The first day of 'cool'

Dear Sunshine,

Your first day of school (or 'cool' as you often call it) was on us. I had accompanied and stayed with you at school twice before to make you comfortable in the new surroundings. You seemed to like the teachers and took things quite nicely on those two days. Kids cried all around but you stayed calm. But today was going to be the first day when you would actually spend time there without me for a complete one hour!

I was confident you would do well. Your grandma and I left you in the arms of the teacher and waited outside. That was the difficult part. A lot of anxious parents who had left their kids for the first time had gathered there. There was non-stop heart-wrenching crying noise coming from inside the classroom. There was an equally loud noise outside where the worried parents described their concern. I told your grandma that you would do fine. After all its just one hour and it would pass off quickly.

As I stood outside, I tried to make out your crying voice from rest of the kids. It was impossible. I convinced myself that it must be because you are not crying at all. Somehow an hour passed by and the teacher announced that she would now bring out the kids one by one. But I was not ready for what happened next. You were the first one out and crying at the top of your voice. Actually you were in middle of a big scary crying tantrum. What that means is that you just don't listen to a word being spoken to, you are not ready to be held, and you just tap your feet on the ground and go crazy. 

I had seen you before like that but the other parents were so concerned. They offloaded many advices and I just tried to make my way to you, so that you can calm down. But you were unstoppable. You continued crying for the next 15-20 minutes. It was difficult to hold you, talk to you and comfort you. Then grandma came to our rescue and took you to a shop. Bribe - the ultimate savior that is! As you got your hands on a packet of 'Cadbury Gems', you slowly came back to being normal. You whispered that you have been a bad girl and that you cried at school. Between hugs and kisses, we tried to comfort you that everything is alright and it doesn't matter. But in my mind, I was already worried about what will happen tomorrow. Will you repeat all this again?

For the rest of the day we ignored this mishap. But you seemed to remember it very well and repeated that you've cried at school. We decided to skip school for a day to give you some more time. A day after that we took you to school again. Your teacher mentioned the most unexpected thing. She said that you were the only one kid who had not cried on the first day of school!. It was only towards the very end of that hour that you were probably overwhelmed with all the cries around you and joined the group. The teaches were looking for you yesterday to meet the girl who had not cried! What I felt after hearing those words is not easy to describe. I was just very thankful and proud.

So it was that cool, your first day of school!

Love,
Mom

Mummy, Riya ab badi ho gayi hai!

It seems like yesterday when she was many months younger, this innocent infant playing in our arms. I don't know when time just crept on us and she turned into this grown up girl, a terrible-two toddler, a chatter-box of endless questions, a graceful observer of things, a mind blowing conclusion drawer, a mocker, a teaser and so much more. Here are some hot and sour delicacies of my sweet heart...

We are going out, and I make her sit to put on her shoes.

"Nahi Mummy, Riya khud se shoes pehanegi".
Ok, have it your way.
"Riya ab badi ho gayi hai", she adds firmly with a no nonsense expression.

I'm working on my laptop. She comes to me and watches for some time. Tries to distract me. I ignore her.
"Mummy Riya ko laptop per kuch likhna hai".
Why???
"Riya ab badi ho gayi hai, isliye usey bhi laptop per likhna hai".
Huh???

Her dad comes over from office and barely sat on the sofa. A happy Riya walks over and demands.
"Papa, Riya ke saath play karo. Mummy ne kaha hai ki Papa play karengey".
A tired Dad asks her when did Mom say that.
"Mummy ne kaha...Rain Rain go away, Come again another day, Papa wants to play, Rain Rain go away...isliye Papa aap play karo".

Riya had sung this rhyme with me about an hr ago. Can things be inferred in this way? I had no idea:)

"Mummy Riya ko potty karao".
"Beta, Riya is a big girl now...Can you sit on your potty seat and do it yourself?".
"Nooo, Riya abhi thodi badi hai, aur thodi choti hai...Mummy aap hi potty karao", in comes the prompt reply.
Needless to say that her grown up status is quite flexible. She adjusts it all the time to get things going her way.

"Mummy ye kya hai?", she points at the sugar jar.
"This is sugar", I tell her.
"Nooo, ye cheeni hai", she recalls from a probable earlier conversation.
"Oh! haan ye cheeni hai, but....".
"Ha ha, mummy ko nahi pata tha. Mummy cheeni ko sugar bol rahin thi. Mummy bhool jaati hai", she giggles and points at my mistake.
"Beta, we call it sugar and we also call it cheeni", I try to clarify what I think is best for a 2 year old.
She looks at me with suspicious eyes processing this information in her own way. Few secs later...
"Hum log isko fan be kahtey hain, aur pankha bhi kahtey hain". She points at the ceiling fan. Phew! I sigh with relief.
 

This has to be the best phase of parenting by all means. In front of me is a young learner, who challenges my authority, my explanations, my patience and my love in each and every conversation that we have. I think she makes me a better person every minute. And as she advances into these new milestones, I'm really excited for what's more to come. But sometimes I just want to say...

Riya, slow down, please don't grow up so fast!