Beliefs are funny things! You are absolutely convinced about them and willing to fight (or die) for some, unless someone/something challenges your beliefs.
I was absolutely convinced that ‘Chotta Bheem’ was not a ‘good’ program for children. After all, look at it, there are a bunch of kids who tease each other, the protagonists steals from his best friend, a bully with two side-kicks, and not to mention their lame storylines. I could point out hundred things that are wrong with it. So, it used to pain me to watch my daughter watching it. Until one day…
I sent banana for fruity time. Usually, the banana peel comes back in the tiffin box, this time it didn’t. I wondered and asked where the peel was. She told me, ‘We must put banana peel in the dustbin, otherwise people will slip and fall.’
Now, I was even more curious, I asked, “where did you learn that from?” She replied matter-of-factedly, “You know, in chotta bheem, once Kalia slips on a banana peel and falls, and everyone laughs. Poor Kalia. It must have pained for him.”
All my beliefs came crashing down with this simple statement. Of the hundred ‘wrong’ things that ‘Chotta Bheem’ can teach, she chose to learn the “single, not-so-obvious” thing from it. Which brought me most important of question of all ‘Why did I presume that my child can’t decide what she should learn?’