Pakistani parents are the best. Can we all agree? Yes? But there are certain things they do which don’t escape your notice. From the meaning behind every look worth a thousand words they give you to the adorable things that transpire every day, we are all more than familiar with everything our parents SAY, here’s something we have all noticed they DO.
1. The look they give you when you do ‘naafarmani’, especially in public.
Remember how our parents tell us tales of how one look from their parents (aka our grandparents) could set them straight faster than you can say ‘I can explain’? Well, it still holds true today.
2. The way they hold and use their phones.
I’m willing to bet a plate of fries (or two plates) that every Pakistani parent in every single family has held their phones like this since they got the hang of Facebook.
3. Their excessive sharing of posts on Facebook.
Desi parents are big on over-sharing and Facebook gave them a field day the moment they invented the share button. You must have heard how things don’t matter in life unless you share them. Our parents seem to have taken this a bit too seriously, especially on social media.
4. Their comments on Facebook pictures like Ma’Shaa’Allah, Nice and Very Cute.
You can never go wrong with a good ol’ Ma Sha Allah. Everyone knows how much parents love their kids, especially in front of others and they are not afraid to show it on Facebook where they find almost everything and everyone ‘Very Nice’ and ‘Cute’.
5. Their attempts at learning and embracing new technology.
While most times it makes for a funny anecdote, there are times when they actually do step on something good. Like the Telenor Companion Watch that can actually help keep parents connected with their children and updated on their safety… all thanks to technology.
6. Their told and untold list of rules.
Some things are set in stone. Your abba’s house rules are one of them. Just remember, it’s not about winning or losing, it’s how you play the game (and avoid the blame).
7. They get addicted to games on their phone and play them all the time, even at 2am.
“Baba, no more Candy Crush invites please.”
8. They are very particular and punctual about their twice-a-day chai breaks.
Like clockwork, their suba ki chai and shaam ki chai ritual tradition has always been and will always be. Jao beta 2 kilo dhoodh le ker ana.
9. Their nazar utaarna ritual.
Your parents, especially your ammi, has an unwavering belief that every eye that lays upon you apart from hers is ‘nazar-e-badd’ so it is advised you shield yourself with Ayat-ul-Kursi every time you step out of the house. No seriously, it works.
10. Their unrelenting text messages to ensure you are alive and well.
May it be our ammi or abu, they both get equally worried whenever you step out of the house. The amount of worry is directly proportional to the amount of time passing without them hearing from us. It is worse, the younger you are.
Thankfully, devices like Telenor Companion, a smartwatch which allows you to stay connected to your young ones around the clock and be aware of where they are or what they are doing, can help calm anxieties all over the country.
11. Their reaction when you say you don’t want to eat daal tonight.
If ghar ki murghi is daal barabar, what is ghar ki daal equal to then?
12. They believe almost everything they see on the internet.
13. They bargain like a pro during shopping.
I’m sorry to break it to you but your parents are not pure desi if they don’t bargain the price of a product down to like 80%. It’s them versus the dukaan wala and they are not afraid to pull the ‘almost-walk-out-of-the-shop’ move to seal the deal. It almost always works.
14. Their interrogation routine is better than any thaana in the world.
It is absolutely essential that your parents are privy to every single detail in your life and that includes all of your friends and their extended families.
15. When nothing else works, they resort to emotional blackmail.
Why? I mean, WHYY? No matter how big of a brat you are, your parents have a magic trick up their sleeve that they only pull on special occasions that always seems to get the job done. Good luck trying to find your way out of this one!
16. Their (over)reaction when you mess up.
Bus rehne he dain. We all have seen the end of the world too many times to believe in movies like 2012, it happens almost every month when we fudge up.
17. Public displays of affection.
And then there are moments like these, when parents think it’s absolutely necessary to profess their love for you in front of the whole world. Best move: smile, and one day you will look back and smile again.
18. Their facial expression when you introduce them to new friends.
And then the countless questions that follow. “Kaun hai, Baap kia karta hai, Kahan rehta hai, apne ghar bulao uskay ghar nahi jaana“.
19. They want to know everything but get mad when you explain.
Parents may do things that can be irritating, even frustrating, and sometimes borderline stalker-ish but they do it out of love and concern for their children’s security. You can’t blame them either, considering how things are, parents naturally want to keep updated with the well-being of their kids. That’s where products like Telenor Companion Watch come in to keep parents connected to their children.
This article is sponsored by Telenor Companion Watch, an innovative wearable product with state of the art technology features. This product will address the needs of parents when it comes to child security and staying connected with them.
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