manoj

SHRUTI SHAH is not a regular partygoer by today’s standards. But even if the 18-year-old has to party five times a month with a 1 am deadline, she has to “forcibly lie” to her parents and say she is “staying over at a friend’s”.

“My mother thinks partying is not cool, that it’s about drinking and getting touchy,” she says. “I have to do with lying, or half-truths.” Shah may not exactly be one of them, but an increasing number of children from affluent or nouveau riche families today wear a “flash-the-cash” attitude on their sleeve. The danger to society is real. College kids go pubhopping every night, drink till they drop, drive in fast cars and violate the law. The result is an accident like Sunday’s on Carter road when innocent lives were lost and the rich children did not even seem to care.

Psychiatrist Harish Shetty feels a globalised world is extracting its price. “Access to abundant cash, lack of supervision, alcohol and a failed axle is a bad combination. Added to this is a sense of omnipotence and power,” he says. “We definitely need stronger laws.” But are not some parents too indulging? “Demands of children in double-income families are increasing with a rapidly changing social environment,” Minnu Bhonsle, a psychotherapist and counsellor, says. “Often, the child’s lifestyle reflects that of parents.” Also, most middle-class parents both work and counsellors say that often means there is little time to impart values.

Persis Mehta stresses “a give and take” relationship. “Open talk is very important; then I can trust my son and be slightly lenient”.

While educationist Richard Heredia says parents must be responsible for their ward’s behaviour, banker Lekha Prakash says working parents can only do so much. “My daughter also should know her limits if I am fulfilling her needs,” Prakash says.

Heredia also feels education is failing society. “Value education must be part of the curriculum,” Heredia says.

(Students’ and parents’ names have been changed to protect identity)

Top Reasons (Figures for 2005)

• Jumping Signals Reported 2,41,308
• Lane Cutting Reported 91,474
• Driving with s Reported 23,808
• Drunken driving Reported 1,176
• Over Speeding Reported 20,080

ACCIDENT DEATHS IN MUMBAI

• 394 in 2003
• 534 in 2004
• 654 in 2005
• 476 Till Sept ‘06

Text Source: http://epaper.hindustantimes.com (Mumbai Edition)
Date Of Publish: 14-Nov-06

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