We were reading a library book on Genetically Modified Foods and I must say that it was an eye opener for me too (I recommend it for all kids as it has some great visuals and is explained so simply and clearly).
As soon as I read the definition of genetic modification out to him, Raghav promptly said : "But that is a very wrong thing to do isn't it? Why do they interfere with nature? They should just let things be!....and what if they want to take out the gene five minutes later after they put it in there? what will they do, because they cannot take it back out?!" What the book describes in so many words and pictures over so many pages, had been understood by him in that instant! A quiet sense of pride and gratitude filled my inner space...I was filled with a myriad of emotions and thoughts....what were we leaving behind for our children in the name of progress and development and globalization?...why are we killing ourselves?......why do we misuse the power of knowledge that the creator has bestowed upon us?.......and here they are - the children of tomorrow - with a crystal clear understanding of their world and what needs to be done! What are we waiting for?!...I smiled at him and said "Yes! Perhaps they should let things be....but they don't."
And while we were reading and discussing what genes were and how they get passed on and so on he said: "Oh! Genes are like my LEGO building instructions - they tell you how to grow or how you are made!.....but I don't have appa's genes for oily skin and a long nose!....and amma, how come you did not pass on this gene to me - you don't do 'galatta' ( something like a tantrum!), but I do!" And then he went on and on about different features and finally seemed to have concluded - "I think only things like the way people look are passed on through the genes; I don't think things like how we behave and feel are passed on through the genes!" - Wow! What a finding! And coming to think of it, we had barely read two pages of the book!
As soon as I read the definition of genetic modification out to him, Raghav promptly said : "But that is a very wrong thing to do isn't it? Why do they interfere with nature? They should just let things be!....and what if they want to take out the gene five minutes later after they put it in there? what will they do, because they cannot take it back out?!" What the book describes in so many words and pictures over so many pages, had been understood by him in that instant! A quiet sense of pride and gratitude filled my inner space...I was filled with a myriad of emotions and thoughts....what were we leaving behind for our children in the name of progress and development and globalization?...why are we killing ourselves?......why do we misuse the power of knowledge that the creator has bestowed upon us?.......and here they are - the children of tomorrow - with a crystal clear understanding of their world and what needs to be done! What are we waiting for?!...I smiled at him and said "Yes! Perhaps they should let things be....but they don't."
And while we were reading and discussing what genes were and how they get passed on and so on he said: "Oh! Genes are like my LEGO building instructions - they tell you how to grow or how you are made!.....but I don't have appa's genes for oily skin and a long nose!....and amma, how come you did not pass on this gene to me - you don't do 'galatta' ( something like a tantrum!), but I do!" And then he went on and on about different features and finally seemed to have concluded - "I think only things like the way people look are passed on through the genes; I don't think things like how we behave and feel are passed on through the genes!" - Wow! What a finding! And coming to think of it, we had barely read two pages of the book!
Priya, you should send this to one of the sites- like earth hour, Kids national geographic... bless you Raghav, you teach us in a second, what we take much longer to learn!
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