From the mouths of babes

I work at a newspaper office; my world-view is limited by/to news releases. So every once in a while, when I want to get a ringside view of the real world and what it is thinking, I eavesdrop on my daughters’ conversations.

And there, before my eyes, lie the bare bones of modern society — its follies and foibles, attitudes and mores. Least you dismiss my words as the drivel of a doting mother — check these out:
An insight into modern families

Daughter 1 - K (seven years old) to S: Hi, how are you? How are the children?
Daughter 2 - S: (five years old): Very well thank you. Both my children are gone. One got lost in the mall and the other one got married and went away.
K: I am so sorry.

S: It’s ok, it happens. (Pause) Can I have a piece of your chocolate? Give na! Mom, tell her na!

Modern society’s emotional support systems

Me: What are you playing?
K: Pythologist, pythologist.
Me: What’s that?
K: It’s someone you go to when you have problems.
S: Like you tell them, I am scared of heights, what should I do?
Me: Oh wow! Ok.

And so enlightened, I await the psychological drama that will unfold before me.

K to S: Please come in Mrs Bandukwala, do you have a problem?
S: Yes.
K: Please sit down and tell me all about it.
S: You see, my cat doesn’t like me.

Modern social divisions
K: Mom, what’s my blood group?
Me: O-ve
S: What’s mine?
Me: B+ve

I get back to my computer as they continue their play…
K: S your blood is B+ve, hmm, that’s non vegetarian blood.
S: Nooo, yours is non-vegetarian blood!
Me: What’s going on?
K: XYZ at school said that if you eat non-veg, you have non-veg blood.
S: So your blood is non-veg, you eat chicken, na?
K: Even you eat! Chee, you have non-veg blood. Oh mom, can we have white sauce chicken for dinner? Please?

As a child, my conversations with my dolls and siblings generally covered such pointless topics as fairies and enchanted woods.

Obviously conversations between 5- and 7-year-olds these days have a lot more depth! Or at least a lot more exposure! So, as a mother I am dumbstruck to think of what I will have to deal with as the years go by; but as a journalist I continue to listen attentively for clues to current trends from the mouths of babes.