Cupid can't wait for them to grow up!

AHMEDABAD/VADODARA: On Monday, Anmol Kapoor (8) greeted his parents with a ''happy Valentine''s Day'' instead of the routine ''good morning''. In the evening, he was part of a bunch of eight boys and girls - all below 10 years in age - who decided to pool in their pocket money and go to a neighbouring fastfood joint to celebrate this day of love.
In Vadodara, Darshini (12) picked up three yellow roses for boys in her class who had been ''kind and nice'' to her.She also picked up one red rose for a ''special'' friend. On Monday, many were wondering why boys and girls still in primary classes were wearing red. Well, it is called a trickle-down effect and Valentine''s Day was no exception. A class V teacher in Ahmedabad confessed she saw boys and girls in her class exchanging knowing glances and a rose under the table.
While some may say Cupid is striking too early, others are not unduly worried. "Even the younger kids had painted hearts on their cheeks and gave away roses to their friends. There is no cause of worry, I guess. And in any case, no parent has complained," says Geeta Sikdar, counsellor at Navrachna School in Vadodara.
"This day has been over-hyped and kids want to join the celebrations without understanding the reason why they should be rejoicing," says Geeta Mehra, a primary teacher in Firdaus Amrut High School.
"The problem is not in celebrating Valentine''s Day. The problem is that kids are getting influenced and pressurised into celebrating something which they don''t really understand," says principal of MK GLS School DD Jogani. "Adolescence is setting in quite early these days.
We come across young boys and girls in classes VI and VII exchanging cards and flowers. At school, we try to explain the importance of being good friends. Yet,we believe children hide their emotions from the elders," says Promila Zalpuri, principal of Baroda High School at Alkapuri.
Some parents are cool about it. "My 11-year old daughter is going to a pizza outlet with her friends and my eight-year-old son took flowers to school. It is early, but come to think of it, there is nothing really wrong with it," says Darshana Patel, an advertising executive residing in Satellite.
"Our children study in co-ed schools and it is natural to get friendly with the opposite sex. My children having a crush on someone does not worry me," says Trina Sensharma, mother of a 13-year-old girl.