You know how it goes. You’re sitting in a movie hall, watching Kahaani and Vidya Balan is almost being pushed in the path of a speeding train when woaaaa, goes the toddler sitting behind you with his parents. And all you can think is, why do parents need to get kids along for movies. 

You do have a thought there, but hold on for a second, especially if children aren’t part of the picture in your life at this moment. Once they are around, you may often have to eat words spoken in the pre-child era. Here are my top five:

I’ll never raise my voice. Yes, I know. I actually thought such stuff throughout the time I was expecting the first one. The resolution lasted for about six months. Ok we shall make that a year before I get banned from these pages forever .

I’ll be completely hands on. Why do people need maids when they have taken a conscious decision to have kids and raise them. There’s nothing better than being a hands on mother. But it isn’t a rule set in stone. If you need help there’s no harm in finding someone good and handing over some of the chores. And trust me, some of those are chores. Whoever is talking about the wonderful pleasures of sharing a meal with their children in a poetic manner hasn’t spent days trying to spoon applesauce or khichdi into the little imp’s mouth as she/he decides to clamp it shut for good.

I’ll never force my children to do things they don’t want to. Yes I won’t. So on mornings when the brat says, Ma I don’t want to go to school today, I’m feeling lazy, I’ll just wrap him in an extra soft blanket, draw the curtains back and say, “Sure darling. I won’t force you. Go back to sleep.” Yeah right.

I’ll never compare my children with others. Yes you probably don’t. Or try not to consciously. But it seeps in some way or the other. Unconsciously. All her friends eat carrots. Why isn’t she eating any veggies. Why is he scared to try out the baby slide when the boy there who is the same age isn’t…some moms say it isn’t comparison but concern. I do hope it really is that for all of us.

I’ll never let my kid create a nuisance in a public place. Good thought but sometimes easier said than implemented. Your 8-month-old decides to cry nonstop on a long haul flight. Aside from soothing, feeding, distracting, pacing up and down the aisle and trying to pat him back to sleep, there’s nothing much you can do. And you may have a toddler at home with reasonably good table manners but take him to a restaurant, on your once in five months dinner outing and that’s the day he decides to play Dennis the Menace.

So hold that thought. You never know when it may come back to haunt you.⊕