The child is father of the man...

A wise man said, "I am at my best when I take a stroll with my daughter".

He truly must be one of the wisest men around.

It does not happen often but whenever we can, we just slip into the Car on one of the weekends and drive across the city. Just Me and my daughter. Hanging around the places with daughter can be a memorable and cherished experience. The topics slowly waft to those around childhood days, hobbies like guitar, sports and music, favorite and not so likeable topics in school, upcoming Cartoon movies and the favorite flavor of Ice creams. The conversation also includes the best friends in the school (and often the latest bullies and the way to tackle or simply ignore them), those in the society and the best teacher in the school whose classes ‘feel and smell’ the best. We also discuss why playing out with friends - and not watching Power puff girls/Sofia the first/Chota Bhim all alone - is a better idea.  We discuss how long it has been since we watched a 3-D movie in a theatre or home. We also discuss the scenes which were best 3-D watch giving us goosebumps. We discuss the new releases under 'Diary of a wimpy kid', ‘Dork diary’, ‘Tom gates’ and 'Geronimo Stilton' and the number of Ruskin Bond books and magazines Papa used to read while he was the same age…

Most importantly, we just chill around. Grabbing a cup of Alfonso mango shake and walking around the beautiful city roads as we park our Car really, far away just for the fun of walking, is great. Entering one of the many exotic bookstores in the neighborhood and thinking of my own childhood days even as the daughter scans through Ruskin Bond, Harry Potter, Enid Blyton, Wimpy Kid, Amar Chitra Katha and other books is fun time without doubt. Post that, having our favorite scoop of Natural ice cream while walking back through the promenade is plain leisurely fun. A daughter is always an enjoyable company beyond any comparison. We have the best weekend time which is woven in fun, frolic, music…and yes, a hint of magic!

Of course, while on our way back, I also get a call or two from my wife who is relieved to hear us finally on our way back.

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There is bit of science and lot of psychology behind it. When you go on a drive with the whole family, the talks are not the same. I and my wife would be discussing the topics families normally do and the daughter might be busy with the iPad. Spending time with kids is an enriching experience every parent must spare some time for. Now, as more and more people have started discovering the positive and magical side of it, there are various takeaways we associate with parent-children relationship. Here are a few I can think of:

1. Curiosity: Children ask a whole bunch of stupid and smart questions unapologetically. They look into the world with new eyes and the beginner's mind. They don't pretend they understand how things work. They are not trying to prove their expertise. They look what's happening right in front of them with curiosity and ability to astonish. That’s the way we learn. “Why is the sky blue?” or “Who taught the birds to sing?” they might ask. It’s just a part of their nature. They want to know how things work, or at least their origin. Diametrically opposed, most adults stop asking those important questions in life. If they’re not entirely informed about a situation, they prefer to cast a blind eye, for fear of embarrassment and humiliation. I wish we also accepted what Socrates said thousands of years ago, “True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing”. Children for sure follow this saying in word and spirit.
2. Truthfulness: “This dish you prepared is not good”, or “I love your shoes, mumma”, or still “You don't look good today with that black line on your eyes mumma.” Kids are never pretending to ‘sound good’. You are sure to hear their true feelings. Such a rarity in todays’ world!
3. Jovial: “A day without laughter is a day wasted”, Charlie Chaplin had famously said. Children have the beautiful ability to find joy all around them. Just watch the humor a child can find in a playground, in a shopping mall or at the park. They see silliness everywhere and get an abundance of joy out of it. Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you. I really want everyone to learn from them how they manage to be happy with or without any reasons.
4. The miracles of the moments: Kids appreciate everything around them – raindrops falling on earth, trees swaying in rains, leaves falling on earth, planes flying up in the sky, the grasshoppers on the greens, the bees, the flowers, the varying shapes of clouds. When did we stop noticing the tiny miracles that surround us daily? How beautiful would life be if we could see these tiny miracles once again? The bigger miracles would sure be like celebrations of life then…
5. No grudges: I have seen my daughter catching up with friends in minutes after they ran away from each other. It happens so often. “Children don’t understand”, you might add, but that doesn’t deter or stop them from exhibiting warm attributes. It’s quite amusing watching kids fuss, only to see them make up in the blink of an eye. Yes, they suck at holding grudges. Adults, on the other hand, are great accountants, for they record every single ounce of offense, even those unintentional.
6. Compassion: Kids are compassionate. Kids care about people that have less than they have. It has happened so many times. We halt at a traffic junction. It’s raining heavily outside as we can see through the car windows. A woman or child beggar knocks on the window. All that we see is a hazy face through the thick raindrops on the window. My daughter jumps for the wallet to get some coins and down the windows to hand them over even as rains wet the Car interior. “Papa, how do they not fall sick as they get drenched outside?” We feel wet at heart. Forget logic and social realities, have some compassion-Children teach us.
7. Non-judgmental: A child neither understands colour nor caste. Why can’t we? Instead of learning this good quality from them we started teaching them about this stupidity of social silos. Admire their pure heart. Don’t make them like you. In spite of this children’s never judge people. They accept everyone once they become a good friend. Why don’t we adult understand the simple formula that if you want to free yourself from being judged stop judging other people first.
8. No worries on what will people think? A child doesn’t care what society will think or say. Fake people have an image to maintain. Real people, just don’t care. Follow your heart even if they throw stones. Ultimately, that is what makes you legendary (for those who have seen ‘Manjhi-the mountain man’ will understand). Of-course kids do this not to be great but just because they follow their heart.
9. Keen observers: Kids are keen observers of everything around them. Go for a walk with a kid and do the same with an adult ... use the same route. You will be surprised at the different things you end up noticing and explaining about when you are with a kid. Age tends to make us oblivious of nature. We stop observing and see only what we want to see. Watching people's everyday behavior can help you figure out the solutions to problems you or your organization are facing

It’s not without these 9 and more reasons that William Wordsworth said, “ The child is father of the man”

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Its again time for me and my daughter to go on a drive-away. Not due to the virtues I just enumerated above. But because I simply love it. Benefits are just coincidental, like rains come on their own with clouds in monsoon. Or like flowers blooming on their own as winters come...