Parental Pride

As a Child each of us would have always watched for a glimpse of that little pride in our parent’s eyes, which we sometimes thought was a yard stick and needed that approval. Some of us were lucky, and some well never got a glimpse.

Now when I have crossed 13+ years of parenthood, I have had my share of bragging, head swollen with pride, eyes brimming with joy and every other feel of the great Parental Pride.

I remember two things when I think of Parental Pride.

An incident I have read about ..

“On one occasion someone came on Robert Louis Stevenson turning over the pages of a scrapbook of press cuttings about his own books. ‘Well,’ said the friend ‘is fame all that it’s cracked up to be?’ ‘Yes,’ said Stevenson, ‘when I see my mother’s face.’ His mother’s joy in his success was dearer to him than all his fame with others.”

Another the ad that comes for the havell cables.. I hope many of you have seen this. If not just definitely have a look at it. You feel it hitting your gut. The pride in the mother's face and the concern in the child’s face. To be frank, I thank God, for kids, who react in the same way as that one., maybe that is the reason this particular ad has touched my heart. Will brag a few paras later.. .

As parents the first word, the first step, the first dance , the first day at school everything is a milestone that are memorable and we take so much interest in it, nothing wrong in it, in fact it is necessary for the bonding.

Have you been to a school sports day or to the cultural day, you see the parents almost going up the platform along with the child receiving the trophy. You hear them clapping till the end for their kids, when it would have been a polite one for the others. Now, it is not wrong on their part, it is definitely a great feeling to witness an achievement by your child whether it is a big or a small one.

I am never against bragging or talking about loved ones as long as it is not going overboard and boring the other person, who may or may not related to parenthood as you do. And I have seen some parents, just calling up and bragging up their child’s achievement, which has forced the other parent to start hurting the Loved one’s with comparisons.

When the parent starts talking so high of their child in front of the child, it goes both ways. Sometimes, the child thinks he is great, and acts pompous too. Showing your pride moderately is the key, as in case of praise.

Both pride and praise are needed but within limits.

Coming to brag, though I have been given many moments of pride, there are two incident that remains the epitome of pride to me even today...

My FIL was ill, and I and Dd had taken him to the doctor. DD was just 3, and our luck, we were asked to admit him immediately, those days, we did not have a phone at home, so I told my daughter, to sit with Grandpa, and check if the drips were dropping properly and if there is anything wrong call the nurse aunty. Believe me, I was back at the hospital after an hour and she was sitting in the same place, holding his hand, and eyes on the drip, and the nurse came and told me she was acting so responsible.
Now DD is 13, she has given me great moments of PP but this incident and the image of her sitting there, remains in my mind.

DS, was 4, (he is 10 going to be 11 this month) he had been playing with a group of kids in a friend's place. By accident, one of the toys broke; all the kids put it back in its place and ran home. He went to the friend and told “Aunty, this toy broke, while we were all playing, I am sorry.”
The friend came home, hugging him to tell us that you are lucky to have a great son.
We replaced that toy inspite of her saying no. Till date he never lies, even if he has made a grave mistake. The moment of my friend coming home hugging him and telling that remains etched forever….

What about your Parental Pride, and what is your take on it??