Now and then

[ar]

Now and then a thought comes to my mind
What if I could the clock unwind!!
Return to being a child once more
Ah! that wondrous age of four!



Then...
Life meant playing and reciting nursery rhymes
Dabbling with crayons and making colorful drawings.



Now...
To play one needs to be organized too
Join a play school at the tender age of two!



Then...
Mummy was my first teacher
Lovingly teaching me values which help in life later.


Now...
Mom's busy - working, socializing, and attending kitty parties
Child seems to be low on her priority!



Then...
If mummy had to go, grandma was there
Showering me with her love and care.



Now...
Left with housekeepers and maids
In front of the television passes the day.


Then...
I had never heard words like failure and rejection
Nor faced gruesome interviews for admission!



Now...
A three year old goes for tuition
To enter a prestigious school - the ultimate mission!



Then...
Holidays meant family get togethers, fun and enjoyment
At a relaxed pace honing our talents.


Now...
It's summer camps... professional guidance
Ever decreasing parental influence!



Then...
I had no computer games, no mobiles
No rat race to cover that extra mile!



Now...
Under peer pressure, childhood is wilting away
Competing with the Jones... whatever way!



Then...
The choices I was offered
did commensurate with my age.


Now...
Kids are burdened with choices
they are not mature enough to make!



Now and then I ponder
why kids are being propelled towards adulthood
Even before they have had a proper childhood?