My two-year-old daughter has been singing, “Sia.. Sia thi Japaani!’’

Sounds cute, eh? Not to my ears because the tune of the song she is warbling is not and cannot be music to a mom’s ears. Guessed it right! It is Sheela Ki Jawaani, she is singing and so long as she is singing her own refined version of it, I am fine. But what could be a refined version of Bhaag Bhaag DK Bose, DK Bose, I wonder? And how long can I protect my daughter from it? How can one teach a child the story of a Lakshmi Bai when the virtues of a Jalebi bai and Munni are playing out aloud on every radio station and TV channel? I have banned such music at my place but birthday parties, believe it or not, have these songs playing and friends of my daughter know not only the songs but all the moves too.

Parenting is such a tough job. You have to teach your kid what is right and you cannot err, not for one moment. You are your child’s biggest ideal and idol. They look upto you with the belief that you can never do any wrong. This realization itself is a huge responsibility to carry. But how does one play God to them when there are devils in various guises at every nook and corner, waiting to devour, corrupt and manipulate them? You teach them one thing but your neighbour will teach exactly the opposite. You censor TV in your house but you will catch them watching it at a friend’s place. You don’t give them chocolates but your parents will buy them an entire week’s supply. It is such a battle not to lose your patience over factors  that nullify your teachings in minutes and more often than not, turn you into a villain before your child.

I want to protect my child’s innocence, her beliefs in Hanuman, Krishna, Santa and all such things which make for an innocent childhood. I want my daughter to really believe that Hanuman did fly to get Sanjeevani to save Lakshman’s life, that Santa does leave gifts for all good babies and that Krishna indeed danced on the head of a snake.

Innocence is such a rare commodity today that we must, for as long as it is possible, preserve and nurture it. And it requires every fibre of our being to fight the wrong influences. Each day I resolve to keep my daughter’s world intact, fight with all that threatens to break it and often end up crumbling under the pressures of modern day living by the end of the day. But every morning when she says, ‘‘Mamma, Ganapati bappa has hidden the moon and is playing with the sun…its day now, let’s wake up,” I again feel the strength within to ensure that she shall remain innocent for as long as it is possible for me to fight for her childhood. For am I not the woman who can do it all? She seems to think so. And if she does, so do I. 

Shabia Ravi Walia has been a media professional for the past 15 years, dabbling in production, creative direction and writing. However her biggest achievement, she says is the birth of her baby Sia and penning down the experiences associated with it in her book  ‘Mamma Mania’ (http://www.flipkart.com/books/8184430383).

More about her on http://mammamania.in