Sameera Reddy opens up about her parenting journey: ‘Being a parent brings out the child in you’

On being asked what her favourite childhood memory is, Sameera said, “During evening time after school, when you would have a little snack, and you would do your home work, and then go down and take a little chalk and draw hopscotch lines…the innocence of playing soccer with your friends and running around the whole building. That was my childhood.”

 

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However with time, technology has replaced play. In such a scenario, how does Sameera introduce the power of play to her kids? Answering this, she said that she allows her kids to play with the most basic of things. “For example, we make paper planes in the house. And with my son, I have seen him build and systematically stay with his toys, such as his Lego sets.”

Talking about how kids want instant gratification these days, Sameera said that children get bored with their toys quickly. “It’s thrown somewhere in the corner and then you’re frustrated with them. You think you’ve spent money on that.”

So, encouraging play is important, Sameera explains. “I know it’s hard as parents as we have a lot to do. But you have to take that time, especially during those formative years because children are like sponges, they are going to absorb whatever you are showing to them.”

On a parenting tip Sameera wishes she would have known sooner, was given by her mom-in-law, who scolded her when she saw her keeping Hans (Sameera’s son) really busy all the time.

“She asked me to give my son daydreaming time. And I was like what? My mother used to smack me when I used to daydream as a kid. But she said that I should allow him to just be. Allow him his downtime and me-time. I’m so grateful that she gave me that tip because sometimes he’ll come back from school and just sit on the swing, and he’ll stare at the tree and be lost in his thoughts. Indian parents always think if you’re not being useful then what are you doing,” Sameera said.

Sameera believes that the most beautiful part of having kids is that it also brings out the child in you. “I believe that you have to allow it. In fact, today at 44, I feel younger than I did at 35 because I allow myself to just be. Sometimes, I sit with him on the swing and just stare at the tree together. And when he’s going into his little mind space, I am going in there with him.”

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