MOTHER DAUGHTER RELATIONSHIP

INTERVIEW WITH LATHA.A.KRISHNA

LATHA -  MBA student from Loyola College . Runs Event management company and is also a product consultant. KAVYA (Daughter) – 19 years old, Final year Viscom at M.O.P Vaishnav College for Women.

The relationship shared between a mother and her daughter has definitely come a long way from when I was young. As a child my relationship with my mother was that of respect and obedience. It was not easy to approach my mother with my problems as we could not discuss everything. There were a lot of reservations and parents were rather strict.

The relation that I share with my daughter today is that of a friend. My daughter can confide all her experiences with me, be it good or bad. Everything is laid out in the open and children these days do not have inhibitions about talking on sensitive issues such as sex. I take active part in her education as well, parents these days help tutor their children and offer support in all ways possible. I feel that today’s children need to be given freedom; they are mature enough to not misuse it. I have no issues with my daughter having friends of the opposite sex, which was a taboo when I was a child. I know most of my daughter’s friends and their parents, all her friends are invited home and there are no restrictions this was definitely not an option that I was given by my parents.  I in fact encourage my daughter to make friends as it will give her good exposure.

Children these days have more knowledge of what is happening around them as they are exposed to media such as television. Gone are the days when parents could admonish their children and expect them to listen quietly. One has to handle problems very calmly, we have to firm but polite. We cannot order the children around as it can make them aggressive; one has to handle situations very carefully.

KAVITHA AGARWAL – Entrepreneur, Runs a Boutique called Her choice

Daughter

SANDHYA AGARWAL- 22 years, Student at M.O.P Vaishnav college for Women, Doing PG in M.A Communication.

The relationship between a mother and daughter has definitely changed drastically over the last few years. And I feel that it is a welcome change. The relation I shared with my mother was very strained and that of discipline. I was expected to do what my mother said without asking questions. I often lived in fear of her and seldom shared anything with her. It was a lonely childhood. But the relationship that I share with my daughter is completely opposite. We are the best of friends and can talk about anything to each other. Not only do I encourage her to confide all her problems in me so as to help her out but often seek help for my problem from her as kids these days are quiet mature.  There were a lot of restrictions when she was young as I believe that if the children are molded well during their young age then they grow up to be responsible adults who make right decisions. Today when she is 22 there still are restrictions but very few, those too which my daughter feels are necessary to keep her on the right track.

Physical abuse or screaming is a taboo to me. I feel that we must sit down and explain things to the children and they do understand. I do not mean that we must be lenient and let them have their way out. We have to be firm. I also feel that it’s not possible to be a complete friend to your children. There are times when we have to be parents and lay down the law. This too is just for the good of the children. This is the only resemblance I find in the relation that I shared with my mother.

Though I am a working woman and was given good education, my mother never really expected me to work; she always felt that a girls place is at home. I feel that marriage is very important and that a good partner is needed for my daughter to have a good future but I also encourage her to study hard and be a individual. In today’s world its very important that girls too have a good career.