A new Monday...

Having learnt by hearing from her brothers the telugu and english weekdays - Mahalakshmi started reciting them in telugu one fine morning. She went on ... sanivaaramu, aadivaramu... when Chandradithya told her the week starts with a Sunday - aadivaaramu. Then she picked up saying...aadivaaramu, sOdivaaramu, managaLavaaramu... and so on.

That's a first for me to hear sOmavaaramu as sOdivaaramu....and I couldnt' control myself :)

Yes - it's been a looooooooooong time since I wrote last. I'll try to be a little more frequent than it's been so far.

Swasti!!

Shocker

Recently we let a couple of neighbourhood boys to come and play in our house with Chandra and Datta. These boys are around 10 years - a little older than my boys, but wanted to play in our house nevertheless. I watched them all play for a few minutes and seeing them get along well I went inside to get on with my work. They could play any of the board games, sports, toys etc., I told them - so I was looking forward to some undisturbed stretch of time.

I got on my laptop, caught some news headlines and after a few minutes - was about to start on my tasks when Datta ran in crying.

'He's catching my balls'.

I was shocked - and didn't understand what he's saying at first. I asked him to calm down and probed him further ... for which he said again, without calming down - 'I am playing and he's always catching my balls'. I was aghast at what the kids are learning these days - and from where - at such a young age. I was about to resolve not to let unknown and half-known kids in to play. I ran out to check out who was doing that and scold them.

A plethora of thoughts ran through my mind - in those few seconds it took for me to go out into the ground. Should I find out who did it and scold him? Or explain to him what's indecent behavior and not allowed in our house? Or should I go and talk to his parents instead?

When I went out, Chandra was batting and the neighbourhood boys were bowling and fielding. Since they are a little older, they are pretty much catching any ball that went up in the air. What can I say then? I looked down at Datta and he's still sobbing, with his face red from the hurt - I understood now - for getting caught every ball.

Who's at fault here? The neighbourhood kids, Datta, Me or the language?

Swasti!!

When 50 became 410

The boys are busy with Chota Bheem, Hanuman, Mr. Bean, some studies and other play stuff. In the US, they were never in front of the TV for more than an hour. Here, it's getting difficult to pull them away. Anyway, yesterday I had the fortune of them following me into the drawing room to sit down and do some Math. Chandra did 3 digit additions and substractions fine. Datta did single digit problems fine - so I gave him 2 digit problems as well. After a few problems, I gave him 25 + 25 - to keep things simple and make him excited. Excited - he sure was - at 'cracking' all the problems. He pushed his book towards me and ran off to join his brother for another episode of Chota Bheem.

I checked the book at the end of the day - before going to bed. And I was surprised to see him answer 25+25 = 410. For a second I didn't understand where got that from. Then I realized, I didn't teach him to carry over ... so no wonder :) Right or wrong, he is always at peace! What a joy!!

Swasti!!

Busy with no work

Some people are very busy when they have a lot of work. Some in this category, despite being very busy, make time and take on more work.
Some others feel busy even when they have a little work.
I feel very busy now with no work. Strange...eh?! But true.

Will write in detail later - as I am busy now :)

Swasti!!

No Batteries

After a few episodes of naughty, if not outright nasty, behavior from Datta - I shouted at him asking "What happened to your listening ears? Do I have to pull them out?" To which he responded immediately, with a mischievous smile - "They need batteries".
hmmm...
Where can I find them?!
Swasti!!

All for a banana cutter

On a recent evening, Chandra and Datta were playing 'family' game with toys and after that, while taking bath, Datta said: I want to have 3 sons and 2 daughters. I felt amused and asked him why 5? That's a big family... He said - Then I can use a banana cutter. I was completely dumb found about this response - as my mind went back to late summer of last year.

Early last year, I picked up a banana cutter on sale and used it a couple of times to give the kids banana slices. The cutting was easy but I didn't like the cleaning part of it - just too many surfaces to clean. So, as is the case with a few such 'tools', it was relegated to the back of our utensil rack, never to be used again.

Then back in September last year, after they returned from their school, I was giving them a snack and gave bananas. Datta wanted me to use the banana cutter but I lazily replied you already have natural cutters in your mouth so use them. When he said he wants the banana cut into nice little pieces, I used a knife to cut it nice and even and gave him.

This happened on another occasion as well - and he asked me why I am not using the banana cutter. Then I replied - well...if we need to cut many bananas then we can use the cutter...may be for 5 kids or more. Just for 3 kids, I can quickly use a knife. Looks like that comment was with him ever since.

Interestingly, he became a picky banana eater recently and after his 'bath comment', I wanted to try with a banana cutter. Yesterday, I used it and he happily ate the banana without a word.

I wonder which other of my 'lazy' comments he stored in his mind and acting up at times... only time will tell :) But it taught me something....

Swasti!!

Redefining ABCDs

Last evening I asked Datta, who is more interested in playing and doing rather than reading/writing, to actually sit down and write ABCDs. Needless to say, he couldn't get computer time if he didn't write them.

He grunted, complained and found no other way but to write them. So he did, threw the paper in my lap and went up to play Disney games on the computer with his big brother and little sister. After I was done doing whatever I was busy with, I looked at the paper, and to my dismay - found just A, B, C and D scribbled on it. Nothing more.

Here's the conversation that ensued:

Me: Datta... why didn't you write it all?

Datta: I did.

Me: Where? You just wrote 4 letters. Where are the rest?

Datta: You asked me to write only those four.

Me: No I didn't. I said write ABCDs - meaning, you have to write until Z.

Datta: But Z is not part of ABCDs.

I am sure scores of parents have gone through this conversation with their kids. It's almost the end of the day. No energy left to sit down and explain to him. Nor to keep him engaged with anything else either...so I resigned and left him giggle away with his siblings in front of the computer.

Swasti!!

How to know where you work?

Recently, while returning home from a drive, we came across the hospital Datta was born in. Incidentally that's the same hospital Usha works in as well. I was telling the boys where each were born and they asked us where mom and I were born at. Here it goes:

Datta: Where is amma (mom) born?

Me: Amma was born in a hospital in India

Chandra: How about you nanna (dad)?

Me: I was born at home in my hometown.

Datta: Why? You didn't have a hospital there?

Me: Not like that. It was just convenient and the facility was available at that time.

Chandra: Oh I know - mom was born in a hospital, so she works in a hospital now. You were born at home, so you work at home.

Datta: Yes, so anna (big bro) and I will be doctors when we grow up and work in a hospital.

How I wish it's as simple as that?!

Swasti!!

Manicure or Pedicure?

Yesterday we had been to the NY State Fair in Syracuse. At the end of the day, we took the free shuttle to get to the parking lot. On the bus there were two teenagers sitting next to us, and I couldn't help but smile at the conversation I overheard.

She: (looking at his hand resting on the support bar) Why do guys have such short nails?

He: Oh! That's because I have a bad habit of biting my nails deep, for some reason.

She: Yeah - I observed that with many guys. Don't know why they can't stand normal nails.

He: I guess regular nails don't look nice on guys. It's okay for girls as you go to get pedicure done. Is it manicure or pedicure for hands?

She: Mani... Pedi... hmm...whatever! The place I go to has both and I just get my nails done. I didn't pay attention to which is which.

Swasti!!

Triceratops unravelled

Did you ever learn about the Triceratops? If not, here's a quick tip for you, courtesy Datta.

Triceratop are dinosaurs that try to eat the tops (heads) off the people.

So, there you have it! Forget what paleontologists have to say about the herbivorous nature of the genus.

Swasti!!

If only Khomeini intervened

What a selfish, timid and weak leader Khomeini is! ha?! If only he were a true and strong leader, and acted as such, we wouldn't have so much unrest world over now. Look at this -

If only Khomeini intervened back in 2000 November and issued stern warnings of oil sanctions, we wouldn't have had a buffoon rule the US for 8 years.

If only Khomeini intervened then, we wouldn't have had 9/11 and the world would have been a far better place to live in today.

If only Khomeini intervened then, we would probably have seen a lady President by now, with a Black VP.

If only Khomeini intervened then, we wouldn't have seen the US automakers go under.

If only Khomeini intervened then, I could still arrive at the airport just 15 minutes before the departure time and still board the flight.

If only Khomeini intervened then, .......

Oh! The possibilities are endless. Suffice to say, 'World Peace' couldn't be used as a lofty goal any more! :)

But that's not to be! May be in another generation!

Swasti!!

Musings from missed cues

Some times we get lost in a train of thought or go into such expansive thinking that we miss the visible cues staring in our face.  One such amusing thing happened this morning.

Just before giving bath to Datta I removed the Diego band-aid he 'sported' for two days on his left elbow, saying his boo-boo is gone and he is fine now.  He agreed and stopped holding his hand in an awkward pose.  After the bath, while getting dressed, we were talking and suddenly we had the following conversation.

Datta: Naannaa (Dad) - how do boo-boos go away?

Me: When you eat well, and ...

D: (interjecting) Ba... it's a ba...

Me: and stay healthy...

D: (again) B'.... b'....

Me: without eating junk food, boo-boos get better and go away quick....

D: Naannaaaaa ... (in an almost exasperated tone) With a band-aid.

Me: Oh...yes!!  If we put a band-aid, it goes away!!

See... some questions warrant just a simple answer. :)  

Swasti!!

3 minus 2

One fine morning last week, the boys were getting ready to go to school when Chandra started doing subtractions on his fingers.
2 minus 2 equals......... hmm... one finger, two fingers; fold two of them and you are left with zero.... (ok...who is reading this to learn? come on... go and get an education :) )
The restless parent in me tried to teach him the 'simple fact' that if you subtract a number from itself, you always get a zero. No need to work your fingers for 'such simple' things. Not content with just 'teaching' the principle, I wanted to test him.

Me: What's 3 minus 3?
Chandra: (as usual) takes 3 fingers and starts his calculations.
Datta: (interjects and says) Zero
Me: That's good Datta. Now what's 4 - 4?
Chandra flings a few fingers out but hesitates... and then says zero
Datta: (shouts immediately) Zero
Me: See peddabbai, Datta is already getting it. You don't have to use your fingers to do this simple thing. Let's try again... 5 minus 5 is?
Datta: Zero
Chandra: Zero
Me: That's very good Datta.

Chandra is happy that his little brother is also into learning math and asks Datta a question.
Chandra: Datta what's 1 minus 1?
Datta: Zero
Chandra: Datta what's 3 minus 2?
Datta: Zero

Hmm.... the kids made me realize what a fool I make of myself at times, trying to cut short the learning process and teach them the tricks :) Datta's just having fun and that's what it is meant to be, isn't it? Every kid has to learn the basics the old fashioned way and there's no shortcut there!

Well, if I think I learnt a lesson I can apply to parenting as a whole, I'll be in for a surprise when I get back to my 'restless parent' mode again soon enough.

Swasti!!

All Inclusive Day!!

We have the most famous Valentines Day and Mothers Day - meant for specific sets of people. Then we have the Fathers Day, Grandparents day etc. in the second rung of the Day-mania ladder. Of course, we also have other days that celebrate the Secretaries, Frienship, Workers etc. If you look at all these days, they are aimed at recognizing a specific set of people and relegates everybody else for that one day. Is that right? Or may be people in that specific group will be relegated for the rest of the year.

Come to think of it, there's only one day that treats everyone on equal footing without fear or favor, love or hatred, near or far, known or unknown. The simplest and cheapest of all the Days in terms of celebration - as it doesn't require spending or going out partying. No feelings of getting slighted whether recognized or not on this day. Isn't that a wonderful feeling? It just brings a smile on the lips and within us all, just at the thought of it.

Okay - you probably know what I am talking about! As Mark Twain famously quoted: "This is the day upon which we are reminded of what we are on the other three hundred and sixty-four."

Happy AFD!!

Swasti!!

He believes he can fly

Remember the song from Space Jam - I believe I can fly ?! Datta reminded me of it when I was driving the boys to school the other day.

I was driving and stopped at a red light. Datta was chatting non-stop about what he would do when he grows up (which is another story for another time, as he has no concept of linear time and thinking; and thinks he can be a Benjamin Button - you know what I mean!)

So anyway - when I stopped at the red light, he didn't see the red light - and asked me to keep going. I told him I can't as the light turned RED. His response was: "I want our car to fly in the sky so we don't have to stop for red lights. I want our house in the sky. I want my day-care, annayya's (big brother's) school in the sky, our play ground in the sky, walmart in the sky, temple in the sky...". Chandra caught on as well and true to their mood then, they kept on and on...until they built a whole community in the sky.

Sometimes I am scared to ask them to do anything that looks like conditioining them, lest I should stunt their creativity. Well, that's only sometimes, though. :) Let's see what they become...

Swasti!!

Imagination

Last night I was reading a bed time story for the boys. Brief synopsis: crows fighting on a tree; a pigeon lands on the tree; crows fight with it and send it away despite the pigeon's requests for shelter as it lost its way in the rain and dark skies; pigeon goes to a mango tree; lightning strikes the 'crow-tree' and hailstorm kills and injures a lot of crows that night; the remaining crows ask the pigeon in the morning how it survived; praying to god saved its life.

Once the pigeon is thrown out of the 'crow-tree', Datta said: when I become a small, tiny infant again, I will jump into the book, hit the bad crows and rescue the pigeon.

He said that with such conviction, it's not even a wish to become an infant again; he thinks it's just a matter of time before he becomes one :). I wish I had that imagination !

Swasti !!

Sun not here yet?

Last night Chandra and Datta were playing games on nickjr.com and didn't want to go to bed. Since it's Friday night, we let them play a little longer. But it's getting past 10pm and we had to somehow break them away from the computer. Datta is not happy at all - and wanted the Sun to stay longer - so they can play longer.

It reminded me of an incident from a few weeks ago, after we returned from our India trip. One night the boys woke me up - as they were going through jet-lag and couldn't sleep any further. It was just 3am but they wanted to get active and play. However, I was fast asleep....and wished they just went back to sleep.

Then they used their unfailing trick - "I need to go pee". If I don't take them to the bathroom - I know what could happen...so I dragged myself out of the bed and took them to the bathroom. Chandra was done but Datta was still on his potty - and chatting away as I sit in front of him, at a distance - for him to finish off - so I can put them to bed and I can doze off. All of a sudden, he made a comment that drove my sleep away and cracked me up in laughter.

Here it goes...

Datta: Why is it night all the time? I want to go downstairs and play.

Me: The Moon is still here. If you sleep for some more time, then the Moon will go away and the Sun will come up. Then it will be morning time and you can play.

Datta: I want it to be morning now. Why is Sun not here yet? I want to hit the Moon and kick the Sun.

What can I say to this kid?

Swasti !!

Frontpages and Ads

While following all these drastic developments in Mumbai, I couldn't help but have a smile looking at the ads served on the front page of Andhrajyothi website - next to the Mumbai raging photos. Look at the following images I captured. Take it easy and share your own - if you can.

1) Are you thinking of getting married?
2) Plan your vacation better

3) Then this ad - asking if you want to send money to India, with a funny typo (pampichchadam) in telugu.