Gerald D'Cunha

T hese two students of mine are in their final-year B.M.S. (Bachelor in Management Studies). Their college starts at 1:30 in the afternoon. So, at what time should they get up from their bed? I have been teaching them Financial Accounts, Management Accounts and Taxation subjects over these three years. But, one thing I have not been able to teach them well: is the importance of managing their time well… These two young men simply cannot come in time… Because, they simply cannot get up from their beds early. My gentle persuasion, firm instructions and even angry outbursts – yes, despite all these - my two boys are chilled about this issue. “I will not tolerate,” I gave the ultimatum, yesterday, to my young ones, “even a single minute late.” Well, as much as I blow hot, I, also, blow cold. I write nothing on the hard rock, nothing. I know they are capable of getting off their beds early, as they once did when they were little boys. For years, they did ...

The other day, some of us were discussing on the subject of ‘Values’. There were two teenagers and three parents, including myself. I was more of a spectator.  One of the parents, a lady, was quite aggressively trying to tell the young ones how important ‘Values’ in life were. The particular parent sounded too rigid and pushy… and, the teenagers evidently showed their resistance.  The other parent, a male, quickly sensed the danger of being so pushy on the young ones. He stepped in to defuse the tension. Without being discourteous to the parent who tried to dominate, this particular parent handled the subject of ‘Values’ in a very compassionate way. He too agreed that some ‘Values’ would always remain universal and timeless. But, he subtly asserted that it was equally important for all of us to change with times, and be flexible. He gently emphasized on the need for parents to understand the young ones and the world they lived in, th...