I have been an educator for I believe all my life . I grew up to join as a principal serving various schools in this capacity . I have always felt the urge in parents to do best for their children . In a way they are right for they are the natural guardian of their child , infused with the power bestowed upon them by nature to decide the destiny of their children . Definitely no parent wants the child to struggle or loose in life . We as parents want to predispose their future and plan it out for them . We are correct as parents but wrong as guardians . We do not have the ultimate power to pre-decide our children future .

No Animal in this Nature has been given that power . We have been blessed to raise them , nurture them , guide them give various skills to them and then let them choose their future course of action based on their aspirations and desires, dreams and vision and these belong to the individual by the laws of nature . No two individuals are same or have been send to choose the same path .

When successful parents come to me then they would discuss with me that I want my child to be so and so . This in particular is the best career and most respected in society . Hence my child would be this only .

I visualize my growing up years and feel pride at the independence my parents gave me . They wanted to make me a doctor for they felt it was the most respected career but i valued my freedom and the streak and confidence to revolt. And I happily did . . Today so many decades down the line i have no grievances .

I have led a successful career as an administrative educator and more than that a fulfilling and satisfying one . My one career as a teacher helped me in writing , which further helped me as an special educator for special needs children and this further led me to women rights activist and so on and so on.

The tale of my work is unending but more than that at every level i was able to unleash my potential and achieve my best . And this has been possible only because of my parents who believed in me and allowed me to experiment with life . This experimentation gave me umpteen experiences and all of them have been satisfying .

So let your child experience , experiment , enjoy and fail . He will fail many times but if his heart and soul is in his work he will learn to fight back . Every individual has a different time frame for success , different definition for success . No two can match . If we pursue the dreams of our choice and with full conviction then one day world will fall at our feet .

This is bound to happen as this is the law of nature . In nature all species are different but all have their position, however big or small it is . Let the child search his space , establish himself and gain his ground . This he will have to do on his own for nature has made him that way . Let him search his space and shout out to the world – That He Has Finally Achieved For What He Was Send To The World

The irony with the world is that fools are cocksure and intelligent are always in doubt .

Let our children decide their future .

Mamta Mehrotra