#everydayinspiration

Thankyou friends and family for reading my blogs- just over three weeks that I have been writing, everyday I have written – Yep – a great feat I think. I had asked a few days ago if anybody had ideas about what I should write, got some ideas which I really liked. More is still welcome.

One was to write about different stages of life – interesting and grateful to Nicky for this idea which someday if I have patience may do a book on . Yes a dream which is becoming bigger – all the love and support that I have got . But today wanted to write on one stage of life which is actually a very difficult age and that is youth.

Youth -what I think is youth- did google it before writing, so really when hormones change around 14 years of age to up to whenever really. But actually I would say when somebody reaches maturity and that is variable, very variable and what is maturity. Generally speaking twenty one or may be twenty five, help me here. No right answer. When somebodies head is in the right place. You all know what I mean . Its hard for me to specify. Realistically around 14 to 21.Lets settle on this for the time being.

World is theirs , calling them from all over and all around. They have so much vigor , strength, memory, concentration-now then I am not going into where and how they use these qualities , they are brave – much too brave sometimes to the point of destruction. opportunities good and bad are galore around them and hence world is theirs.

So tempted to write about a normal day, a Sunday when I was sixteen but when I compare it now , it really brings a huge smile to my face. Mine was much too simple and it would be harsh to compare it with todays sixteen year olds. My parents provided an environment where I could grow and think independently and find my career freely. I think this is what kids get these days as well , resources are different for sure.

Mental Health is a big issue for todays youth. They should be happy but due to studies, homework, exams, university choices, apprenticeships-they get stressed and go downhill. Balance it guys. Pressures in households – can be helpful or not be helpful. Peer pressures don’t help. Depression and anxiety follow if the balance is not found. Understanding limitations can be good.

Eating disorders is a very difficult problem. Anorexia to obesity both extremes is heart-rending. Dealing with these extremes for any youth is big. Bullying and harassment can follow .Bullying on social media is an increasing phenomenon. Once anorexia grips somebody, it is hard to get out of it.

Addiction problems- from alcohol to smoking to drugs to gambling ,destroys our youth. How can we protect them? The internet is open to people twenty four seven and all sorts of exposures are there. The dangers of things need to be well documented along these sites and open discussions in work place and schools should be promoted. When people need help -it shouldn’t be far fetched. Readily available help at the correct time should be made available. That would be an ideal world.

Being successful in life- really, this can be a difficult question that youth need to be answerable and accountable for. Again variable, very variable.Leads to comparisons and people cant balance the forces versus boundaries.No this culture should not be inculcated. Asian parents is the stereotype I live with. Kids feel expectations of parents and society puts a lot of pressure. But why ?Is it for their own good or their own worse? who knows. Free thinking leads to innovation and me being an Indian Mother stop that ,because I know the best for my child. I doesn’t mean only me, its the Indian Mother in me – this a stereotype ,you see.

Can people go out and play and walk with friends. Girls and boys are not seen much on walks or in parks these days. Scared of gang wars, teasing, comments, weather , heat, cold, dust – stops them from getting out and about. Sports clubs are good ,needs planning around it, cant be spontaneous. Cycling can be good .Get a dog mum-I get all the time, but with working fulltime its hard to keep a dog. More so I have been bitten by dogs three times as a child and needed injections for it ,so no, that’s not the answer in our household. More so will the youth take the responsibility or it will fall on to the mature adults for the dogs daily needs.Too much that can be done but is not happening. Outdoors is so good for anybody but how do we overcome these deterrents and make it more spontaneous especially for our youth.

Stitching ,knitting, cooking- joking aren’t you. Come off it. Thankyou very much .Xbox,Instagram, snapchat ,You tube are much better. That’s entertainment alright with innovation and happiness and also depression. If you see the reports now- its causing depression for sure .But the young ones don’t realise it. We cant stop these in this ever changing world so how can we harness it. Good sense prevails and god bless our youth is the only answer to this for me.

A lot of you have kids and have gone through this or are in the process of it. No offence to anybody but its not easy for this stage of life. Wish them luck and best wishes for life. They are our future. Believe in our youth.