Indian families are some of the most quirky and dramatic (reference the movie Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham) ones on the planet but they’re equally as loving and caring. Here are 10 things about Indian families that we just can’t help, but love and hate!
1. How your dad would go on and on during his “When I was a kid” stories.
Hearing your father recount how he used to walk to school as a child and play cricket with his friends after school seemed annoying when you were a kid, because you were preoccupied with your own childhood problems. Now you relish in those “boring” stories, because you find yourself savoring your own childhood memories and now you can understand why your parents kept telling you to enjoy being a little kid with no responsibilities.
2. Your mom’s home-cooked food.
“We’re eating daal again?” The number of times you used to complain about eating your mother’s home-cooked Indian meals is countless. As soon as you left home, however, you realized that you would give anything for a taste of your favorite home-cooked dish, because let’s be real—after eating pizza and pasta continuously for weeks you would not mind having the very same daal that you used to hate.
3. The overabundance of relatives you have in India.
Trips to India as a kid were either really fun or really annoying. Either way, you did not understand why you had to go to each and every one of your relatives’ houses to say hello and drink chai. Now you appreciate that you have so many people who love you and you treasure the moments you spend with family you have back in India, because they keep you tied to your motherland.
4. How your parents would nag you to do household chores
Indian parents definitely win the first place prize for greatest naggers on the planet. Back in the day, they would scream your name at the top of their lungs and insist that you clean your room, do the laundry or wash the dishes, and you hated it. The wonderful result of that is that now you are a little more prepared to live on your own as an adult!
5. How your parents forced you to try multiple extracurricular activities
Your Indian parents always made sure that you were engaged in some activity to keep you busy. This was frustrating as a child, because it seemed like your parents were trying to force their interests on you, but now that you have mastered that activity you are so happy that your family kept you well-rounded.
6. How they seem to care too much about where you are and what you’re doing
You would be lying if you said your parents have never sent you multiple “Where are you?” texts even after you already told them where you are going and who you will be with before you left the house. Sure this would get on your nerves as a teenager, but now you understand how their constant inquisitiveness was just another way of expressing their care for you.
7. How strict your parents are
Whether you feared your mother’s angry tone or your father’s disapproving look, there was no doubt that your parents’ stern behavior had you chilled to the bones. Their strictness was restraining at times and made you envy your non-desi friends, whose lenient parents did not seem to care at all what they did. Nonetheless, you are now glad that they were strict, because you know it made you into the well-grounded person you are today and prevented you from getting into serious trouble as a child.
8. How they tend to constantly criticize you
Your family is always the first to tell you exactly what you are doing wrong and Indian families especially never have any reservations about being harsh. While this can be hurtful at times you are thankful that your family always pushed you to be the best you can be!
9. How they try to give you home remedies for your sicknesses
Indians are the masters of home remedies and usually resort to medicine only after they have tried all the weird looking and funky tasting concoctions that their grandmother’s mother once said would work. As a child, you were hesitant to swallow that hajmola or slurp down that green colored drink that your mom made by mixing completely random ingredients. Now, you are happy that your family introduced you to those Indian herbal remedies, because most of the time they work!
10. How cheap they can be when it comes to shopping
You know you are Indian when all of your relatives seem to have been born with this innate knack for bargaining. As a 12-year-old you felt embarrassed by the fact that your family was always looking for discounts, but as an adult you are so glad that your family taught you to be frugal.
What other things about Indian families do you appreciate now that you are all grown up? Comment below!
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Shilpa Prasad is currently a pre-med student at Boston University. In her free time she loves to dance, read and binge-watch TV shows! Her goal as a writer for Brown Girl Magazine is to connect with girls all around the world by sharing her own unique experiences and ideas.
