Growing up in an Indian family when you belong to this generation, is a struggle. Your beliefs, your manner, your culture, everything originates from your family. They want to be the start and end of everything and they’re as inquisitive as it gets. But what about all the other things that influence your life, that makes you want to be more free, more aloof, more independent? Well we hide those away in crevices, hoping they won’t find them. And what really happens is that they ignore them, even your family refuses to acknowledge your unique personality. The personality you bring out in full form only infront of your friends. Instead they turn a blind eye and pretend you are still that 13 year old who believes in all the same things, still likes eating curd-rice and who watches Pokemon everyday. Maybe as parents we’d change a few things around to let our kids be their real self, kick back their heels and let them freak out in life. Here is to my future kids. Go to the mandir every year on your birthday. No, don’t go to the mandir, instead, go to a church, a mosque, practise Buddhism or simply sit at home and believe in karma. Don’t believe in religion if you don’t want to. All I really would ask of you is to believe in something bigger than yourself. After all, you don’t get stamped with the religion you belong to at birth.

Don’t date until you are independent/ in your 20’s.

Date when you’re 14, because I did. Date because I want you to know what puppy love feels like, I want you to know the kind of relationship where the biggest deal is holding hands, I want you to know a time when flowers plucked from trees and chocolates are the most precious gifts. I want you to feel a love that doesn’t come from family.

Be an engineer, doctor, architect or lawyer.

No my future child, be a dancer, be a singer, be a writer or be a DJ. I don’t want you to have a degree in engineering, or build a tall skyscraper or perform an open heart surgery to be proud of you. I’ll be prouder if you do what your heart tells you to.