How My Reading Hobby Helped My Teen

I have always been fond of reading; whether it is a book, magazine or a newspaper.

I don't remember reading much during my childhood days but as I grew up, my teenage years and thereafter, I’ve always found myself with a book in hand. The India Today magazine was read from back to front (always in that order)! So was the case with the Sunday Graphiti, a supplementary of The Telegraph.

After my marriage, the Brand Equity, a supplementary of The Economic Times, was added to the list. I was so fond of reading it that if I could not read it in the morning I’d make sure I read it as and when I got time. As for TV, if the remote was in my hands, the channel being watched was invariably Discovery, Nat Geo, Animal Planet, and later on, some food channel.

Interestingly, I also watched a lot of cricket and I greatly enjoyed hearing the expert opinions which helped me gain an understanding of the game. Another sport I watched with great interest was lawn tennis. I was a big Steffi Graf fan and many a Saturdays were spent rooting for her, egging her to win a rally, hit an ace, go for the serve and volley or drop shot!

Nowadays, I don't get much time to read (the smartphone is read more), but the newspaper is still my companion with my morning tea and this time, around half an hour, is my favorite time of the day.

A couple of years ago, I had started wondering what good my interests had done me. They did not help me in my housekeeping, child rearing, or relationship-building and managing skills, areas around which my life revolved. And neither did they help me in my social skills because I am not good at remembering facts and figures. Even though I have a sense of general awareness about people, things, events, trends, and happenings around me I fail to make a point; I cannot come up with it at the right time.

And it is not often that you find ladies discussing ideas, innovations, books or sports. I was, in fact, so disillusioned that I stopped indulging in my interests and started wondering if it would not have been more fruitful for me to have learnt some skills which would have helped me in my domestic life.

It struck me that I had heard mothers complaining that their children often told them, "Mumma, leave it. You won't understand this" or "You don't know about this" or "You can't do this", but my children had never told me this. My eldest, in the second semester of B.Tech, had studied under my guidance till her secondary exams. Even now, she sounds me out when she runs out of ideas. She has the upper hand in the technological field but I score on the creativity and awareness front. Often, I am the one telling her about a new app, the latest gadget, an innovative start-up, some fest or news related to her college or course.

My second born, studying in Class 3, is also being mentored by me. It should suffice to say that even if I point out his teachers’ mistake in the copies he brings home; he does not challenge me or doubt my judgment. Of late, my son has developed a keen interest in cricket (thank God for the choice of sport), and since I know the history of the game from Kapil Dev to Kohli, the fielding positions from long on to point, the shots from sweep to glance, the bowlers from pacers to spinners, the balls from yorker to swingers, I am able to time his deliveries sweetly and satisfy his never ending queries.

So, the enlightening fact was that if nothing else, I had gained my children's confidence and respect by my interests. But the verdict still hangs in suspense because my youngest, all of 3, questions my choice and judgment at every step, especially in matters of fashion and dressing. But I am hopeful that as she grows up, I will grow too and add to my interests so that I can win her confidence and respect as well.