Parent Teacher Meeting

Just before school closed for summer vacations there was PTA. While the parents were waiting for their turns, the kids became unmanageable. They were running around, making as much noise as possible. Some parents were getting really irritated and some looked in disdain at the ones not being able to control their kids. I was on the receving end, the more I tried stopping Neil, the more he became unruly. Finally I let him be. Smaran's mom and I had just introduced ourselves when Smaran and Neil came running, not knowing we were observing them Smaran said- " stand straight-put your pants down" and then they both giggled.

That was a little too much to handle and Smarans mom said Neil has taught him that. I had never heard that before from Neil so I had to catch hold of him and ask if he really had said that. He confidently said no and now I was in a dilemma-if I don't trust him and scold him in front of everyone he'd lose faith in me and if I don't scold him now parents around would wonder what kind of a mom I was. I chose not to scold him and trust what he said. Back home I again asked him if he had really said that and he said no-I left it at that.

Parenting is definitely quite challenging. Lots of time we do things to look good in front of other people but I believe it is your kids trust that matters most.

With teachers the meetings went smooth- hyperactive, always ready to answer, talkative, full of imagination, grasps things fast...

an avid reader

Surprises me by the sheer amount of energy he has. Nah-not for homework but for everything else that keeps him from sleeping. He has been a quick reader -now 5 years 6 months old and already reading encyclopedias and all kinds of story books...that sure has come from papa and dadaji.

boys have more energy

This sunday was trek time and then medidation at hayama beach. It was a group of 25 ,with around 15 Japanese people. Great food play,music at the moutain top and then a round of yoga and meditation at the beach. Pretty interesting group, and the yasai dake (veggie food) even more interesting. As expected-salad,fruits,veggie onigiri, but all tasted different from the veggie food we eat out at Japanese restaraunts. Overall a great trip.

Highlights of the trip-naina and manu were having a great time together.Then came the time to help the elders carry stuff up the hill. Naina and manu decided to carry the djembe. Then manu started boasting boys have more energy."Well then carry it all by yourself said our smart little naina and our ego hurted manu ji carried it all the way" Good training naina-our buddhu ji is sure a girls man:-)

Some more pictures of the beautiful day-

mama devotion!!!

10 am saturday morning -the friday ritual of a late night movie keeps manu sleeping late into sat morning.

As I stepped out of the bathroom I was taken aback-my little one was sitting in front of the bathroom patiently waiting for me to finish my bath and come out to hug him. I was almost in tears, he knows I get irritated if he bangs the door, so he sat there without a sound...

graduation day

"Mommy we have graduation day on the 28th"

The concept of kindergarten children graduating really amused me but the preparations made real sense to me. 

They were going to sing this song-Start spreading the news we are leaving today, we want to be a part of 1st grade,1st grade. We worked very hard, our teacher is proud, so open up the doors to 1st grade, 1st grade. If we can make it here we'll make it anywhere, so here we come 1st grade ,1st grade.

I feel this was a great way to prepare children for the next step they were going to take.

The day started with songs from the LKG and then UKG. The IISJ has half the school strength as kindergarteners and I really commend the work Ms Nirmal Jain has done in helping these little kids bloom. I am sure it is really difficult managing a school in this not so open community,language being one of the biggest hindrance. 

Manu will be going to grade 1 from the 2nd of april. Feel a bit sad for him for when he goes back to India he'll have to go back to UKG. Indian schools are very strict in terms of age :-( 

Anyways so today was fun. The little kids did a great job with the beautifull songs their teachers had helped them prepare. They looked really cute with their graduation caps :-)

scared of the dark

A recent development ...this bindaas boy was not scared of anyone,anything but I see the fear of dark . 

Nights he dosen't want to go to the toilet alone .The other day we had gone for a walk .There is a beautiful walk by the sea near our home .On our way back we lost our way .There were huge trollers and no one around .Manu got really psyched up.Don't know from where this has come...

some observations

Its interesting to see the dad-son relationship building . Manu loves to fight with ajit .He punches and gets his swords out for a ninja warrior fight . He thinks I am not good at it.

We have a chart with our names written on it and everytime we help someone we get a red star .

Well manu gets loads of them because he helps me whenever he drinks milk,changes clothes,takes a bath...the list continues,he's helping me ain't it:-) 

Daddy gets his red star on weekends when he washes dishes .

Mommy gets red stars when she cooks really nice stuff .

Manu is bothered about the number of stars daddy gets .He wants him to get more red stars so he keeps telling me see mommy, daddy woke up on time lets give him a red star:-) or daddy helped you clean...He really wants to help ajit :-) .He feels daddy will feel bad if he dosen't have equal number of stars.

I am sure he sees ajit as competition .When we go out for walks manu dosen't want us to talk ,he wants us talking to him .This has been there for a long time but I see him slowly accepting that it is ok for daddy to talk to me. 

The other day he told me to give a star to ajit and  myself because we love each other a lot...

why do we need to sleep?

question that has been bothering manu for quite some time .Only if we didn't have to sleep we'd be able to play so much more,read much more,spend so much more time with friends ,draw much more ,play piano ...i don't like sleeping

electronic man

Last weekend manu was chanting -daddys name is electronic man he loves to go to bic camera 

ajit-beware ,he's picked up that electronic shops are ur favourite time pass and all u love to buy is electronic items :-)

Something more -Manu goes to ajit when he is working -daddy do u have time for me? When will u talk to me? So ajit looks up from his laptop -yes tell me and he blabbers something which ajit has no clue of(because he definitely was not listening) .And he gets it again:-)see-u don't listen ...

It's fun to watch a five year old behave like a grown up...may be he's picking it from me :-) 

is daddy crazy?

Ajit has been coming really late for the past 2-3 days due to some release at office and manu dosen't get to see him in the morning as well .

Today morning he got up and asked me if daddy was asleep . All three of us usually head out together in the morning for office and school and I guess he was missing ajit .

manu-"mommy is daddy still asleep "

me-"yes"

manu-"is he crazy"

wo! ...where did he pick up this word from...

me-"why do you say that"

manu-"does he not have to go to office? why is he sleeping so late?"

I explained that daddy was working really hard and that he had to stay late in office so he's not able to get up early .

manu-hmmm he should get a red star for working hard but no stars for not getting up early:-)