1. When I first told my parents that I–the sole person in the entire extended family with a master’s degree–wanted to switch from my corporate job to the social sector.
My mom:
My dad:
2. After multiple lectures about how I’m wasting my convent school education, and about how I have no appreciation for the fact that I didn’t have to study under a street lamp like them, they ask: “How much are you going to earn?”
Their reaction when I tell them:
3. When I nervously tell my brother that I might not have health insurance for the foreseeable future.
My brother, who is secretly happy that he is now the favourite child:
4. When I tell them I’m learning about grassroots issues in India that never make it to the mainstream media.
My dad who quickly changes the topic to a cousin who is doing an inter-religion wedding:
5. When social sector jargon starts creeping into my everyday conversations—like the time I told them that reducing our energy consumption would help our carbon footprint.
My mom who constantly reminds me to switch off the fans:
6. When they finally start feeling comfortable with my job and try to explain it at family meet-ups. But every attempt backfires, and they come home with more questions about what I actually do.
My dad who just wanted a good night out:
7. When I tell them about the kind of impact our stories create. They start proudly sharing them in their Facebook groups—until it sparks a fight between mom and dad.
“Meri beti mere upar gayi hai, tere upar nahi.”
(She takes after me, not you.)
