Parents push little wonders star-wards

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">It cost the Srivastavas two months of tireless effort and Rs 20,000, to get their eightyear-old son Rishi the electrically-dazzling costume a la Amitabh Bachchan in <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Yaarana</span>.<br /><br />Thanks to that, Rishi is now the star of various dance shows and the annual cultural event in his school."We don''t mind spending, because Rishi amazes everyone with his great dancing skills," says a very proud Maya Srivastava,Rishi''s mother.<br /><br />"People even call him ''junior Amitabh'' for his <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Sara Zamaana </span>performance," she adds.<br /><br />The Srivastavas are not a rarity these days. Star-struck parents, who want to make little wonders out of their children, are ready to go to any extent to ''make it happen''.<br /><br />"It’s amazing what parents will do to get their children into the limelight," says child psychologist Sushma Sheth. "Besides forcing their kids to learn the tricks of showbiz, many of them even go as far as to buy their child’s way to stardom," she says.<br /><br />Geetali Gandhi, mother of nine-year-old Rakshanda, believes there’s nothing wrong in giving kids a chance to prove their talents. "Rakshanda has won three titles and appeared on innumerable TV shows. This happened only because I saw her potential as a Kathak dancer," elaborates Geetali, a Kathak danseuse as well.<br /><br />Having spent a small fortune on her daughter’s costumes and transport, Geetali justifies the investment, saying, "I felt obligated to showcase Rakshanda’s talent, rather than wait for someone else to discover her."<br /><br />Real estate entrepreneur Sunil Ronghe recently spent Rs 8,000 on his son’s designer outfit for a children’s fashion show. "I remember feeling very dejected when my parents denied me something. I don’t want Rohan to experience the same thing. Also, this made Rohan feel confident and he realised that we are very supportive of his interests," says Ronghe.<br /><br />Teachers, on the other hand, have their own perspective on the issue. Primary school teacher Shailaja Puntambekar, says that the number of ‘pushy’ parents is increasing by the day. "Parents regularly confront us on issues like a shorter role in a play, or the central position in a dance. The basic aim of showcasing the child’s talent is neglected due to such bickering," she complains.<br /><br />Parents are justified in wanting the best for their children, to a certain extent. The danger, however, is that indulgence may negatively impact the child’s growth. Adds Sheth,"The child will suffer, if the lure of the limelight gets to his or her head. What will they do if they can’t cope with expectations?"<br /><br />punetimes@timesgroup.com<br /></div> </div>