I only have a little of unclear image of how i had taken part in a fancy dress competition wearing mom's saree tied in a typical south indian style (guess they call it madisar). This was way long long back may be in my kindergarten years. But forward it to now, Little has a fancy dress competition at school and he is so so excited about it. The school says that we are not supposed to rent any costumes and no dialogues would be allowed. Here goes our conversation:
Me: Little what would you like to be?
Little: I will be Mickey Mouse.
Me: Ok
Little: (an hour later)I will be Laxman. (showing off his bow and arrow the plastic kinds)
Me: Ok
Another hour later
Little: Amma Can i be Chota Bheem?
Me: Ok
Tiny tells him that he acts like a monkey and so he has to be Hanuman and not anything else.
Little: Amma, I want to be Hanuman,I like to have a tail behind.
Me: Tell me one thing Little that you would like to be,so I can get prepared to dress you up.
I had a release at work and thus was coming home late for a week or so. Grandparents are home to take care of them.But grandparents love watching the soaps on TV and evenings are their time to relax in front of the TV.
Tiny: Amma, you have also become like Appa. You come late evryday
Me: Had work to complete and if i do not get it done, my manager like your mam will take me to task.
Little: But you should come home early.
Me: Ok. But you could have gone down and played with your friends from 5-7pm right??
Little: This thatha (grand father) does not take me down at all. He always watches TV. He has got specs (meaning spectacles) that is why.
Me: Shocked, can you say like this to your grandparents??
Tiny: So when are you leaving your job? You always tell but never do..
Mother in me runs to the kids and the career woman in me is thrown out of myself.
Convo between me and Little
Little loves his friend let us call him L. He sits next to him on the bus and L gets him a chocolate when he gets an extra. Not sure what all this sharing is about, but they have become good friends.
Little boards the bus, i bid him bye and move to my bus stop. Everyday is the same and the third day he asks me:
Little: Amma, you should say by to L as well today. Why don't you say Bye to him??
Me: Sure Why not? Who else are your friends?
Little:(names another friend) A
Me: Ok so do you have any girl friends (becos he named only boys)
Little: Yes, Her name is Shurpanaka...She scares us all and I box her sometimes.
Not believing that anyone would have a name like this, I figured out, she must be an Ayamma who might have mentioned her name as Shurpanaka. Just to scare the kids when they do mischief.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Little and the Black Stars
Little has been getting a couple of red stars everyday or alternate days from the time school started. I asked him what that meant. He mentioned that because he was a good boy at school, he got them. Then a few days he let me know that everybody in the class got them. For past few days i kept seeing black stars on his hand, so much that it takes a lot of scrubbing to get that off. I was told by him that was given by mam as well.
Even before me inquiring the mam, the bus driver told me that Little is very naughty at school and talks a lot in the class and that is why he got a black star. I told him a couple of times to behave well at school and not get black stars anymore. Then the very next day, he had 2 black stars. I warned him and told him that i would come and speak to his mam. He says: "Amma, why do you only see black stars and not red stars. I have 2 red and 2 black. Two for being good and two for being bad."
Edited To Add:
A couple of years back when Little went to Playhome, he cried everyday asking me to accompany in his van to school. Forward to an year, he was fine going on his own, but sent flying kisses my way till the bus was a mile away from the pickup point. Forward it to now, he being a kindergartener, looks around before giving any flying kisses and asks me to leave the stop. Is this his way of telling me, I am not a baby anymore....? I am glad he enjoys it and pray the same continues..
Even before me inquiring the mam, the bus driver told me that Little is very naughty at school and talks a lot in the class and that is why he got a black star. I told him a couple of times to behave well at school and not get black stars anymore. Then the very next day, he had 2 black stars. I warned him and told him that i would come and speak to his mam. He says: "Amma, why do you only see black stars and not red stars. I have 2 red and 2 black. Two for being good and two for being bad."
Edited To Add:
A couple of years back when Little went to Playhome, he cried everyday asking me to accompany in his van to school. Forward to an year, he was fine going on his own, but sent flying kisses my way till the bus was a mile away from the pickup point. Forward it to now, he being a kindergartener, looks around before giving any flying kisses and asks me to leave the stop. Is this his way of telling me, I am not a baby anymore....? I am glad he enjoys it and pray the same continues..
Monday, July 11, 2011
Tiny Little Chats
Little loves robots and anything around it. His ears is all open for robot and transformers. He sees a robot statue built in Japan in the newspaper today (courtesy his dad pointed it out to him).
Takes the newpaper sheet and runs to Tiny...
Little: Tiny, Shall we go to Japan. See there is a robot there.
Tiny: Japan !!! no...
Little : Why?
Tiny : Why becos there earthquakes happen..
Another Day
Tiny not feeling too good and lying down.
I : Tiny, you are not feeling well? Why do you look tired???
Little: (Thud comes the reply) Amma may be Tiny has got Viral fever.
I: We should go to the Doc, I cannot see you lying like this.
Tiny: No Amma, I will be ok. I don't like going to the doc.
Little: Go ya nothing will happen. Don't be scared ok...
Another Day after School, Little comes home
Little : Go out and locks the room door.
Keeps saying go out to everyone.
I: Something is really wrong. Did mam tell you to go out of the class?
Little: No amma.. (in a kind of shy, scared look negating what he is thinking..)
I: let me know what happened, it is ok to go out once in a while ..
Little: (After lot of apprehension says)I hit someone and mam told me to go out.
Next Day, I called up the teacher to find out the real story..Mam said that he was talking in the class and that was why she told him that and literally did not send him out.
Takes the newpaper sheet and runs to Tiny...
Little: Tiny, Shall we go to Japan. See there is a robot there.
Tiny: Japan !!! no...
Little : Why?
Tiny : Why becos there earthquakes happen..
Another Day
Tiny not feeling too good and lying down.
I : Tiny, you are not feeling well? Why do you look tired???
Little: (Thud comes the reply) Amma may be Tiny has got Viral fever.
I: We should go to the Doc, I cannot see you lying like this.
Tiny: No Amma, I will be ok. I don't like going to the doc.
Little: Go ya nothing will happen. Don't be scared ok...
Another Day after School, Little comes home
Little : Go out and locks the room door.
Keeps saying go out to everyone.
I: Something is really wrong. Did mam tell you to go out of the class?
Little: No amma.. (in a kind of shy, scared look negating what he is thinking..)
I: let me know what happened, it is ok to go out once in a while ..
Little: (After lot of apprehension says)I hit someone and mam told me to go out.
Next Day, I called up the teacher to find out the real story..Mam said that he was talking in the class and that was why she told him that and literally did not send him out.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Man Proposes God Disposes
This proverb is so significant that i have seen it happening time and again in my life. Not that I am unhappy for what happened. I do believe in what happens is for good. There must be a reason when god bestows anything on us. Happy or Sad i accept it. But this time was a different experience and thus wanted to record this event before i forget it.
Tiny goes to a school C close by home. Little goes to a school P also close by.It so got decided at the start of the current academic year that school P is moving far far away from where we stay. The other complaint with School P was too many holidays. So we decided that we might have to move Little to another school. Why on earth do we have to send him that far and when he is just in kindergarten, was a question the rest of the family also had. I had the opinion that he should go to school C. That way the holidays and PTM (Parents Teacher Meeting) and everything works out. It so happens that for a PTM one of us go to school P and the other to school C.
I went ahead and got the application form at school C for Little in November when all schools start the admission process. We were asked to meet the principal and then paid the admission fees since we were so sure of things. We were happy to get a sibling discount as well. Now starts the fun...
A very good school J close by home started issuing applications and for all reasons it is a tough deal to get into this school. I wanted to see how Little can fair in an interview all by himself and also what he might have learnt in the school P. I applied for this school and was so sure he will NOT be able to get it here. No, No i have total confidence in my son. But we knew there are around 700 applicants for just 150 seats and this school uses strictly no influence or money. They are also strict about their class strength of 35 each. 2 weeks from then was the announcement of seats. We were not bothered to check it out. I had to work that saturday and thus asked the hubby to go check the list. Since he was so sure on me that whatever happens we are going to stick with school C, he went to the school after a cool afternoon siesta. He then calls me and says, guess what Little has made it. I told him to check for the application number, father's name and he says it is all the same. I was thrilled and then the opinions from friends and a couple of relatives made us change our mind and admit him to school J. I just hope and pray the journey of changing schools ends here for Tiny and Little. Hopefully they settle down well in their respective schools and we don't go school hunting now and then.
Tiny goes to a school C close by home. Little goes to a school P also close by.It so got decided at the start of the current academic year that school P is moving far far away from where we stay. The other complaint with School P was too many holidays. So we decided that we might have to move Little to another school. Why on earth do we have to send him that far and when he is just in kindergarten, was a question the rest of the family also had. I had the opinion that he should go to school C. That way the holidays and PTM (Parents Teacher Meeting) and everything works out. It so happens that for a PTM one of us go to school P and the other to school C.
I went ahead and got the application form at school C for Little in November when all schools start the admission process. We were asked to meet the principal and then paid the admission fees since we were so sure of things. We were happy to get a sibling discount as well. Now starts the fun...
A very good school J close by home started issuing applications and for all reasons it is a tough deal to get into this school. I wanted to see how Little can fair in an interview all by himself and also what he might have learnt in the school P. I applied for this school and was so sure he will NOT be able to get it here. No, No i have total confidence in my son. But we knew there are around 700 applicants for just 150 seats and this school uses strictly no influence or money. They are also strict about their class strength of 35 each. 2 weeks from then was the announcement of seats. We were not bothered to check it out. I had to work that saturday and thus asked the hubby to go check the list. Since he was so sure on me that whatever happens we are going to stick with school C, he went to the school after a cool afternoon siesta. He then calls me and says, guess what Little has made it. I told him to check for the application number, father's name and he says it is all the same. I was thrilled and then the opinions from friends and a couple of relatives made us change our mind and admit him to school J. I just hope and pray the journey of changing schools ends here for Tiny and Little. Hopefully they settle down well in their respective schools and we don't go school hunting now and then.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Little's version of Hot cross Buns
Hot cross buns, hot cross buns
One a penny, Two a penny
Hot cross buns
If you have a daughter, give them to your sons (INSTEAD of If you have no daughters, give them to your sons)
One a penny, Two a penny
Hot cross buns
Hubby took Little to the barber shop last sunday. Little overheard our convo and realised that he had a school interview the next saturday and since week days are busy, he was driven to the barber shop on sunday.
He comes home with a short cut. Grand parents are totally surprised and ask him why he had to get the hair cut so short. Now Little is a big Amir khan fan, anything for Amir khan.. The grandparents guessed the answer would be "Amir cut his hair short and so did I". Little has grown up so much that he replied "I have an otterview next week and so i cut my hair." Not sure what he understands by interview and how a hair cut is related to it, but it was fun to hear him say that..
One a penny, Two a penny
Hot cross buns
If you have a daughter, give them to your sons (INSTEAD of If you have no daughters, give them to your sons)
One a penny, Two a penny
Hot cross buns
Hubby took Little to the barber shop last sunday. Little overheard our convo and realised that he had a school interview the next saturday and since week days are busy, he was driven to the barber shop on sunday.
He comes home with a short cut. Grand parents are totally surprised and ask him why he had to get the hair cut so short. Now Little is a big Amir khan fan, anything for Amir khan.. The grandparents guessed the answer would be "Amir cut his hair short and so did I". Little has grown up so much that he replied "I have an otterview next week and so i cut my hair." Not sure what he understands by interview and how a hair cut is related to it, but it was fun to hear him say that..
Friday, November 26, 2010
Little's conversations
Conversations between me and Little:
One Day
I: Good baby your lunch box is empty today. (after being back from school)
Little: (Proudly walks over to the kitchen and says) ayamma (helper on the bus and classroom) ate it today. You always tell me to share things and i did sharing sharing.
Another Day
Tiny does not allow her brother Little, to climb over the bunk bed and get on to the topmost platform. They have a big fight when that happens. So when Tiny's friends visit her, Little climbs to the top and sees the world from there. He knows that Tiny will not raise her voice in front of her friends.
Another Day
I was reading a newspaper when the kids were having fun playing with my hair.
Tiny: Amma you have one white hair here.
I: I am also getting old baby, so there can be many more popup.
Little: So what happens when you get old?
Tiny: You will get to meet ambachi (tamil baby version for god)[not sure how she got this one]
Little: Amma, you are going to ambachi??
I: yes if ambachi calls, I have to go
Little: Makes a cranky face, amma please do not go....
Tiny: If you go who will make me read??
Today
Little went to school with all his armour. His armour is Bow and arrow, not the sharp kinds but like the first one that is shown here. Inspite of telling him not to take it, he was very stubborn and finally i gave up. He put that in his school bag and took it. A part of it was popping out of the bag and he was happy showing that to his friends in the school bus. So i thought he might not open it up or even share with anybody for that matter. Who am i kidding??When I went to pick him back from the bus, the ayamma requested us not to send the bow and arrow. The reason being that all the kids stood in line to try his bow and arrow with Little teaching them how to use his armour. The teacher gasped as to what was happening in the class. I am sure she would have cursed me 101 times. But then it was not his fault, i had read a part of ramayana to him the previous day and told him how the gurukul system works. He has tried the same at school.
This was a few weeks back, when i saw Little's lunch box return back home as is. Even after all the reprimanding and stuff, things were the same. I talked to the teacher about the issue. The next day a note came back in the diary saying that he takes interests in other's lunch box and not his own. We used to do things like that in our school days and no doubt this was fun.But in the process we shared our stuff too. Little seems to be doing it one way. I was dumbstruck.
So I tried asking him what he would like to take the next day and keep something that interests him. Things still did not change. He fell sick and i thought it worthy to mention this to the paed (He is actually a jolly good doctor and the kids love him for the candies). The paed gave me a thorough 'Are you crazy' stare and said "Why do you think he should not do that? What is wrong?". He was like as long as he eats, it is ok. I just had to shut my mouth after that, which i did. Finally the paed gave him a fistful of candies while leaving and told Little not to return back. The paed patted Little as if he was appreciating him for his work.I thanked the doc and finally was exiting by when Little had eaten atleast 2-3 candies and I had to stop him. So I adviced Little to keep atleast a couple for his sister. The paed overheard our conversation and said:"Do you think a guy who likes to taste others lunch box and not share his would keep some of his own candies for his sis."
LOL i really was made fun off in the whole session and the little guy laughs out loud looking at me. I am just wondering how this guy will grow up to be like...God help him.
One Day
I: Good baby your lunch box is empty today. (after being back from school)
Little: (Proudly walks over to the kitchen and says) ayamma (helper on the bus and classroom) ate it today. You always tell me to share things and i did sharing sharing.
Another Day
Tiny does not allow her brother Little, to climb over the bunk bed and get on to the topmost platform. They have a big fight when that happens. So when Tiny's friends visit her, Little climbs to the top and sees the world from there. He knows that Tiny will not raise her voice in front of her friends.
Another Day
I was reading a newspaper when the kids were having fun playing with my hair.
Tiny: Amma you have one white hair here.
I: I am also getting old baby, so there can be many more popup.
Little: So what happens when you get old?
Tiny: You will get to meet ambachi (tamil baby version for god)[not sure how she got this one]
Little: Amma, you are going to ambachi??
I: yes if ambachi calls, I have to go
Little: Makes a cranky face, amma please do not go....
Tiny: If you go who will make me read??
Today
Little went to school with all his armour. His armour is Bow and arrow, not the sharp kinds but like the first one that is shown here. Inspite of telling him not to take it, he was very stubborn and finally i gave up. He put that in his school bag and took it. A part of it was popping out of the bag and he was happy showing that to his friends in the school bus. So i thought he might not open it up or even share with anybody for that matter. Who am i kidding??When I went to pick him back from the bus, the ayamma requested us not to send the bow and arrow. The reason being that all the kids stood in line to try his bow and arrow with Little teaching them how to use his armour. The teacher gasped as to what was happening in the class. I am sure she would have cursed me 101 times. But then it was not his fault, i had read a part of ramayana to him the previous day and told him how the gurukul system works. He has tried the same at school.
This was a few weeks back, when i saw Little's lunch box return back home as is. Even after all the reprimanding and stuff, things were the same. I talked to the teacher about the issue. The next day a note came back in the diary saying that he takes interests in other's lunch box and not his own. We used to do things like that in our school days and no doubt this was fun.But in the process we shared our stuff too. Little seems to be doing it one way. I was dumbstruck.
So I tried asking him what he would like to take the next day and keep something that interests him. Things still did not change. He fell sick and i thought it worthy to mention this to the paed (He is actually a jolly good doctor and the kids love him for the candies). The paed gave me a thorough 'Are you crazy' stare and said "Why do you think he should not do that? What is wrong?". He was like as long as he eats, it is ok. I just had to shut my mouth after that, which i did. Finally the paed gave him a fistful of candies while leaving and told Little not to return back. The paed patted Little as if he was appreciating him for his work.I thanked the doc and finally was exiting by when Little had eaten atleast 2-3 candies and I had to stop him. So I adviced Little to keep atleast a couple for his sister. The paed overheard our conversation and said:"Do you think a guy who likes to taste others lunch box and not share his would keep some of his own candies for his sis."
LOL i really was made fun off in the whole session and the little guy laughs out loud looking at me. I am just wondering how this guy will grow up to be like...God help him.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Little Bits
We have a neighbour whose grand kid goes to a boarding school. He was Little's good friend and used to be called Anna (meaning brother). The guys played cricket with all sorts of things. Little loved playing anna's video games, all he would look for is pressing the keys and see something happen.
Anna disappeared one day to a boarding school and Little had a lot of questions. We told him what a boarding school meant and how the parents were not always allowed there and kids did things independently.
Now Tiny uses this to scare the little fellow when he tries to snatch things from her. The conversation goes like this:
Tiny: If you do like this, amma will send you to boarding school
Little: Quiet for sometime.
Tiny: There will be no appa, no amma and myself. You have to be alone there.
Little: No problem, Anna stays there.
Tiny:(comes running)Amma he wants to go to a boarding school. Why don't you take him there?
Anna disappeared one day to a boarding school and Little had a lot of questions. We told him what a boarding school meant and how the parents were not always allowed there and kids did things independently.
Now Tiny uses this to scare the little fellow when he tries to snatch things from her. The conversation goes like this:
Tiny: If you do like this, amma will send you to boarding school
Little: Quiet for sometime.
Tiny: There will be no appa, no amma and myself. You have to be alone there.
Little: No problem, Anna stays there.
Tiny:(comes running)Amma he wants to go to a boarding school. Why don't you take him there?
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Rat Race and some rants
What with the swine flu and a teacher succumbing to it, in Tiny's school, the school was closed for couple of weeks. The exams postponed after the Dussehra holidays. All in all the kids had a gala time, with a month off, rainy dull days and with TV channels like POGO and Cartoon Network. But then days like this are way too less. I let them enjoy the times and did not demand too much of study time from Tiny.
For the exam she was supposed to write 5 colors and we had revised spellings for red, blue, green, black and white the previous night. Surprises galore, she comes back writing her own set yellow, blue,orange, pink, brown. No, I am not upset as long as she gets her spellings right. The singular, plural, opposites, addition, subtraction.. I was just hoping for the exam week to end soon. It did and both were relieved to see each other smiling.
Then comes the next nightmare, the new school admissions. This time of the year starts the application process and screening. I am told that the nursery admission for Little would be based on observation tests and for Tiny would be a test on Math and English skills. To top it all, parents are supposed to be interviewed with questions like:
1) We prefer stay at home moms, how could you as a working mom spend time coaching the kid?
Am i ready ...? Not yet.
The sarcasm does not end here, every school application requires you to fill in the position and salary of both the father and mother.
On another note, I was the one who was pushy in sending the Little to a montessori so that he gets sometime away from home say for 3 hours at the least. I have seen many parents who do not really want to send the kids under 3 to a play school either due to financial shortcomings or because they do have a full time family support and do not see the need. But the application forms for the above said schools need to know which montessori the kid goes to, not only that the contact nos of the same. I heard that they call back and do a check and if they get a good feedback, they do not interview the kid. I just gasped at the fact that may be we are preparing the kids for a job interview right from age 2-3 what with all reference checks.
And some of these schools are so net savvy that they SMS the parents after the school bus reaches the previous stop and also accept applications/assignments online.
There is more to RAT RACE and we just keep running...
For the exam she was supposed to write 5 colors and we had revised spellings for red, blue, green, black and white the previous night. Surprises galore, she comes back writing her own set yellow, blue,orange, pink, brown. No, I am not upset as long as she gets her spellings right. The singular, plural, opposites, addition, subtraction.. I was just hoping for the exam week to end soon. It did and both were relieved to see each other smiling.
Then comes the next nightmare, the new school admissions. This time of the year starts the application process and screening. I am told that the nursery admission for Little would be based on observation tests and for Tiny would be a test on Math and English skills. To top it all, parents are supposed to be interviewed with questions like:
1) We prefer stay at home moms, how could you as a working mom spend time coaching the kid?
Am i ready ...? Not yet.
The sarcasm does not end here, every school application requires you to fill in the position and salary of both the father and mother.
On another note, I was the one who was pushy in sending the Little to a montessori so that he gets sometime away from home say for 3 hours at the least. I have seen many parents who do not really want to send the kids under 3 to a play school either due to financial shortcomings or because they do have a full time family support and do not see the need. But the application forms for the above said schools need to know which montessori the kid goes to, not only that the contact nos of the same. I heard that they call back and do a check and if they get a good feedback, they do not interview the kid. I just gasped at the fact that may be we are preparing the kids for a job interview right from age 2-3 what with all reference checks.
And some of these schools are so net savvy that they SMS the parents after the school bus reaches the previous stop and also accept applications/assignments online.
There is more to RAT RACE and we just keep running...
Monday, June 22, 2009
To the Himalayas and Back
A much awaited and needed vacation that was to the Himalayas. This trip was unique on its own. This was the first time the kids stayed away from us for a week and vice versa. They were with my parents and did well for the most part. Secondly, I will be wrong in saying a trip to the Himalayas, because what we visited was only a very minute fraction of the gigantic mountain range, so serene and composed. I fall short of words to describe the same. I had been there in my teens and knew what to expect. For the most part, things have changed. I would say people have been more adventurous and explorative, and we could see a lot of rafting, camping, trekking, diving places all thru our way up the mountains. Here are the few snaps from the trip.
Ganga at Rishikesh
Enroute Badrinath
Badrinath Shrine
Confluence of Alaknanda (from Badrinath) and Mandakini (from Kedarnath) at Rudraprayag
Confluence of Ganga (from Gangotri) and Alaknanda at DevPrayag
Ganga ji ki aarthi at Haridwar
We ventured into our very first white water rafting experiment. It was fun and we fared well compared to our skiing trials where we came down with soar and painful body and promised ourselves never to venture again.
Ganga at Rishikesh
Enroute Badrinath
Badrinath Shrine
Confluence of Alaknanda (from Badrinath) and Mandakini (from Kedarnath) at Rudraprayag
Confluence of Ganga (from Gangotri) and Alaknanda at DevPrayag
Ganga ji ki aarthi at Haridwar
We ventured into our very first white water rafting experiment. It was fun and we fared well compared to our skiing trials where we came down with soar and painful body and promised ourselves never to venture again.
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