Unanswered Question

This is really a tough question.... I had faced similar questions couple of days back. My daughter had seen some rag-pickers kids while on the way to school.... and in the afternoon asked me why those kids were doing that n why they were looking dirty. I told her that as they hadn't taken bath ..so they were looking dirty, but that didn't end there ... why those kids were picking stuff from road... are we too supposed to do that .... sometimes the curious questions of our kids make us speechless. mainly the ones concerned with social inequality or discrimination...

hey sikta, we all have been in the same situation one time or another , i feel its best to live in the moment and i agree introducing discrimination would not have been right... to keep things real and yet see the perspective it may have been ok to actually sit on the floor and enjoy the vada pav... if the clothes got dirty , they could be washed right? your son is small as of now , with time he will understand the difference but for now the innocence is too precious... it is heart breaking in times like this but such is life , i guess...

I agree with Bhavna that this is life .... n its tough to answer questions like ...why those kids r begging or picking stuff from road .... our kids r lucky to have got basic amenities and requirements of life, but they need to face the hard truth of life too... that there is a other world too

Agree with Bhavna, it could be fun to simply do what the child wanted to go, although it would take us some effort to get over the awkwardness... I have to keep doing some silly stuff to make my boy understand that its OK. Like once at India gate, we sat down next to a hawker, sang songs, heard his story and just made silly conversation.. the response I usually get is 'mum! everyone is watching'.. but with time it will change, i am sure..

Hi Sikta, it is tough to find answers to their questions sometimes, isn't it? I agree with the ladies above and also say that in situations such as this, you may do as he wishes. If you are concerned about the hygiene, you may give your son a wash once home. Also carrying a small bottle of hand sanitizer in your bag helps. Your child will gradually learn about the truths of life. Meanwhile, enjoy doing little things like your son likes to do :)

Thanks A Lot for all the wonderful suggestions !!!i would surely join him in future for any such situations!!!

Sikta, most of the discrimination which we dont want our children to imbibe are there in our own minds. So is hygiene. Much of the impositions we put on our children in the name of hygiene are actually not that unsafe. As far as discrimination is concerned, Bhavana is so right... we cannot stop it, we can just delay it and put into our children's minds that all honest labour is respectable. They should learn to respect human beings, not for their money but for their work. If we are successful in doing that, probably the society will not be so screwed up in the next generation. Probably every one would be able to get a decent education and have a chance at a better life. It all depends on our children and what they do in their generation. Imagine, if your son sits beside two rag pickers and eats today, tomorrow he might be a law maker, a statesman who will actually think about these sections of society which has been pushed down for eons in our country. Kudos to all the mothers who think we should let "our" children mix with "theirs". It will not give them illnesses, it will only make them a better generation.