A couple of weeks ago, I went out to have dinner with some people my husband knows. I was the last to arrive at this chic SoBo (South Bombay) joint and was surprised to find them sitting outside the restaurant. My eyebrows went up in the air when I was told that we had a child in the group, who would not be allowed inside. Is this India? - was my first reaction. But when I went home and thought about it, it didn't seem like too weird an idea. How many times have you been to a public place where kids are running berserk, even as their parents smile indulgently at their misbehaviour? More often than not, people (self included) don't mind because of the social conditioning. This Times of India article on child free zones in the country offers some interesting perspectives.
I don't know if I agree to the idea of child free zones, but people could ensure that their children do not create trouble in public places. My Indian friend who lives in Tokyo once told me that the only children in Japan who run amok are Indian; the local children are supposedly very well mannered. Maybe its just the way we bring up our children.
I don't know if I agree to the idea of child free zones, but people could ensure that their children do not create trouble in public places. My Indian friend who lives in Tokyo once told me that the only children in Japan who run amok are Indian; the local children are supposedly very well mannered. Maybe its just the way we bring up our children.
