Realized with a start that it's been ages since my last post. While travelogues are fun to write, I now hope to try and reconnect to the essence of what my blog is about. It has seen glimpses of gardening, baking, and of course holiday posts in plenty because I believe these have been an integral part of my "Life as a Mom" :). But I also want to look back at posts in a few years and go "Awww!" like I do when I read some of the posts from when the kids are young.
It is not that children stop saying interesting things as they grow older, they just start taking it to a whole new level. In the tangles of trying to make sense of it all while trying to yell less (check out the www.theorangerhino.com if you missed my earlier posts on the subject), I have been missing out on noting down a lot of interesting situations. Here are some recent ones:
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S has become the master of the "anticipatory bail" situation. He forgot one of the books for his holiday homework at school, and then after multiple times of my asking him if he's finished his homework comes to me with a woebegone face (as though he has just discovered this fact):
"I didn't bring my XXX Workbook!"
Me: I've been asking you about homework for the last 2 days, why are you telling me this just now?
S: "But Ma'am will scold me!" (Notice how my question is completely dodged, and by now he's most realistically teary eyed)
Me: The school has already sent a mail that everyone is now on holiday, I can't even go and get the book now. If you'd told me on the 1st day, we could have gone and picked it up. (The 1st day of holidays was an optional PTM).
S: "You call Ma'am right now and speak to her!"
Me: How can I do that? I don't have her number with me.
S: "But you call and speak to her right now!"
And so on...
I maintain that this whole convenience of leaving books at school and only bringing home what is necessary contributes to a lot of such situations and tension. Our backs used to bend with the weight of schoolbags, but we never forgot anything :P.
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D was busy preparing for her Piano ABRSM Grade 1 exam for the last few months, and establishing a regular practice schedule took a lot of work. I'm not the most organized person myself so trying to inculcate this in another person felt like a bit of a lost cause! After tugs of war and many discussions, we somehow managed to establish a rhythm of everyday practice sessions. I know this is how every parent feels about their child, but I just have to marvel at how she picked up the finger-work for the keyboard/piano. I know it didn't come easy to her, she was not a "natural" at it, she had to work quite hard and practice these pieces over and over to reach this stage. But I can hardly remember the frustration and the arguments, when I listen to a passage that she didn't think she would "ever manage to learn" being played perfectly, and I have to watch and listen transfixed to my seat :). Now the exam's done and she can learn "for fun" for some time. The loudest "Phew!" is from me ;).
It is not that children stop saying interesting things as they grow older, they just start taking it to a whole new level. In the tangles of trying to make sense of it all while trying to yell less (check out the www.theorangerhino.com if you missed my earlier posts on the subject), I have been missing out on noting down a lot of interesting situations. Here are some recent ones:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
S has become the master of the "anticipatory bail" situation. He forgot one of the books for his holiday homework at school, and then after multiple times of my asking him if he's finished his homework comes to me with a woebegone face (as though he has just discovered this fact):
"I didn't bring my XXX Workbook!"
Me: I've been asking you about homework for the last 2 days, why are you telling me this just now?
S: "But Ma'am will scold me!" (Notice how my question is completely dodged, and by now he's most realistically teary eyed)
Me: The school has already sent a mail that everyone is now on holiday, I can't even go and get the book now. If you'd told me on the 1st day, we could have gone and picked it up. (The 1st day of holidays was an optional PTM).
S: "You call Ma'am right now and speak to her!"
Me: How can I do that? I don't have her number with me.
S: "But you call and speak to her right now!"
And so on...
I maintain that this whole convenience of leaving books at school and only bringing home what is necessary contributes to a lot of such situations and tension. Our backs used to bend with the weight of schoolbags, but we never forgot anything :P.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D was busy preparing for her Piano ABRSM Grade 1 exam for the last few months, and establishing a regular practice schedule took a lot of work. I'm not the most organized person myself so trying to inculcate this in another person felt like a bit of a lost cause! After tugs of war and many discussions, we somehow managed to establish a rhythm of everyday practice sessions. I know this is how every parent feels about their child, but I just have to marvel at how she picked up the finger-work for the keyboard/piano. I know it didn't come easy to her, she was not a "natural" at it, she had to work quite hard and practice these pieces over and over to reach this stage. But I can hardly remember the frustration and the arguments, when I listen to a passage that she didn't think she would "ever manage to learn" being played perfectly, and I have to watch and listen transfixed to my seat :). Now the exam's done and she can learn "for fun" for some time. The loudest "Phew!" is from me ;).
