How fast they grow up!

I always heard that girls grow up at a blink of an eye. I mean, I am sure boys do too but girls do tend to get more mature, responsible and have a feisty side much sooner than their boy counterparts. 

As I look at my daughter’s old pictures, I realise how much she matures and grows every few months. One day, she told me, “Mumma, I have deduced that parents are not as grown up as they are shown to be.” Yes, she actually used the word deduced in a sentence but her vocabulary has always been impeccable but what I really wanted to know was what drew her to the conclusion that grown ups are not actually grown up.  She went on to explain that from her astute observation of the grown ups around her, at school, at home and the society in general; our behaviours are generally unpredictable and moody.

As I listened without passing my personal judgment, she believes, the children are much more reliable and predictable. Their needs are driven by security and hunger and are relatively ‘less demanding’ in comparison to the grown ups. This, coming from my 8 year old, who has been loudly hinting out an expensive doll house that cost close to Rs.30,000 for her upcoming birthday!

When I have such conversations with my girl, I realise how observant and street smart kids are these days from a pretty young age. During her toddler years, it was easier to distract her by simply switching on YouTube for her and now, even if her friends are around and the TV is on, a simple shift in my mood or ‘atmosphere’ at home will be met with hundreds of questions. 

It is amazing that even before she turns ten, she is more synced with me than my spouse or my parents. This is probably what a mother-daughter relationship is. And, I never knew what I was missing in life until my daughter was born.

We have always wanted a girl child and I was often told that my daughter will grow up to look like her father and be my ‘mini-me’.  This is the aptest thing I have been told! Undeniably, she looks a lot like my husband but her mannerisms, attitude and personality are a lot similar to me and she amazes and shocks me everyday. 

While at the age of eight, I was not even aware of traveling outside my city and shopping for a new dress beyond Diwali and Birthdays, my girl has traveled extensively across 3 continents and has over 20 pairs of jeans and growing!  This makes me realise how much of a generation change there is even though I am not even 30 years older than she is!

With every new generation that comes, the changes are stark and more prominent than ever before. And while the older generations may pass judgment on whether we are spoiling them, pampering them or giving them too much but  change is imminent and a part of our life.

The lesson to be learnt for us here is that instead of questioning and remarking on the changes that are going to happen with time, let us enjoy the time we have, live each moment to the fullest and simply make the most of the time we have with the people we love. 

There is no harm done in letting your kid eat that extra piece of cake, buying a toy when they want, getting them a dress ‘just because’ as honestly, they grow up at the blink of an eye, we will no longer be in charge of their fashion or lifestyle choices. Let us live our life and dreams through them while we can because honestly, children grow up but parents don’t.