Time to change Cliche

Yesterday I began teaching my son this nursery rhyme...

Chubby cheeks, dimple chin
Rosy lips, teeth within
Curly hair, very fair
Eyes are blue - lovely too.
Teachers pet, is that you?
Yes, Yes, Yes!

And some days earlier I found singing to him our very own Marathi version

गोरी गोरी पान

फुलासारखी छान

दादा मला एक वाहिनी आण...

But I realise, isnt it high time that we stop teaching our toddlers that "Looking" beautiful is the ultimate aim of our lives....Why should a fairer skin, or a teeth within or blue eyed person be any more important than anyone whose otherwise....

And arent we to blame if our kids assume this to be true?

Why cant I be a teacher's pet even if i am a dark stout girl?

I am not against anyone praising a fair skinned or a physically beautiful person.However, I am not comfortable with ingraining in little children the importance of the above factors...

It only leads to them turning into unsecured teenagers...who then find solace in friends and outsiders more than family....what happens next is something we all know....

The only thing that matters is having a beautiful heart...

My version of chubby cheeks for our kids...

She comes to class in time

and does her homework always fine

loves to sing and play
in class shes always bubbly & gay

Always a friend in your need
makes her a teachers pet indeed!!!!

Or for our very own Marathi version, गोरी गोरी पान ...

सासू-सासर्यांचा जी ठेवेल मान

नोकरी करून देखील घर ठेवील छान

प्रेम विवाह केला तरी रीतींचा ठेवील भान

जीन्स पैइन्त घालून देखील स्वय्पाखात ठ्ठान्न

तुझ्याच बरोबर सर्व परीवारावारासाठी असेल ती मौल्यवान

दादा मला अशीच एक वाहिनी आण