‘Treat your parents like your child, in their old age’ Story by 7 year old Lekishaa Thodda from Chennai

“Mom, I am going to the mall along with my wife and daughter.”

“OK son. You go ahead. Already my legs are aching. I am not interested in
going to the mall.”

“Grandma, you should also come,” insisted the granddaughter.

“She does not know how to use the escalator, as she is interested only in  going to temples,” said the daughter in law.

Though Grandma nodded in agreement the grand daughter was adamant. She
refused to come to the mall if Grandma was not coming. Though Grandma  repeatedly said no, she could not stand her ground against her dear ten-year-
old granddaughter.  She agreed to accompany them. Granddaughter was very happy.  Father asked everyone to get dressed up. The oldest and the youngest were ready first.

The youngster took her grandma to  the front room. She drew two parallel lines, a foot apart. She told her grandmother that it was a game and the old lady had to pretend that she was a crane (the bird). She had to keep one leg within the lines and raise the other leg by three inches.

“This is the crane game, grandma.  I will show you how to play.”

Both of them played a few times before the father could bring the car. Grandma had become adept in the game.

They reached the mall and when they reached the escalator, the father and
mother were wondering how the elderly lady would master that. The  granddaughter took Grandma near the escalator and asked her to play the ‘crane game.’  Grandma raised her right foot and kept it on one of the moving  steps and raised her left leg by three inches and could easily reach the next  moving step. Grandma and the granddaughter moved up and down several  times on the escalator and were enjoying the fun.

Then they went to the theatre.  As it was cold, granddaughter took out a shawl
from her bag and covered the old lady, with a mischievous smile.  She had  come prepared for this!  After the movie, they went to a restaurant. Granddaughter took away the menu and thrust it in the hands of Grandma.  Grandma decided the items to be eaten.

After reaching home, the father asked his daughter how she knew so much
about his mother which as a son, he was not aware of.
The young girl responded, “Dad, when a young child is brought out of the  home, you make so many preparations – milk bottles, diapers, wipes etc. Your  mother would have done all these things for you. Why not show the same  consideration for your mother? Why did you presume that the elderly would  be interested only in temples?  They also have normal desires like going out  and enjoying.”

The father was speechless. However, he was happy to learn a new lesson from
his ten-year-old daughter…