Man slams ‘shallow’ upbringing after kid brags of luxury label during spat at Gurgaon society
A recent playground spat in a posh Gurgaon society has highlighted a concerning trend of materialism among young children. Speaking to HT.com, a man detailed a durbing incident where a child, aged between six and eight, allegedly bragged about wearing “Calvin Klein” during a fight with his friends. The man questioned the values being instilled parents in elite circles, arguing that children are merely reflecting the environment they see at home.Rishabh who stays at a posh society in Gurgaon. (Rishabh)“Class doesn’t come from just wealth,” Rishabh, who stays at Gurgaon sector 53, wrote on social media. In a video, he detailed the incident. He alleged that during a fight with his friends, the kid, who is his nephew’s friend, bragged about wearing a designer piece of clothing. The child asked his friends, “Kya teri family mai kon pehenta hai? [Does anyone in your family wear this?].”Also Read: ‘I want to go to first standard with my friends’: Bengaluru parents fear age rule will shatter kids’ self-esteem“Felt bad for the kid”“The incident happened 2 days ago. He’s my cousin’s kid, 6-8 years olds, post incident when the kid came home, me and my cousin were discussing this and what is the matter of the people living here,” Rishabh told HT.com.He added, “Obviously we felt bad for the kid. He’s innocent, he will do what he sees. And we told my cousin’s kid to not care about such things. These are shallow and never brag-worthy. A solid personality is what makes us a great human.”How did social media react?An individual recalled, “This hit me..! I was also stuck in a group of classmates who only befriended people from a certain ‘class’ and looked down on anyone who didn’t match their standards. Those memories still haunt me. As a kid, you feel abandoned for something you have never done.” Another expressed, “I have seen something similar while I was just sitting with my little boy on a bench. I was watching a group of girls (ages 5 or 6) playing. One girl hit the other, and the mother was like Why is everyone irritating my kid’. I mean, instead of scolding her kid, she started blaming other kids who weren’t at fault. Her girl then hit one more kid, and she was like, ‘Let’s go home, everyone is irritating my girl’. I mean, what the hell.”A third commented, “This also comes from other kids at school who learn it from social media or their parents. I have seen parents try so hard not to let their kids become this way, but the peer and social pressure are intense at such a young age. Are these rich companions really a good start for the kids?” A fourth wrote, “This is so disheartening. Childhood is being sucked out of kids these days. This is not just a problem in Gurgaon; it’s also prevalent in small towns.”Also Read: ‘Do not pamper’: Thyrocare founder’s post on ‘two kinds of mothers’ sparks debate on parentingExpressing his opinion on the incident, Rishabh said he can’t understand parents teaching their children to value materialic things. He fears they will grow up to live a “miserable life” because of their parents’ mentalities.
