“Papa let’s play hide and seek” tells my son excitedly. “There are lots of places to hide here!” he continues, the smile broadening as he surveys the space around him.
I quickly nod in affirmation wanting to participate along with my son’s mood for some fun and games.
“Okay papa you stand here, look in the opposite direction and count until 15.
“You have 3 minutes to catch me.” he rattles off the instructions. “Once the time is up and you are unable to find me, I score a point otherwise the point is yours,” he sums it up.
Fair enough I say and give him a thumbs up.
He then takes my phone, opens the clock app and starts the stopwatch quickly mimicking the action simultaneously on his phone too. He of course has been gifted the gadget to cope with his online studies and now carries it with him where ever he goes, even to the bathroom!
As I turn around, he quickly disappears behind me in search of an appropriate hiding place. I look straight ahead in front of me counting the seconds and then glance at the phone to check the time.
15 seconds is up and I dart away to search for him around the maze of clothes hanging on the shop floor by the dozens. For you see we are out shopping in a mall and his mother is somewhere on the same floor choosing new sets of office wear for herself.
It was then that we father-son duo decided to kill time by playing hide and seek. I make my way quickly around the rows of hangers holding an array of branded tops, shirts, designer salwars and shoes.
I duck amidst the rows hoping to catch a glimpse of my son’s feet hidden somewhere behind them and open my scoring with a point. He seems to have done a good job for though the mall floor is wide and open I cannot sight him.
The stopwatch is now ticking away furiously in my trouser pockets and I pull it out to check it. It is racing towards the 3 minute mark and I hasten my steps and make a wider sweep of the floor. Just when it seems my son will be winning, a slice of luck favours me.
It is only when I go past the last row that I happen to casually glance at the tall mirror which covers almost the entire wall on one of its sides. He is crouching behind a row of floral patterned dresses unaware that there is a mirror opposite!
I snoop on him from behind while he is still trying his best to snuggle and hide his tall frame behind the women skirts. As I rush towards him in a delighted squeal he turns around startled with a grin which quickly turns to disappointment on realizing he was just few ticks away from victory.
Mission accomplished we head back to the starting point where it is his turn now to play the seeker. The mall staff have a bemused look on their faces as for the next 20 minutes father and son duo are seen scampering around that floor hiding behind mannequins, a wall column and even an empty trial room!
This is how times have changed. When my son asks to play chess or a game of cricket with him it is on the mobile app. When we play hide and seek it is not in a playground or park but in a mall which we frequent more these days and spend time in.
But as a parent I have to make the most of the time I have with my child. If that means playing one of our favourite childhood games (I still remember hiding behind a thick shrub or in the garage of our old house many years ago) in a glitzy fashion mall then so be it.
For change is the only thing constant and judging by the pace of things the times are not just changing.
They have already changed.
That Odia Boy 
Beautiful and very nostalgic.
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Anshu what a pleasure to read your compliment 😊 Thank you so much!
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Superb story bhai!sent me down the Nostalgic memory lanes of childhood where playing outdoors was as natural as breathing !!Even the time has changed with infusion of technology in to our life,it’s entirely upto us to use it to our advantage…more power to you bro
Cheers 🥂
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Hi Bibek!!
As always your comments/ thoughts on the topic leave me with a wonderful smile 😊😊
Indeed time and technology have changed how we live. Thank you so much for the appreciation! ❤🙌
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So well articulated, these are the few moments that we really can spend with kids in this gadget world, so nostalgic…
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Indu thank you so much! Glad you liked this and really appreciate your compliment :))
Indeed drawing kids away from gadgets is a task in itself these days!
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Loved it Wasim
I so agree that times are changing and we have to adapt to how our kids want to spend their time. As I try to match my son,have found a lot of things that we enjoy together and bond over them. Really cherish those moments.
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This is so awesome and heart warming to know Jyoti! Yes indeed moments of togetherness may not come naturally; we have to create them and savour those moments.
Really appreciate you dropping by and reading this. Thank you!
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Well Articulated…..Hide & Seek with Children in the Mall….Well times have changed when we used to Play Outside to currently playing within the four walls….. I liked the sarcasm in that visualisation. All said Quality time spent with child is what matters…. Keep it up
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Yes Vinod..you have summed it up well. In the end what matters is the engagement with our children.
We have to adapt to the changing dynamics at play and at home. Thank you so much for your encouragement and sharing your much valued thoughts! ❤🙌
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So beautifully described…the moments shared between u both. Lovely read👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻
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Arindam thank you so much for visiting my blog and taking time out to read and compliment! Much appreciated ❤🙌
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Nice article. Brings back the child in you. Well written @thatodiaboy.
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Antony thank you so much! Such a wonderful surprise to receive your compliment here.
So glad you liked it 😊😊
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Nice thoughts! Times have changed.we as parents consider indoor playing as a safer option now. Gone are the days when we had ample space and time to experience our natural surroundings. It is a huge loss for today’s generation which they are unaware of……..but in the end a good time spent with them is all that matters.
V well written👍
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Hello Reshmi!
Yes indeed the situation has changed. Lack of space and nuclear families means we have to make do with whatever opportunities we get to engage with our kids.
Thank you so much for reading and appreciating!
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Very well articulated as usual. This one reminded me of our childhood games. It is good to spend quality time with the kids these days.
Nice pic, he is growing to be a handsome guy like you 🙂
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Dev thank you so much for your kind words and appreciation!!❤❤ I am so happy that you could refresh some childhood memories from this post.
And thank you for the compliments 😊😊
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Hello Wasim,
Great post and the perspective you have brought in about being grounded in our relationships and in the moment as the world changes and shifts, is what resonates.
Your post brought to mind Bob Dylan’s excellent lyrics and I quote that below.
The times they are a changin’…….
Come gather ’round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You’ll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth savin’
And you better start swimmin’
Or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin’
eep writing my friend.
Shakti Ghosal
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Wow Shakti ji what a beautiful quote!! Completely puts in perspective what I was attempting to convey at one level.
Superb. Thank you so much for your thoughts. Much valued ❤🙌
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Very well written! It brought back memories of me playing hide and seek in my childhood days and even later with my students. There’s nothing like spending time with children. But yes, the times are changing! We played in the natural surroundings and had whale of a time, now with lack if space children are having to do with whatever space is available. It is really fun to play hide and seek in the mall! May you cherish each moment spent with your son!
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