What do you do when......

All parents and mostly moms wish to spend more time with their kiddos. Sometimes it might be just talking and whiling away time or sometimes it may be playing an indoor or outdoor game. Basically to reach an end to anything there ought to be a quarrel between the siblings. It was one such time. I had to ask Tiny to watch POGO. I lead Little to the bedroom since it was time for his afternoon fiesta. I was trying to shift the topic and telling him about where I had gone that morning leaving them (Tiny and Little) at home with my parents. So this was how it went:

Me: Little I met this friend X (Tiny's friend) at the Godh Bharai [baby shower function]. She was asking for you and Tiny.
Little: After a ten second pause... Amma, Does she like me???
A little perplexed look later She kissed me the other day amma.

A dumb struck mom does not know how to react...

That same evening:

Tiny: Amma, you know B (a boy) wrote a love letter to R (girl) (both are her classmates)
Me: Haan
Tiny : Repeating herself
Me: What is a love letter??? Tiny do you know??
Tiny: You know he had actually written "I love you" after taring a sheet from the English copy book.

I just had to go around looking for a rope...

And No we hardly watch any movies or things of that sort along with the kids.

Learning Cycle Saga

I learnt cycling only when i was in 8th grade. The cycle i learnt from was my cousin's (boy's) cycle all the more. Fell in the ditch and what not and finally got to cycling. Parents bought me a new cycle started to go to school in the same. 3-4 years down the line, i was promoted to a luna then scooty. I then took the car driving classes but never made an effort driving it. I was comfortable driving the car in the US till we were there. We moved back and i was shit scared to get back to driving a 2 or a 4 wheeler. What with no traffic rules followed and the amount of public conveyances that are available, there was no motivation to get behind the wheels. Now let me not disgress too much, but that was my story. Till date i have not started riding any.

But like any mom, I want the kids to be bold and all that. I started them on cycles and Tiny being herself got rid of the side wheels on her cycle at the age of 6. She was all set. Little all of 4.5 now did not want to ride the cycle without side wheels. He stopped taking the cycle out once the side wheels were removed from his. And then on the screaming, the scolding did not help much. He was scared all the more. I thought to myself that may be he needs more time. There is no point in yelling at a 4+ year old when his mom cannot have the guts to drive the car. So all i did was to settle down and talk to friends in the evening during play time and give up teaching him to drive cycles without side wheels. And there he goes, my friend pointed out "Look there he is driving so well and using the brake too when needed. " I was just too happy not knowing what to say.

However i deeply thought how cool that he could drive on his own and why on earth was i behind him nagging him so much. I had this convo with my little boy:

Me: Little, that was good, you made me proud.
Little : Amma you happy now???
Me: Yes Kanna (baby in tamil)
Little: So will you buy me a new cycle??
Me: Already?? May be you should learn well on this and then get a new cycle.
Little: But Tiny got a new one so i need one too. [Tiny got a new cycle for her birthday in November]
Me: Rolls eyes and my friends that was the motivation behind Little learning the cycle.