Phir ek Baar.......

Back to school. I've joined Abi's school as a teacher. But I'm not teaching his class. We both go to school together at 8:00 am and come back together 12:30 pm. I don't meet him in between. He wonders where I vanish after dropping him in his class.

My joining school  has definitely helped all of us.The morning scene  has changed for good. First and foremost Abi does not feel bad to get up early in the morning now. He knows naani is accompanying him in going  through the same pain/agony! So he does not say that he doesn't want to go to school anymore. What a relief! (keeping my fingers crossed that things stay this way!). Initially he used to drag me to his classroom and insist I too sit with him. But once I made him understand that he will sit in his class and I'll sit in my class,  he is fine with we sitting in our respective classes. This makes me happy on the one hand that he is so understanding and on the other hand it makes me feel sad that he is quickly growing out of his childhood.Time just flies...

As for my part, I have mixed feelings. Firstly, I'm happy to be back in school doing what I love doing after a 3 long years' hiatus. However, here things are slightly different from what one experiences in city schools. The background of the children is rural and most of them are first generation learners. It is a challenge for any teacher. Before joining the school I thought I'll get to meet and talk to people and have some friends. But it is not so, for whatever reasons. I find the teachers are also different here compared to city teachers. When I'm free I do not see any other teacher sitting in the staff room. Lunch is in the classroom with children. I'm yet to see teachers sitting and talking about the latest fashion or anything for that matter as I've seen in Delhi (mind you, I'm in a private school)! Everyone seems to be ever busy with their work here. I wonder how is it  even possible? So I hardly get to meet and talk to any of them except Abi's teachers. And my time table is also such that I get free by the time Abi gets free.

But all in all, it is a great new feeling to be packing off to school hand in hand with my little grandson :)

EPITOME OF SMARTNESS

     We took admission for Abi in a nearby school so that he can reach school in time without travelling much (given all the early morning drama he creates to avoid going to school). The timings are 07:30 a.m to 12:30 p.m. I had requested the Principal to excuse Abi in case he comes late to school, explaining the morning scene at home, even though I would try to be punctual. He assured me that they are very liberal with nursery class children and are not very particular about timings for these tiny tots for dropping and picking up after school. I could send him a little late and take him home by noon or so. That relieved my tension. 

     A few days back, as Abi entered the school premises, the morning assembly was just getting over. His PTI Sir saw him and told him to come to school on time.  Bhaiya who goes to drop him came and told me this. So the next morning I woke up Abhi reminding him of what the PTI Sir had told him. You wont believe the repartee this 3 and a half year old gave - hold your breath! "Maine sir ko batadiya tha ki main aaunga hi nahin (I told sir that I will not come to school at all)". I was speechless. After pulling myself together, some how managed to pack him off to school in time. After reaching school, he went to meet the PTI sir and told him, " dekho...aaj main time se aa gaya". Now, isn't he the epitome of smartness?

PASSION CONTINUES....

      Back with a bang from a long holiday. All masti is over for both of us, that's me and Abi. He has been admitted to a new school in Cl-Nursery. Needless to mention that he is not at all happy going to school. Its a battle every morning:- waking him up, brushing/bathing, drinking milk and wearing the UNIFORM (he hates it). Once he is in the vehicle and away from our vision he is fine (or so we have been told).Everyday he decides who will come to school to pick him up whether its naanu or naani. If we do not follow it, the battle starts in the vehicle itself while returning. So much so for going to school.  The worst part is doing the written home-work... but I will save that story for some other time.

    I actually began this write up to show how much Abi likes to colour. But we elders always like to complain first about children. So first thing first. It was a Saturday afternoon. All three of us Abi, his mother and me were sitting and playing when his mother thought of donning her painting cap. After a lot of yeses and no's, she  decided to paint a lamp shade. So we took out one old worn-out table lamp shade and decided to make a painted cloth shade for it. After the stitching part was over she was about to start the painting, when Abi jumped over the paints and brushes screaming that he wanted to do it! So we let him play for some time and when he had fully drenched himself in the colours, we let him put his hand prints on the cloth to take his hand impression. 

   Surprisingly, a simple fun filled activity turned out to be so beautiful and the best part was watching Abi enjoying himself so much! His mother covered the lamp shade with it and now he proudly shows it off to everyone saying that has made this shade - one should see the sparkle in his eyes!