Sunil Raveendran, Academic Coordinator, Indus Altum International School, Belagavi, Karnataka

“What is that? Papa, How is that?
Why is that? And, where is that?”
Looking hopefully at me and holding my hand,
My six year old girl with a probing mind,
Awaiting a reply that would amaze her.

But I within my mind, worried and frustrated,
with a stern face and a frowning voice,
Just said these words to my baby girl.
“That’s how it is and how it will be;
Live with it and you’ll see!”

I was blind to see how swiftly the glow
On my baby girl’s face faded away.
I couldn’t fathom the pain I caused
To the innocent heart of my baby girl.
It would have taken the same time for me
To give the answer she desperately sought.

I realise now, how blind I was;
I realise now, I didn’t feel for her.
But it’s too late to amend now,
As my baby girl isn’t six any more.
She is leaving me today and I have to let her fly,
To chase her dreams in to the big wild world.
She is ready to leave the nest
And I am happy for her,
But will always be guilty for her faded glow.

If only I wasn’t blind then,
If only I could have felt her pain
She would have flown to chase her dreams
With the glow on her face ,
My beautiful baby girl.

The Crime

“Children are born curious with brains designed to learn. The number of questions a child asks seems endless. It is one of the means humans adopt to learn. We are doing a crime when we kill the curiosity and inquisitiveness of a child”.

A child at a very young age asks endless questions which would seem unimportant or useless or obvious for many. In this busy lifestyle and mindfulness, most of us adults tend to shut the child’s curiosity down by raising our voice. We think this act of ours is harmless and tend to keep a blind eye on the serious impact of our action on the child ‘s future.

What we don’t realise is that the child gradually stops asking questions. He/she stops being inquisitive. Which means the child is no longer a seeker which stops his/her intellectual growth. When the intellectual growth of the children is choked, the next generation becomes weaker than the current. This is a crime to the humanity!

Let’s not clog the development of the entire human race by killing the enthusiastic curiosity in our children. Rather foster them! Encourage children’s inborn motivation to learn. When conditions allow children to satisfy curiosity, learning occurs naturally.

A child’s brain is already designed to learn. We can support this by creating stimulating environment and providing enriching experiences.

Let’s take the responsibility as the torch bearers for the coming generations and build a generation of seekers and great minds. Let’s strengthen each generation that follows us and not weaken them!

Also read: Indus Altum International School, Belagavi