the power went off, may be due to grid's failure. I wanted to take him down but to no avail. He was still lost in the sky and has the reasons to be. As the area around us became dark and scary, the sky turned bright and starry. Millions or may be Billions of stars popped up. I was gathering my self from being lost, then suddenly "Woo!, look the Shooting Star!", a stream of light pierced the sky. "Make a wish", he excitingly said. "What happens when the Star breaks, Chunk?" and the infinite questions began to crop up.
The incident left me wondering whether to tell him about the Science behind it. That Shooting Star are not the part of stars but are the rocks that are left un-burnt when they enter from the space, called Meteorites. The red, blue and white colours of the stars are not in reality but mere due to their relative speeds or most popularly know as Raman Effect. And the shimmering things in your mom's jewellery are precious stones and not pieces glass.
How can I end his childish questions with a more mature, scientific answer? I know that he will learn all this once he reaches a suitable age, but shall I answer him now? at his tender age of 5?
This is one such incidence which often amazed me about killing child's innocence with more factually correct replies. Why are we doing this crime? Are their brains developed enough to understand developed Science?
I have seen many parents/guardians wanting their wards to study hard and top the institution. They want their wards to succeed in every sphere of life, whether or not he is capable to do so.
Since the kid joins the kindergarten, he is sent for tuition, extra-curricular classes to develop his all round abilities. Here one's intention is always clear of developing kid's mind to suit to the competitiveness existing in the environment. Now, it has become a brand statement of making the kid join some class. This generally is done without noticing the child's inclination towards particular activity.
Children generally develop some basics traits during their childhood and they need their time to develop those.Even the course structure is as if they are trying to teach kids every thing at one go.
If we lay heavy bags on their shoulders and give them little/no time of their own, will we not be curbing their inquisitiveness. Child's brain is not for rocket sciences but is to play with mud, make clay dolls and learn through small tiffs with friends. Let them have their 'peace' of time.
3 comments:
hey!!! ossom, reminded me of my childhood whn i used to ask such questions. & u kno wht, the right answers i learnt smwhn in life wth knowledge i acquired. the funniest question was, i guess, why sun walks wth me, mumma? n mom answered, u r a gud girl n sun walks only wth gud ppl.
u r rite, hd my mom given sm scientific answer, perhaps i wldn't hv felt gr8 at tht moment. :)
u hv travelled a gud road as writer, n i really appreciate this one . gud luck, keep it up.
do i give the credits to the writer in you, or to the child in you, or to the soul who knows how to touch the heart at one go... I prefer appreciating you soul... It is beautiful, just like this piece of writing.. YOu got no idea, how simply beautiful it was!! Hats off!! :) me is proud of u CDMA!! :)
First of all ,let me admit that i never expected a blog on this subject from Chandramohan.
But bravo to him and kudos for writing for a different and just cause.
It subtly exhibits his hidden feelings maybe angst or disdain at the situation around us.
And as someone rightly said, the soul of the writing and the writer must be congratulated and appreciated for coming up with a refreshing piece of blog in this muddled dirty world.
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