This Way is Easier - The Happy, Funny Morning Incident

One thing that has happened after 'This Way Is Easier Dad' hit the market is that I am hearing more of the children stories from parents, uncles, aunts etc. Yesterday, while I was at Sagar's house and we were discussing how it was not about Anjali (though these are her unique responses), but every child, because they speak with such clarity, intelligence and uniqueness in their perspectives. While this is a point I try hard to make, that it is about every child and parent, and that Anjali and I only represent them, it was demonstrated so well by the mischievous Aahana.

Young reader - Aahana

Sagar told me that Aahana, his six year old niece, had a new rule. That she would not have a 'Good Morning' or 'Good Evening' anymore. Instead she would have a 'Happy, Funny Morning'. I said Wow. That is such an incredibly fine context to have - that instead of the boring 'good' you actually have a 'happy' or a 'funny' morning. (Jim Collins has already impressed upon us the importance of how good is the enemy of great.) Aahana has got it already and I told Sagar that this is exactly the kind of an incident I would record, when such a little gem slips out from the child. Aahana is a treasure house of these stories I am sure from whatever little I have seen of her and so is her older brother Aayush, who holds himself back a little bit to be the older and more mature one. Aahana would be five  and Aayush would be around seven I would think.

Aayush reading TWIED

While at that I wished Aahana a 'Happy, Funny Day' and she said that was okay but that it was her birthday tomorrow and she was planning on eating a lot of cake. Aayush came by and told me that she was lying. Aahana merely smiled. Mischief in abundance.

Lovely pic - Aahana, TWIED and Aayush 

My friend Dr. Satyanath also recounted an incident with his friend in Australia who is now a very successful businessman. He has homes, cars and the works. His son however is a millennial kid, perhaps eight.

'Why do you have your bath for such a long time?'  he asked his father.
'Why?' asked the flustered Dad. 'What's wrong'
'Imagine people in the world who do not have any water to drink or use. Imagine how many people can use the water you are using up.'
Difficult to answer right. Jawwad Patel, the serial innovator, would agree.

The same child is also severe on his father for buying himself a Porsche.
'Why did you buy a Porsche?'
'Because I want to enjoy my life. I worked hard for it and now I want to enjoy it. I always liked sports cars.'
The son was not impressed.
'If you love sports cars you can hire them. Why don't you buy an ordinary Toyota and when you feel like a sports car, hire it.'

I think that is the kind of advise Warren Buffet would give as well. And we'd pay a million bucks to listen to Buffet.

I am seriously thinking there should be a panel of children who tell the world how to go about managing it. We ought to tune in every morning and the panel tells us what to do. They seem to know all the priorities, they are clear on how to go about it. All we have to do is listen to them and implement their advise and we'd be in a much better place.

Thanks for sharing fellows and I am thinking there's more coming up from this space.