Parenting Classes

Yep, you read it right and guessed it right. Training classes on how to be a parent (and I thought that you became a parent as soon as you gave birth to a child). If you want to know more about this, then read on.

The pre-school of my son has sent an invite to a special program that they are conducting for mothers. It a workshop on how to learn and make your child learn (duh !!). The few days before that I saw an ad in the newspaper that a leading pre-school chain is conducting parenting classes for new parents of children as young as 5 months.

Earlier new mothers had their mothers and few other elderly ladies of the family to fall back on for suggestions on child-rearing. I guess that nuclear families do not have that much of network and hence would search on internet or rely on friends for advice. Now-a-days attending workshops by third-party is increasingly becoming common. But attending a certification course on parenting is taking this to another level (what's next? graduation ceremony for parents, perhaps !!)

Being from a country where family relationships are an integral part of life, I find the whole thing shocking and funny. I guess it is common in the west where professional approach is expected in everything (starting from pre-natal classes). Various causes and reasons are attributed to this trend of parenting classes. But I find all of them difficult to accept.

For me parenting is all about enjoying and cherishing every moment of your time with your children. Child-rearing in more intuitive than any science. The moment you take the little one in your arms for the very first time, you are hooked for life and become protective. No one needs to tell you specifically that you don't dangle a new born like a ragged doll. Maternal instincts are by far more precise than any other prediction systems in the world. Of course, there are times when you feel lost and seek advice. But then, one receives advice in India even without soliciting. The moment two mothers meet, we exchange notes about children and give suggestions for each others' problems. When an aunt visits the household and inquires about children, the tips received from someone who has reared children are priceless.

I find it difficult to listen to best practices from a complete stranger who has not even met my children and does not know about the environment of my house or about my family. Personally I prefer speaking to my granny any day about my children than to those so-called experts of child psychology.

I understand that my children belong to a different generation. Life is not what it used to be in my childhood. I also admit that sometimes I fail to understand my children. Despite that I do not agree that someone else has better knowledge about my daughter or son. I will call up my granny or mother or aunt or doctor when the need arises. I will argue with my children when they become teenagers. I will be frustrated while communicating with them. I will lose sleep over the future of my kids. I will do all this and more, since it is a battle which has been going on for generations. It is an integral part of my family and it will remain so. And I intend to live through and cherish all those moments.