Recently, I happened to visit a popular mobile outlet to get my phone repaired. As expected, I was not welcomed with much enthusiasm. I was asked to sit in one corner while the technician examined my phone. I sat gazing around and happened to witness an interesting incident.
A boy of about 15, accompanied by his father, was excitedly looking at high-end smart phone models. The boy’s eyes were shining on seeing the salesman demonstrate various features of the phones, while the father’s eyes wore a grim and concerned look. The boy finally zeroed in on a model, switched on the phone, and immediately became engrossed with a faint unconscious smile on his lips. The father took out a wad of Rs.1000 notes from his pocket and negotiated with the salesman to give a discount. After a 15-minute dialogue, he was able to get a scanty price-reduction. The boy, understandably, was completely oblivious to all this.
This set off a chain of thoughts in my mind. Do school/college-goers really need such expensive gadgets? Owning a costly phone is super-cool, but do children realise the fix their parents are in? Parents have their own fears — if they refuse, given the worrisome levels of temper among kids, it may trigger a heated argument and consequently lead to disappointment and depression in the child. Newspapers frequently report instances where children take extreme and unpleasant steps if their demands are not entertained. So even if they have to sacrifice their bare essentials, parents ensure that their wards are not deprived of their wants.
Obviously, this does not hold good for mobiles alone. A certain amount of maturity and patience is essential among school and college-goers. Just take a minute off and realise the position your parents are in. It doesn’t mean that you have to live an austere life, but until you are able to support yourself, realise that it is their hard-earned money which is supporting your ‘extra’ comforts!
