Summer Hols- What fun!!

I was a little concerned that our insensitive building committee had planned to hack the playground and the swimming pool at the same time all in the name of renovation!! How awful for the kids... bang in the middle of their holidays?

It turned out to be anything but awful! The kids are having a blast!! And looking at the way their holidays were taking shape the first thing I did was put up a planner for the kids!There was way too much happening! I realized that it wasn't going to be seamless days of idling, eating and reading (my idea of a summer break)! The holidays began with a massive dinosaur themed break-up party at school which set the ball rolling! After that there were pizza parties, brunch playdates, movie-dates, cupcake decorating-date, picnics and the all -important birthday parties!!

On the days they were not too busy having fun with friends, they entertained themselves at home- decorating pumpkins ( forced to buy them these days!!), helping the helper with the housework, doing 'experiments'

( read BIGTIME vishamam), inventing new games with empty boxes and making birthday cards ( "so what if thatha's birthday is just over, we could make one for next year") !

Most times, I enjoy being a part of their action but sometimes I like to simply watch- their heads bent over the

paints, their tongues sticking out just a wee bit, their constant light-hearted banter ( a lot of it has started), their undisguised glee over small thrills!

I realize that their summer holidays will be very different from next year. For starters, Shriya who will still be in kindergarten will have a different month off as compared to her Primary school going brother. The brother would want to do 'big boy'stuff  and the sister might have her own wishlist. Different summer breaks, different friends, different fun!

It's definitely the end of a Phase! So, playground or not, we are all out to make this summer as memorable as we can!

Who are you Amma?

The other day Vaibhav asked me something that surprised me. But before that let me give you a bit of background. I work from home. And I work the three hours the kids are at school and another 2-3 hours after they are in bed. My meetings are always after the kids are dropped off at school. In a nutshell, the kids never see me WORK ( e-mail/FBing not counted) on the comp or do work-related stuff when they are around. They get my 100% and more and we were all enjoying the status quo... until.....Vaibhav one day thought for a while and then said "Amma, I want to be an astronaut when I grow up. And Shriya says she wants to be a doctor and help all the thathas and paatis". I said that they were both great choices and threw in a pinch of salt to the sambhar I was cooking. And then he said very worriedly "Amma,you have already grown up, what have you become?"

Hmm....so that's what they think of me. Just AMom!

The other day, somebody requested for a meeting at 11am, a time when I'm usually presiding over the lunch table and narrating stories. I almost said Sorry, we'll have to change the time and then decided not to. I dressed up in work clothes took my laptop and set off kissing goodbye to two very surprised children.

The kids took it all very well. It was I who was paranoid leaving them in the care of my housekeeper. I made umpteen calls to check if they ate alright, if they were dressed right for school, if they remembered to put on their caps......

The last call I made, my son took the phone from my housekeeper and said "Ma, we have been very good. You do well in your meeting, ok?"

Nighty Night Sweethearts!

Tired after school, exhausted after play, my little ones rush for their warm bath before dinner and bed. I love giving them a wash especially after evening play. The cleansing ritual is very satisfying- scrubbing all the day's grime off, soaping till their skin is squeaky clean once again and finally rubbing their little bodies dry while inhaling the sweet fragrance of their skin mingled with baby soap...AaahI just love it!

And after that bath, I just have to comb their still damp hair. Vaibhav hates it and once even told me "I like my hair to look messed, ma and I'm going to bed, why does my hair have to be neat"!! My little son does not quite know that it has to be neat for me. Neatly combed hair + fresh from a bath makes every child (even the absolutely naughty ones) look endearing and utterly delicious!!

I kiss them, kiss them again, sometimes even nibble on them. Drowsy eyes stare back at me . My mind is usually swimming with thoughts from the day as I look into those innocent pools- Was it a fun day? Did we enjoy moments together or did we just rush through our routines? Was I hard on him/her? Could I have said it another way? Oh, they are still so innocent and so small!! I love them so much, I think I could burst!

Simplicity thy name is Shriya!

I am used to my son's regular requests for superhero toys, games, videos...the list is endless. He loves his toys and actually keeps abreast of what's hot and not and is adept at the fine art of 'When to strike!'. My little girl on the other hand has no wants. And no, I'm not exaggerating, she has not till date asked us for ANYTHING!! She does not want toys- "I have so many at home", she does not wish for clothes- "I already feel like a princess in these clothes" and she does not ask for junk food- because her all-time favourite snacks are steamed Idiyappams, pumpkin seeds and walnuts!
Where did I get this little blessing from? She's just this satisfied little soul who has still not had her first acquaintance with pessimism.

I: Shriya, pl don't take your drink near Amma's laptop
S: Why?
I: It could get spoiled!!
S: Don't worry ma, we can always buy a new one!!


Vaibhs and I: Shucks, we are 10 minutes late. The movie would have definitely started
S: Only 10 minutes have gone? Phew, I though we might have missed more than half the movie!!


But just because she does not want anything, I don't let her off that easily. I love buying her clothes and matching trinkets and shoes....well, basically everything that you buy when you do have a daughter! She's a great sport and will let me dress her ( except for her hair...as she says "It's my hair and I DON'T want it in a ponytail!!!) and have my fun.

Yesterday, we were out and I happened to pass a shoe store which was offering good rebates as part of the Great Singapore Sale. Naturally, I had to go in. I checked out a couple of pairs, tried on two and then decided that it wasn't that great afterall.

When we came out Shriya asked me "Why are you looking to buy some more shoes? Is your old pair broken? You already have so many. Let's not be greedy, ma"!! OUCH...that hurt! Didn't quite expect a reprimand from my 3 year old. But maybe you are right. Do I REALLY need another pair? Even if it is perfect for the new dress that I recently bought? Hmm...

Shriya, you are wonderfully refreshing in a world of wants. Your attitude, optimism and simplicity are striking now and if you nurture these traits for another couple of years, you will sparkle as part of a 'lone breed'!

Just promise to stay this way my little pet!

1234 let the yucky feeling go

It poured and poured for hours! The roads were flooded and for once Singapore was a mess. We had a tough time getting to and from school. But once home, we warmed up with hot chocolate, cheese pakoras and French toast. The rain is lovely when you can enjoy it in the snugness of your home!

V suddenly sprang up from his chair to peek out through the window. “Amma, what happens to all the construction workers who are working outside?” I said that most of them continue working with raincoats and umbrellas. And yes, he did see tiny little figures in yellow moving around.

V’s face fell and he said ‘paavam, I feel like crying for them’. I hugged him and said that it was alright to feel sad but to remember that the men were working towards a purpose which was to earn as much as they could everyday back home for their families. That actually made it worse as V then started wondering about the families and the children far from their Dadas.

I explained to him that life wasn’t easy for many people. Money came with a lot of hardwork and even then not a lot of it. Of course, he had seen people begging in India. Both kids would insist that we give every passing beggar some money. We indulged them but also had to explain that some people genuinely needed the money while some others were just being naughty. After that every other beggar V saw, he would ask if they were really hungry or just plain lazy!

We want our children to be happy and successful and Emotional Intelligence plays a crucial role towards the achievement of that plan. My kids too have their mood swings. And when they get angry, we first acknowledge the feeling and then sing a song with them which goes '1234 let the yucky feeling go'. They can sing it as loud and as awfully as they want to. they let off steam and then begin to calm down. The same for excitement. At times when they get excited they go berserk. I've asked them to first give me a tiiiiight hug and show me how excited they are....and somehow this helps!


I was glad…very glad that my son actually noticed and thought about the construction workers. The very fact that he empathised and thought beyond himself and his comforts warmed my heart......a lot more than the frothy cup of cocoa in my hands!

Who is this lady?

My in-laws live in Poes garden bang opposite Jayalalitha’s residence. We made umpteen trips in and out of Poes garden during our last trip and were greeted with huge posters of JJ and a host of security guards who kept close watch of the passersby. Now V had no clue who JJ was. Here’s how the conversation went…

V- Who is this?
V‘s Dad- Her name is Jayalalitha
V- How did she get so fat, did she eat a lot of junk food?
V’s Dad- Maybe or maybe she has other health problems
V- Is she very famous, how come her pictures are on the walls?
V‘s Dad- Well…in a way yes
V- I want to be famous too
V‘s Dad - OK
V - But why does she have so many policemen outside her house
V’s Dad- She has a lot of money in her house
V- Oh, did she steal the money and maybe that’s why the policemen have come to capture her??

Dressing up for my little man

Kids tucked in. Beautiful night. Friends waiting. A and I were just stepping out when I went to check on the kids one last time before leaving. V was half awake when I kissed him. He asked me sleepily why I never wore such pretty clothes when I went out with him and why did I wear all the nice clothes only when I went out with dada!!

Hmm...never thought of it that way. I just wear what's most comfortable and sensible when I'm with the kids. Ditto for birthday parties as I'm always sure I'll get some ice cream dropped 'accidentally' right on my lap or worse still have chocolatey fingers gripping my sleeve. And also because I never really thought that it mattered. But apparently it did. Of course it did. Flashback- I remember coming home from school to a mother who was always clad in a starched and ironed cotton saree, her face washed and her bindi freshly made. Just looking at my mother made me forget my upcoming tests and already received test scores. Everything would seem possible just gazing into all that calm, fresh prettiness!


I've seen mothers lounging around in their 'kaftans'( thankful if its not torn) or worse 'nighties' while at home. Oh I agree that they maybe the most comfy clothes in which you can achieve your 1001 targets for the day. But do remember that it's also the way your kids are going to remember you by.

Following weekend, V&S were all set to have fun at their friend's birthday party. I came out wearing the 'pretty dress' that V saw me wearing the other night. I knew that a spaghetti strap chiffon thingie was most unsuitable for a 5 year old's birthday party. But the look in his eyes, I will never forget. "Amma, you are wearing your pretty clothes for ME, you look awesome"!! I felt such a thrill run through my body- inexplicable!

We dress up for our husbands, for our friends, for interviews.... for strangers. Lets start dressing up for our kids. It means a lot to them and definitely has quite an effect on them.

I have my dreams of wearing starched Bengal cotton sarees and big bindis and recreating my mom's image for my kids....well that still remains a dream. But I definitely have progressed...no more boring jeans, staid ponytails and sensible capris. A dash of lipstick even if its only down to the playground, a twirly skirt to the library....I'm thoroughly enjoying dressing up for the little man in my life!