Children, Violence and Award Winning Authors

I have been on a short trip, visiting one of my dearest friends. I had no phone, no computer, no work, no disturbances whatsoever. Well, her phone rang occasionally, but since we were at her place, that was only to be expected. We had the best time, walking in the woods and talking about everything, from sour milk to particle accelerators. Being with her is so soothing and comforting, I don't know what I would do without her. We spoke of children also, and whether I might consider having children with her. I was a bit surprised, but I answered truthfully, and shyly, yes.

Speaking of children, a recent study by the UN and WHO (here) shows that 80% of all children are being beaten by their parents. In 106 countries teachers are allowed to beat their students. In a separate study in Finland, one out of three thought it was OK to beat your child, and of those, 14% thought that it was OK to kick them, 54% to whip them and 13% thought it OK to hit the child with your fists. What's their problem? How can you justify beating up someone so much smaller than yourself? Whatever happened to that old saying, "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"? There are plenty of grown-ups who are in the need of a good spanking, but very few would find that acceptable. I wonder why that is. I suppose it's because, behind all talk about setting boundaries and teaching discipline, the fact remains that most likely you beat your children because you can, because they can't strike back at you.

On a brighter, more literary note, Kiran Desai last week won the Man Booker Prize for her latest novel The Inheritance of Loss. Unfortunately I haven't read it yet, but her previous novel, also her first, Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard, I have read, and it's absolutely wonderful. I trust her second book is no less so and I hope she will have as prosperous a career as her mother Anita Desai, also a great writer and a favourite of mine.

I tell you more about The Inheritance of Loss when I've read it, now I'm of to bed with another book. Sweet dreams.