cute kid
Three eight year old boys A, B and C are walking back from school when they chance upon a mangy stray dog. A digs a few rocks out of his shorts and flings one at the dog. Boy B recedes behind a tree and keeps a close watch on the dog. Boy C plants himself firmly between boy A and the dog, ensuring that the dog is not hit anymore.
Which of the 3 boys from the scenario defines you? A hypothetical question, you say? Maybe it doesn’t jog your memory enough. Okay, read on;
Boy A goes home and his mom is indifferent to him. She’s busy arguing with his father or planning a kitty party.
Boy B goes home to a mother that is the quiet contemplative type. She’s a housewife concerned about her family’s well-being. Worried about her son having all he needs to do well in school.
Boy C goes home to find his mother feeding a cow or teaching the servant’s six- year-old child how to read and write.
Does either of these scenarios sound familiar? Too general, you claim? Well, read on;
Boy A’s path in life is as follows. From seeking fun in hurting others he becomes a bully at school. He then becomes an eve-teaser in college. He ends up getting into a few fights, always on the verge of getting in trouble, or worse; arrested. He gets married and has a good chance of being a wife-beater.
Boy B is the classic case of someone that does what’s expected of him. The “also ran” in life. The one who observes everything, does nothing and is educated enough to talk about it at a party. He gets married, has kids and watches out for them like his mom did for him. He will complain about ills in society and his country but he won’t do a thing about it.
And then there is boy C. He has learnt compassion from his mother. Love and care for animals and other humans has been nurtured in his heart. He will grow up to encompass everything. The environment, animal abuse, sex workers, oppressed classes, geriatric care; everything will be of concern to him. He will do something about each and everything. He will fill his life with causes those are beyond himself.
Now does the picture become clearer?
Here is the simple truth. Most of us fall under the category B. Always afraid that our B child doesn’t become a category A kid. All we have to do is make him a category C child. That will make a generation of category C children.
Most of us ask what one person can do for this world or to change our country. Well here’s the answer for you. Encourage your child to be a type C child. Learning about compassion early in life builds empathy and moral character, reduces violence and builds a sense of empowerment and responsibility. Society as a whole benefits when its members are more caring toward each other and the animal those live among us.
Studies have shown that kids those abuse animals are five times more likely to commit violent crimes against people and four times more likely to commit theft and three times more likely to do drugs than kids who don’t. In fact the FBI uses violent crimes against animals to profile violent criminals.
Hence A is not equal to B and B is not equal to C. So there you have it- Hence proved.
Q.E.D – Quad Erat Demonstrandum.
indersandhu 
Good post and very relevant to a parent who is trying to veer toward being a Type C and aspiring to raise Type C children.
You do put people in very rigid categories. It might be true for the most part but ambiguities do exist.
That is true…ambiguities do exist…but to tackle a general idea and a trend it is almost necessary to categorise,, It is very shameful to admit but the fact is I was a type A kid for most of my life– then I skipped to being a type B….and finally one day… everything my grandfather had taught me as a child clicked all at once… now I’m just trying to be a type C.
Have you seen most parents push their kids towards category C? Do you believe kids start showing those traits early on in life and can be changed?
Inder
A generation of category C children would be bringing my dreams to life. While I agree with Kala, you do put people into rigid categories, the idea that we should start with the children early on is key. It is important to always look at people as though they have the potential to change…be it a kid or a teenager or a 45 year old man. We can propagate those ideas in everyone with kindness in our teaching, flexibility in our own thoughts, and the redness to always help another. Great read.
Thx Mike…that was the message I was going for…start early…so that regret late wont be required…but you are right …there is always room to change…as I did…The key to it all is kindness….and LOVE
Great points here. I’m category c, but that was not my home life. You bring up the nature-nurture debate with this. I’m not sure parents can change the personalities of the kids, but they can influence their choices and model good behavior. If they are capable of it. I’m hopeful that my kids will be category c, but in the end, I believe they will make their own choices.
Thx Brenda… I agree…we can help them with right choices…and most importantly by leading by example..If you are a C then the chances of your kids being C’s are very very high.
The challenge is having some parents those are B’s or even A’s goading the next generation to change.
Thank you for this thought-provoking post. It really does make one think. Today’s society expects others to raise our children; most are too busy chasing whatever it is that drives them, be it money, success, etc…I am a true believer in modeling C-type behavior, just as my father did for me and I’ve done for my children. Yet, sometimes, this still isn’t enough – like you said, it takes ACTION to bring this love and compassion to others. I fall short of this every time, but am slowly making strides.
Thx Andrea,
I am in awe of your father, every time I hear you speak of him or present your writings of him in the critique group. Truly inspirational. Il think you have the next generation of Type C’s already. A job well done and your continuing efforts are never lost on your children.
Inder
Wow, great story. Thanks for writing this, great perspective.
Thx Gina,
I will continue to write these…pls hit the follow button. You will get updates automatically.
Thx
Inder