"Ninth grader from plush Santacruz school stole from parents; school refrains from stern action; asks him, parents, to go for counselling... We've heard of cases of students flaunting their wealth in school. But, in a case that attracted eyeballs from everyone at the Lilavatibai Podar Senior Secondary School in Santacruz, a 14-year-old student from Std IX was found with a sizeable wad of cash that he had stolen from his father's vault." (Read full story)
This is an excerpt of a shocking news item that I found in a leading Indian newspaper.
To what extent do kids go to these days to flaunt their wealth and status? A dangerous trend described by psychologists, urban kids these days have become extremely 'class-conscious'! My mother works in a popular school run by bureaucrats and IAS officers in the Capital. She narrates stories of how students misbehave with teachers in the school, throw 'starry' tantrums and how rich mommies come running to school because their 'li'l baby' (a ninth standard hulk) was 'hurt' emotionally by his teacher. Little knowing about their 'baby' ka karnamas (breaking window panes, bulbs in the classroom with footballs, bursting firecrackers in washrooms and bullying the younger/weaker kids). Initially it all looked so filmy to me. But then a greater reality dawned on me - busy and rich parents pampering their children - buying them expensive gifts and giving 'too much attention' to their 'babies'. Never mind! I am proud that my mum - in spite of 'rich' mommy complaints, does'nt 'give in' to these tantrums. Instead she gives them the entire 'report' of their rich n spoilt brats - not giving them a chance to justify their deeds.
Just because they pay higher fees, does'nt give them license to do as they please or misbehave with teachers. I now realise the importance of our old teachers' maxim: 'Spare the rod and spoil the child'!
