The average middle class parent is rarely happy with the idea of a young teenage boy or girl, especially boy, nursing ambitions in music, whether as a professional or even as an amateur. This is a strong urban middle class outlook which has forced parents into a narrow value system which cannot look far beyond a medical, engineering or management career for their child. The idea of a young person going into a field as uncertain as music is unpalatable enough, and to add to the problem is a lingering view in India that the life of a performing artiste is not a respectable one.

However, few parents realise that the severe discouragement which they give the child leads to a repression of an inner desire which lies in a deeply sensitive and vulnerable pocket of one's inner being. The desire to sing is not just motivated by aspirations to fame, glory and wealth. Fundamentally, it is a need for personal involvement with beauty, aesthetics and self-expression - a need for self-worth, self-esteem and sensual satisfaction. We urge parents of today to take a sensitive view on this issue. Firstly, performing arts today offer a wide array of career opportunities to aspirants of various kinds, and a young boy or girl should allow himself or herself to test the ground and explore career opportunities. Secondly, even keeping active career pursuit aside, the opportunity to undergo training and improve one's abilities and expression contributes invaluably to self-growth.

We urge parents of today to take a sensitive view on this issue. Firstly, performing arts today offer a wide array of career opportunities to aspirants of various kinds, and a young boy or girl should allow himself or herself to test the ground and explore career opportunities. Secondly, even keeping active career pursuit aside, the opportunity to undergo training and improve one's abilities and expression contributes invaluably to self-growth.

Parents - allow your children the freedom to relate to music in whichever way they want. In due course, their desires will fall into proper perspective. What will be achieved is incalculable joy. What will be avoided is an irreparable sense of regret and frustration .