By Shuprova Tasneem
Almost all the teenagers I know, as well as many young adults, have this love-hate relationship with their parents. Their complaints about their parents vary greatly, but on the whole, this versatile group can be divided into certain categories, although this daunting task has to be carried out in great secrecy, with teeth chattering from the fear of getting caught!
Open Purse Parents
These are the sort who earn a great deal and splurge an even greater amount on their children, from giving cell phones to 7 year olds to sports cars for teenagers. These kids spend their whole childhood in a utopian world and get whatever they want, be it an Nseries, a palmtop or a Mercedes Benz. Such parents have no problem in handing their spoilt brats a bundle of cash instead of affection, unless of course they receive a letter from the Anti Corruption Commission and have to be extra careful about showing off their assets, or risk becoming comrades with the former Prince of Bangladesh.
Sherlock Holmes Syndrome (SHS)
Then there are the parents who suffer from the SHS disorder, and cannot stop acting like undercover detectives in front of their children. Starting from snooping through drawers and diaries to listening in on phone conversations and checking caller ID every two minutes, these parents are in the habit of driving their kids insane. They interrogate them everyday, call their teachers to see if they really go to class or not, follow them around to coachings and parties and in most cases, even if their kids are born as goody two shoes, turn them into high profile criminals.
Artificial Intelligence Inventors
These kinds of parents are not usually so extreme, but they do exist. They force their kids to study like crazy and participate in every activity possible from the time they are tiny tots, in a hope to build the leaders of tomorrow and allow the proud parents to show off about their child's accomplishments at important parties. From art, music and dance to sports, mathematics and debate, these poor kids have truckloads of information hammered into their brains, turning a few into geniuses and most others into overworked, bitter droids.
Bollywood Experts & Culinary Connoisseurs
These kinds can exist separately but are usually interrelated. These are the kind of parents who spend most of their spare time (which they seem to have plenty of) in putting their feet up and watching Hindi serials while inspiring their kids, usually girls, to walk around like they are about to pose for a bridal magazine at any time of the day. There is also the type who spends most of the time in the kitchen, cooking up delicious goodies and stuffing their already overweight kids, while giving them useful advice on how to run a family. Children with parents like this usually turn out to be mamma's boys, or kids who spend their whole day dreaming about the picture perfect family they will one day raise in their ideal households with stay-at-home moms.
Perfect Parents
Last but definitely not least, there are the perfect parents. The type who admit to having their own flaws and understand yours. Who give you liberty but know where to draw the line, who make you happy but don't spoil you. Who fight with you and then apologize when they are wrong. Who annoy you and frustrate you, yet at the back of your head, you are unendingly grateful to them.
In the end, the choice is up to you. What sort of parents do you think you have?
NB: I apologize if this article offends anyone. It is wholly personal opinion and is really not meant to be taken seriously anyway.
