Happy Children’s Day

This children’s day, (14-November) I would like to share a childhood story of mine.

One day, when I was still in school, I got an epiphany and decided to make money and give it to my mom. I set a target of 20 rupees and began working on it the next morning on.

As soon as I saw my father or any of my uncles, I asked for 1 rupee. They graciously gave it to me. As I grew up in a joint family consisting of 25 members staying in one home and dining in the same kitchen, collecting 20 rupees was a piece of cake. So, within very few days, I was ready with 20 rupees and was fired up to hand them to my mom and receive her appreciation.

Now the conversation started –

I called my mom & told that I want to give her something.

My mom replied, “yes, please tell me”.

I then took the money out from my pocket and told that I earned 20 rupees and would like it for her to have them.

My mom responded, “very good, but can you please tell me how you earned it?”

I proudly told her how, thinking I was going to get a bravo.

But, after patiently listening my story, my mom asked me – “do you think that you earned it?”

I replied – yes.

My mom replied – “I think it is begging, not earning. So, I am sorry, I can’t accept it.”

Hearing this, I was stunned, thinking that she did not care about my hard work & emotions. Thinking, I put a lot of effort in collecting it for her and now she was not ready to take the money.

Honestly speaking, I was not convinced with my mom’s response, but I also knew that regardless of my pleading, she would not accept it. So, the conversation ended.

I can’t recollect what I ended up doing with that money. But what I learnt from this was far more priceless. I learnt that the approach I took to earn the money was not right. ?

So obviously I never tried to be adventurous again and to implement this approach.

Now, years later, when I reflect upon, it comes to my mind that if my mom would have accepted the money then my thinking would be very different right now. Perhaps I never would have been able to clearly differentiate between right & wrong. That day, though she might not know it, she taught me to do and accept the right things, always.

So, I would like to conclude by thanking my mom, and adding that it is our responsibility as parents to train our children in a way that they should be able to make a clear, informed, difference between right and wrong and should be able to take a stand whenever such a situation arises.

On a side note, this is the quality which all leaders are supposed to possess, that is, doing, or at least making informed choices pertaining to the right thing. So, to me the training of leadership starts at the very young age and that too from home.

Agree? Kindly feel free to share your thoughts in comments.