Parent – the verb

Once upon a time ‘parent’ used to be a noun

Today such passive connotation makes us frown

‘Parent’ is something we must ‘do’ ceaselessly

Or so we have come to believe erroneously

 

The apple of our eye must win every competition

A tiny fall from the bicycle needs instant resurrection

The center of our universe is given sweeping attention

We cannot allow them to feel a single uncomfortable emotion

 

They must excel in school in skating chess and spelling bee

Doing nothing is forgotten art they can never be kept free

The lovely golden cages we built from high expectations

Somewhere points to our obsession to meddle with creation

 

An online game teaches them how history and geography looks

Even as adult dogmas frenetically change the textbooks

They have access to plethora of information on Internet

We parents continue to believe it is our duty to fix and set

 

If you allow them their own mistakes they will learn to get up again

To teach them empathy and compassion let them experience pain

Don’t do the fishing for them just give them ability

And if you give them freedom do teach them responsibility

 

Love rejection success disappointment highs and lows to juggle

We have denied one thing to our children – the ability to struggle

Real people fail fall and move on without drama and blame

We want a perfect production which is both brilliant and tame

 

You do not have to give them each and everything they lack

Just love them enough to let them know you have their back

The onus lies on us alone it’s no subtle implication

We have fashioned an over parented and under protected generation