Blame the Grown-ups!

The most important thing I have realised and learnt in the past 3 months as a Primary School teacher is the important of these initial years of education in the life of a person. The simple things you learn in these initial years of your life, in school with your friends, stays with you for always.

I am easily annoyed by the public. Its infuriates me to see people spit on the road, not offer seats to somebody else needing it more, not standing in a queue or trying to push their way in a queue, abusing people because they think too much of themselves, cheating their way out of situations, basically, not giving a damn about others or not realising that they’re a part, a tiny part, of the ‘public’.

And then I look at these tiny kids in my school. Age groups ranging from 4 to 15, Nursery to Class 5 students. And I see all thse traits in them already.

These little 6 year olds, who push and fight their way in to the food line every single day, who have never been told or shown how to stand peacefully in a line, will grow up to do the same. They will grow up to push their way into a Metro, bus, whatever, not caring if the person they are pushing is a pregnant lady or if the person falls down and gets injured.

When a 4 year old, the younger brother of one my brightest boys, casually rattles of a gaali that I hesitate to even repeat, it is certain that unless someone makes him realise what a terrible thing that is, he will grow up to be abusing his wife, kids, parents and everyone around him.

When an 8 year old beats up a 6 year old, only because the latter accidently brushed against him, of course he’ll grow up to trash anyone who dares to come in his path.

When 7 year olds don’t even make an effort to answer the simplest question by themselves and only resort to cheating from someone else, he will not be able to grow up and think for himself or do any work honestly by himself.

When 10 year olds just kick their food around, or throw a chips packet or the remainder of their food in the middle of the ground even while other children are playing, he will continue to trash the city and the country.

But it’s not their fault. It’s not their fault at all. They are kids. Unless an adult shows them the way, shows them the difference between right and wrong, they won’t know. If nobody stops them from cheating, they will think it is okay to do so. And by the time they are 20, it will be difficult to change them.

These days, whenever I see someone who irritates me, like an auto wallah charging 80 rupees for a 20 rupees ride, or a dirty man who just spat, picked his nose and then pushed his way into the front of the line, I think, it’s not entirely his fault (some part of it IS , though). It’s because of the adults in his life. Its because of his primary school teachers who never showed him how to be! It’s because his parents never made him understand how to be.

Children are so impressionable. They learn so fast. It’s not that they like being disrespectful. They just have never been told what respect is. And it irks me. They get a tight slap for writing one number incorrectly from the board, but when they are giving gaali’s and beating up people and trashing the place, there is nobody to show them the right thing to do.

They need to be told why and how its bad. Not just be reprimanded for something they don’t even realise they did.

And adults. Teachers. They just think too much of themselves. Just because children are younger, they demand all kids of unreasonable things from them. The students are making noise in a class, it is unacceptable. But when the teachers are wasting away the students years and lives by spending their instructional time sipping chai in the staff room, it is fine. (Note: The teachers in my school do NOT do that. I am talking in general!)

Another idea that irritates me. “Respect your elders.” It’s again an idea made up by adults. Just because a person is older, they are right. What shit. It should be “Respect everybody.” Children, young people deserve as much respect. Everybody deserves respect. From the little moth that flew in to your room to the 6 year old bratty boy to a 60 year old woman. And I think inculcating the notion that you should respect your elders, also inculcates the notion that you should demand respect from a younger person. That is a why a 9 year old boy can bully a 5 year old, because he is older.

Adults are ruining the world. How so? By not taking responsibility for the younger generation. By setting horrible examples to the young. By disrespecting the youth. Adults are bullies. Simple.

Recently when the whole anti-corruption fucking saga went on, I was thinking, in this present generation corruption will never go. These adults who were “protesting” will go back into their lives and pay their bribes. And if they really care so much about the cause and want to do something about it, instead of having media covered candle light marches and shouting sillly slogans, just do your part and spread the concept of no-corruption to the younger lot around you. Educate younger people on why and how it is bad. People need to realise it, feel that it is a terrible thing, for it to be eradicated.

Seriously. Spread the idea to the young. Or in Inception language, “implant” the idea into the minds of the young. Teach them to be true to themselves, to be honest, to be clean.

Basically, my point in one line, adults have a huge responsibility in the today’s world.

Blah.