This Is Too Much Part 14: The Kheer, the Cat & the Teacher!
THIS IS TOO MUCH!
Part 14 - The Kheer, the Cat & the Teacher!
Background
Teachers have always been favourite characters in jokes.
Sometimes they are too strict.
Sometimes too serious.
Sometimes too friendly.
And sometimes, simply because they are teachers, they become the easiest targets for children's imagination.
A strict teacher may be feared.
A friendly teacher may be taken for granted.
And a teacher who enjoys a little classroom humour may discover that students have a dangerous talent:
They can take one small joke and turn it into a full-length production!
But there is an important lesson here.
Strictness without warmth can create distance.
Softness without boundaries can invite misuse.
Perhaps the real art of teaching lies somewhere between the two:
Discipline + Warmth = Healthy Classroom Culture
Neither excessive strictness nor excessive informality is ideal.
And today's little story is a perfect example of what happens when friendliness meets mischievous creativity.
THE CASE OF THE UNEXPECTED KHEER
There was once a teacher who had a very friendly habit.
Whenever students brought something delicious in their lunch boxes, he happily accepted their offerings.
A little snack here.
A sweet there.
Sometimes a piece of paratha.
Sometimes a laddoo.
And occasionally...
kheer! 😋
Over time, this became almost an unofficial classroom tradition.
The students knew:
Teacher enjoys food.
But one particular student—let us call him Prempal—had never offered anything to the teacher.
Prempal was mischievous, clever and always ready with something unexpected.
Then, one day...
History changed.
Prempal arrived with a sizeable container of kheer.
The class noticed.
Eyes widened.
Whispers began.
“Prempal brought kheer?”
“For Sir?”
“Something is definitely happening!”
The teacher was equally surprised.
THE GREAT KHEER OFFERING
During the break, Prempal walked up to the teacher.
Very politely.
Very respectfully.
Almost suspiciously respectfully.
He offered the entire container.
“Sir, please have it.”
The teacher looked at the kheer.
Then at Prempal.
Then back at the kheer.
A hungry teacher has very little time for unnecessary investigation.
So...
Operation Kheer began! 😃
The teacher happily started eating.
One spoon.
Two spoons.
Three...
Soon, nearly half the kheer had disappeared.
The teacher was delighted.
Then, with a warm smile, he asked:
“Aaj mera khayal kaise aa gaya?”
“What made you think of me today?”
Prempal simply smiled.
The teacher waited.
Nothing.
“Bolo! Bolo! Aaj kheer kaise?”
Another smile.
The teacher became curious.
“Tell me. Why did you bring kheer for me today?”
Finally, Prempal spoke.
“Sir... Maa ne bheji hai.”
The teacher smiled.
“Achha! Very good. What did she say?”
Prempal lowered his voice.
“Unhone kaha hai ki aapko kuch mat batana.”
The teacher stopped eating.
“WHAT?”
Now the teacher wanted the complete story.
“Prempal, tell me the truth. I am your teacher.”
Prempal looked around.
Then came the legendary pause.
“Sir... actually...”
The teacher leaned forward.
“Yes?”
“Ghar par koi bhi ye kheer khane ke liye ready nahi tha.”
The teacher frowned.
“Why?”
Prempal delivered the punchline:
“Billi ne jhoothi kar di thi!”
THE TEACHER'S FACE CHANGED
There was silence.
The teacher looked at the kheer.
Then at Prempal.
Then at the half-empty container.
Then back at Prempal.
“WHAT?”
The teacher finally realised that he had been enjoying something that had apparently already been rejected by the entire household - including the cat! 😂
In frustration, he pushed the container away.
And then came the final twist.
Prempal immediately shouted:
“Sir! Please don't throw the container!”
The teacher asked:
“Why?”
Prempal calmly replied:
“My father uses it for going to the toilet.”
THIS IS TOO MUCH! 😂
At this point, the teacher probably needed:
one glass of water,
one deep breath,
and a complete review of his decision-making process.
WHY DID THIS STORY STAY WITH ME?
We heard jokes like this during childhood.
We laughed without analysing them.
The teacher's reaction was funny.
The student's timing was funny.
The unexpected ending was funny.
But looking back as adults, we may see something else.
Children often test boundaries.
They discover:
How far can I go before the adult says enough?
And teachers constantly balance two responsibilities:
Building relationships
and
Maintaining boundaries.
That balance is not always easy.
THE HUMAN PSYCHOLOGY BEHIND THE LAUGHTER
A friendly teacher can create psychological safety.
Students may feel comfortable talking, asking questions and expressing themselves.
But there is another side.
If friendliness is interpreted as unlimited permission, students may slowly cross boundaries.
The problem isn't humour.
The problem is proportion.
Too much strictness → Fear
Too much softness → Familiarity without boundaries
Balanced approach → Respect + Trust
That may be the real lesson hidden inside this ridiculous kheer story.
THE MATHIVATION EQUATION
We can express it playfully:
Teacher's Warmth + Student's Creativity = Classroom Joy
But:
Warmth + No Boundaries + Mischief = THIS IS TOO MUCH!
And perhaps the broader equation is:
Discipline + Empathy + Humour = Healthy Learning
Not:
Discipline − Empathy = Fear
and not:
Humour − Boundaries = Chaos
WHAT CHILDHOOD HUMOUR TEACHES US
There is something beautiful about childhood humour.
We laugh freely.
We create absurd stories.
We test limits.
We remember tiny incidents for decades.
Years later, the joke may seem different.
The laughter remains - but our understanding becomes deeper.
Perhaps that's another form of maturity:
We don't have to reject our childhood memories to understand them differently.
We can laugh at them...
and still learn from them.
Takeaways
-
A warm teacher can create a comfortable and engaging learning environment.
-
Friendly behaviour should not be mistaken for unlimited permission.
-
Classroom humour works best when dignity and boundaries remain intact.
-
Discipline and kindness are not opposites; good teaching needs both.
-
Children naturally test boundaries as they learn social behaviour.
-
A teacher's response can turn a mischievous moment into either conflict or learning.
-
Humour can build relationships, but proportion matters.
-
Some childhood jokes remain with us because they capture an entire era of innocence.
-
As adults, we can revisit old memories with both laughter and perspective.
A Small Reflection
Perhaps the teacher wasn't foolish for enjoying the kheer.
And perhaps Prempal wasn't a villain.
They were simply participants in one of those wonderfully unpredictable moments that classrooms produce.
The teacher trusted the student.
The student tested the teacher's trust.
And decades later...
the story still survives.
Maybe that is what makes childhood memories special.
They don't always need to be perfect.
They only need to be unforgettable.
Disclaimer
This is a humorous adaptation of a childhood anecdote remembered for its comic twist. Names and identifying details are not intended to refer to any specific individual.
The story is not intended to mock, insult or disrespect teachers, students, parents or any profession/community.
The food-related humour is presented purely as part of the traditional joke structure and should not be interpreted as encouragement to serve or consume food that has been contaminated or otherwise made unsafe.
The broader purpose of this episode is to reflect on humour, classroom relationships, boundaries, discipline and human behaviour.
As with all episodes of THIS IS TOO MUCH!, the story is meant to make us smile first - and think afterwards.
Curious Question
Where should a teacher draw the line between being friendly and being too friendly?
And perhaps an even more interesting question:
Can a classroom have too much fun? 😄
Closing Note
We laughed at this story as children.
Today, perhaps we laugh differently.
Because now we understand that teaching isn't simply about knowing mathematics, science, languages or history.
It is also about managing relationships.
Knowing when to smile.
Knowing when to listen.
Knowing when to be strict.
And knowing when to say:
“Enough, Prempal!”
Perhaps the best classroom isn't the strictest one.
Nor is it the funniest one.
It is the one where:
Respect provides the boundary,
kindness provides the warmth,
and humour provides the joy.
And when the humour crosses the boundary?
Well...
THIS IS TOO MUCH! 😂✨️
Rakesh Kushwaha
Founder, Mathivation Research Lab
A Mathivation Research Lab Initiative
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