Over watered kids

I was helping a friend setup for a musical performance at her house this weekend. The performers were mostly children under who take singing lessons from a music teacher who is very popular among the affluent desis in northern Virginia . They sang a range of popular Bollywood songs and a some bhajans accompanied with a karaoke machine. I was there the day before the big day to assist my friend in the setup of the sound system which had to be immaculate as the teacher expects perfection in the setup and the hosting of the show.


One of the parents called and asked if her daughter could come and practice her number prior to the show as the teacher had changed the pitch that the child was to sing in. Mom and daughter arrived and immediately began practicing. The girl's voice was not that of a singer, and the child clearly was not destined to be a singer. She began practicing in earnest trying her best to sing in the correct pitch, with the mother calling the teacher a few times for additional advice and hints. I was in the next room listening to this old Bollywood number that spoke about love and longing being torn apart in a little girl's high pitched anxious voice, over and over. It seemed that both mother and daughter were torturing me in their relentless chase for the elusive perfect pitch. Rescue from the onslaught to the senses came from a piano lesson time slot, for which the young girl simply could not be late as it would throw off the pick-up time for her younger brother from soccer practice. We bid the mom and little girl good bye, whose mind seemed to be on her piano lessons already. Blessed quiet returned to the house just as suddenly as it had started, but the shadow of a little girl who reminded me of a droopy plant, one that had been watered a bit too much lingered.


The next day the performers along with their parents arrived and the performances started where poise and decorum made up for the lack of talent. They had their music sheets ready, would walk up to the mike as they were called and with a calmness of seasoned performers they sang their numbers. After the performances were over, the parents socialized and the children sat down to see the videos of the singing. I listened to the chatter and soon realized that almost all the children had multiple activities they were involved in and the parents seemed to take a great deal of pride in the juggling of schedules and the costs of the music lessons - both desi and western, tutoring, various sports and religious classes.


The young performers also shared another bond, these kids with their numerous best of everything all looked a bit over-nourished? The green house library says that an over watered plant will be droopy, wilty looking, with leaves hanging as if weighed down.


These desi kids and over watered plants were in the same boat, both have loving caretakers, who want the best for them. The parents were making sure that the children were not deprived of any kind if learning opportunity in their young lives, nourishment of body and soul was being taken care of at any cost. Any burden of cost was associated with the activity fees and the investment of their own time, and not the toll it was taking on the children's spirit. On the contrary, this over nourishment is perceived as necessary to thrive in today's world. I guess the question that only time will answer is what kind of adults these children will grow into? Will they be bored easily, need constant mental stimulation and the art of not doing anything an alien concept?