Time to score a home run?

No, it’s not a case exclusive to Bollywood celebs, where Deepika Padu-kone and Ranbir Kapoor were allowed to bring their partners home, much before they became famous and successful. Today those studying in schools or colleges do the same and the parents in question are cool about it.
“My brother is in Class X and he’s allowed to bring his girlfriend home.She has been introduced to my mother, who doesn’t seem to mind it at all. His girlfriend calls up at odd hours on everyone’s mobile in my family, if she is unable to reach my brother’s cell. All this was cute at first but now it irritates me,” exclaims Deepika Sharma, a software engineer in Gurgaon.
The new trend, where the need to have a girlfriend/boyfriend in school is as important as the need to flaunt a cool phone or the latest in clothes, has also left young couples looking for more economical options to date.
After all, dating today is an expensive business. Ankur Bhardwaj (name changedon request), a management student, shares, “I have been seeing a girl since Class VII. Initially, it felt nice to go to expensive cafes on dates. But then, monotony set in, we were bored of going out everytime, also the pain of footing the bill for all our outings set me back by at least Rs 1,000 every week. So, I simply introduced her to my family who were shocked at first but are pretty much okay with it now. It’s far more convenient to meet her at home than having to dress up, go out and spend money. Plus, you get to spend quality time at home which is simply not a possibility when you are out in the heat.”
Like Ankur, Rachit Anand, a professional, started young, “Though I had many girlfriends in school, the first time that I got my girlfriend home was in Class VIII and my parents were okay with the idea. In fact, they thought that we were just friends as we were ‘too young to try anything’. Then the next time, I got this other girlfriend home was in Class XII. She actually ended up staying at my place for two months as she was from Assam and we were both preparing for our MBBS exams. Though, I never let my parents know what we were up to, they were cool with her staying in my home.”
However, not all youngsters are as forthcoming when it comes to bringing partners home. Neha Jain, a student, says, “I wouldn’t like to bring a boyfriend home until and unless I’m sure that I’m going to marry him. What’s the point of introducing your family to all the guys you choose to date? It’s nothing more than invading one’s privacy.” However, she is also quick to add, “But, my family has been very forthcoming about their daughters bringing in partners home. My cousin introduced her boyfriend to her family when they were in Class X and ever since, he has become a part of the family.”
Now, that’s one happy family!
Follow us on Twitter for more stories