On my way to work the other day, I happened to listen to a topic, which is being discussed quite often these days.
The summer vacation of kids during the 80’s/90’s versus the summer vacation of kids of 21st century. The mention of “the good old days” took me down the memory lane, bringing back some sweet memories. I smiled involuntarily.
The first thing we did was pack our bags and board a bus to our ‘native’. Thought I did not have my maternal grandparents, I still looked forward to staying at my aunt’s. And mind you, it was not just one house, we would be visiting quite a few uncles, aunts and cousins. Oh! Such beautiful and carefree days. I still remember it so vividly, like it happened just the other day. Swings made of rope and worn tyres, mini home built of old broken pipes and gunnysacks. Cooking without fire with fallen leaves and flowers. The game of hide and seek which never actually came to an end. Non-stop arguments and laughter. Ah! Those days will never come back.
Getting back to reality, I am a little saddened that my child will not get to experience the summer vacation of ‘those days’. But it also got me thinking, aren’t we the parents responsible for that? We live in the 21st century. The world around us has changed and progressed to a great extent. Children, now, enjoy playing with their gadgets, which unfortunately we the adults have given them. Not that they do not play outside. My child loves football, as well as enjoys swimming with friends. Ironically most of us live in high rise apartments, for that matter even the grandparents. Hence the comparison seems unfair.
What is the need to compare? Somethings are inevitable and some changes are necessary. Instead of comparing, let’s share our wonderful childhood memories with our children and let them make ‘their’s’.