While
passing through the neighborhood, I came across a small child who was with his
mother and he was crying. The mother and the kid were sitting on the staircase
in the shadow of their house. It looked like the kid’s "crying session" going on
for some time. It reminded me of my childhood, about kids crying in general and
one of the articles I had read recently about why kids cry a lot.
I think
kids just start crying when they do not feel like. They are not bothered about how
they look or appear in others’ eyes if they cry. Crying is an expression for
them. After a while, they also use it as a tool or a weapon, to force adults
into agreeing with their demands. But perhaps small kids and babies just cry
when they do not feel well about anything, without applying any thought. When
we are grownup, we have several other ways to express ourselves and we look at
crying essentially as a sign of weakness and lack of control, and hence it is
the last option if we have to exercise it. Most of adult crying is also babylike;
except that it does not last long. And expect those con-artists or actors who
can cry at will.
I think I
was not a 'cry-baby' in my childhood; and I don’t remember myself crying a lot when I
was small. But I do have memories when I used to be very angry in childhood. When
I was angry, I would stop eating. Then mother would have to try too hard,
telling me stories and tricking into making me eat. But I won’t open my mouth
to eat. And if forcefully fed, I would just not swallow the food but would
keep it stuffed inside my mouth. My cheeks would get stretched and
pained, keeping the food stuffed in my mouth for too long. I think all kids do
such stuff.
World is
certainly a better place since adults do not usually cry. Otherwise imagine the
chaos we shall have each day. At the same time, we can envy the kids ability to
cry as an act in itself, since it would take a bit of self confidence to be
able to cry, not bothered about what others would think about us. In that
sense, crying can be a healthy thing in kids who are growing up.
- Rahul
