Most of us live under the protective sheath of our parents, under the same roof with them throughout childhood and our teenage years.

Hence we become habituated to their presence. However, as children, we often dream of the day to leave home. We yearn to live independently, for the thought of freedom tempts us. So it’s obvious that when we begin to reside on our own, we come to terms with the reality of life.

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But the coping mechanism that we adopt for the hurdles we face day to day, defines our true potential and attitude. The freedom given to us by our liberal minded parents are acceptable and no one wouldn’t deny that it is wrong. Yet, there are certain families who are a little too stringent and perpetually worry about their children.

When we start living on our own, we realise how blessed we once were, to be under our parents’ protective cover. In this fast paced world, where everyone wishes to achieve their dreams and aspirations, independent living is a very important factor. Independent living shapes our personalities and later emerges as a constant manual to help us deal with the mysteries life inevitably throws at us.

I’m definitely not saying that kids should be sent off to boarding schools and hostels because that again is a disadvantage. After all, school life is when we need our parents the most as emotional pillars in our journey through teenage.

However, when a teen eventually embraces adulthood, parents should remove the protective layer which they have built around him or her from a young age and let their child face the reality and hardships of life.

Although I’m a girl who is always under the protective sheath of her parents, some day I would love to have a flight of my own independent living and deal with life and its problems of my own accord.

(Class XII, Coordinator, St Joseph and Mary's School)