Parenting in Quarantine: Homeschooling Fail

#CoronaOutbursts #OverEnthusiasticMom

#Day34ofSchoolClosure #LockdownDiaries

“Mom, you are too enthusiastic about all this school work, home schooling and all that. Calm down. I’ll never share your enthusiasm. You have no patience with instructions and I have no patience for your instructions. This is never going to work. I will never choose homeschooling and you can never teach. You don’t even know what representation checks are. You don’t know what diagraphs are. (Followed by a long list of things I don’t know - I have already forgotten the terms). This is a temporary situation and no need to be so enthusiastic. There will soon be an antidote for this corona virus and we will be back to minding our own businesses.”

Ouch that hurt (my enthusiasm in particular).

I swear all I did was say, “yay let’s see what we can schedule into our day today”.

Parenting in Quarantine: Physical Distancing and Online Connectivity

#CovidStories

So there are enough jokes about moms in particular and parents in general being driven up the wall by specifically two questions - “What should I do?” and “What can I eat”.

You know what’s offering respite - online real-time classes. Just imagine a bunch of elementary kids in a Zoom conference call. I am passively witnessing one and it is a stress buster. I pity the teacher though.

Prelude:

M: Mom am I looking okay in the video

Me: who cares manya - nobody is interested

M: I am interested in how I look - let me check and test properly!!

First 10 minutes:

“Who’s there”

“Hello, me”

“Hello, can you hear me”

“Hello, don’t talk together”

Next 10 minutes:

Apparently, they have to sign attendance...

“Can you see the pen icon”

“What is an icon”

“Near the mute”

“No don’t mute”

“Who me”

“No, you”

“Can I use highlighter instead”

“This is a tough job”

We are on the 31st minute and I think they are becoming pros at it. Well atleast till the next time. And I get 60 minutes of free me time.

Btw, the little monster gets on a Skype call with her piano teacher next. Call me a sadist but watching this tiny 7 year old negotiate her way around all this technology and then getting so exasperated with ensuring the device is charged, on time connectivity etc - as she goes around finding her quiet place for her “very important conference call”, making sure the door is shut tight and what not - is just so amusing. #FirstWorldProblems

Parenting in Quarantine: She knows it all!

So the recent situation has done a lot and it’s all in the news - including increasing our first grader’s vocabulary to include words like quarantine, social distancing and pandemic. However, it’s interesting to note that what has made things worst for her is that Amazon is not shipping non essentials. I cannot even begin to explain to her her privilege - she just doesn’t get it. Oh and by the way however bad things are “don’t get scared”.

Love for gore...

Over the years, M's fondness for all things Halloween, scare, fright, gore, ghosts, and what not. SHe truly has modeled herself as a mistress of fright.

She wrote this book and not sure if I should worry about her mental and social well being or just applaud her writing skills :)

One of her kind in the tribe...

Manya had been pouring over a book quite seriously for quite some time, and then in a loud aha moment she goes, “My god, this book is incredible. It has great quotes - I need to note some of these down.”

Ofcourse this got my curiosity piqued. And I was shocked at what she was reading. She had got something from her daddy’s shelf. Just check out the notes she has made.

For all the beautiful books we have shared with her, she has never found any single one so noteworthy apparently! 🙄

Very cheekily she goes, “this has good stuff - how to say no and all”. (Reminder i sent her way - it’s not to be applied to parents)

Just in case you wonder if she gave up on it - she did eventually, when she reached the page that said, “Sometimes you need to allow life to save you from getting what you want.”

She goes, “I think after all this is a book for grown ups.”
And I was like, “oh no, after all it is age appropriate for you”. 😛

Manya: 01
Mommy: 01

And that’s how we commence our winter break.

Blind(folded) love...

We were lying down in bed after a long cross country flight and Manya was being all fidgety and sleepless - Vish and I both were getting irritated with her moving constantly and then she finally takes out her eye mask and puts it on Vish. We both are like WTH. What is this for? She goes, "It is for love. Because true love is in a blindfold.".

We were literally rofl - obviously she had heard true love is blind somewhere but clearly didn't understand much of it!

First Public Performance!

Somebody has taken to a new hobby - playing the piano! M started taking classes this ummer and has showed growing interest - she practices almost everyday - not very long bust enough to keep up with her teacher's expectations. I think she is doing great.

Had her first ever concert - was slightly nervous but pulled it off with flying colors!

#NewEraDawns #AgeofWisdom #MagicvsTruth

(Warning: This is going to be a long read.)

We started the Santa’s presents, elf on the shelf, Easter bunny etc after Manya turned 2., and very recently the tooth fairy did bring in some cash.

Ever since she turned three or so, she has been questioning the practicalities involved - how come you don’t know when Santa comes, so if any stranger came into you wouldn’t know? How can the Easter bunny carry a basket? How can the toy elf move on it’s own? In the last few years she’d come back from school and say so and so says it’s not real etc etc. And then she’d ask us - “do you believe in all this?” And I’d ask her “what do you think?” She would always say, after voicing all her objections, “but I do believe in magic so yes I do believe.” And I’d say that’s all that matters then.

Last night, this newly minted 7 year old very seriously sits me down and says - is Santa real? I again went back to my “what do you think”. And she goes, “I want to believe it’s all real but I think it’s not. It doesn’t really make sense all the time. Tell me the truth.”

And I told her she was right. I also added that parents go through all this just to keep childhood a little magical and fun and not to really deceive their kids or lie to them. And she smiled and said “I understand. Thank you for doing all of that - all the presents and the letters. And Thank you also for telling me the truth.”

Manya stumps me with her maturity at times ... I was surprised that she didn’t seem very upset. So I asked her. And she goes “no I am not upset. I am just a little disappointed that there is no real magic in this world. But I like truth too.”

Oh my god, we hugged and we hugged. And I told her I don’t know about real magic but there are truly magical things that happen - like she happened to us, like the beauty of nature, like the joy of sharing and kindness.

As we were getting a little too sappy, she winked and said no need to write to Santa and worrying about him getting my letter.

And so we sat down and decided on new traditions - instead of letters to Santa, we’ll all write notes about our favorite moments and seal the envelopes under the tree, and read it out in Christmas morning. No gifts from Santa but we will still wrap gifts for each other and put it under the tree as surprises.

So there won’t be Santa, no elf or tooth fairy, but the spirit of celebration and joy and sharing they stand for will remain.

P.S. I did tell her she doesn’t have to announce the truth to everyone as let the parents decide when the kids are ready. And she goes sure, I’ll also tell my daughters when they turn 7 - not before that. (PSS She wants to have two wonderful daughters “just like her” ... 🤣🤣🤣 but I digress, 7 is the age of wisdom, guys, so you know. )

Milestone update - 7

I don't know how many times a parent must say and wonder how time flies. Well it does, and it seems to get ahead of itself, if that was possible.

So what is our little 7 year old upto...

- Social, pragmatic, diplomatic - M is a joy to have. She is feisty, rebellious, and extremely sassy too especially at home - she is no goody two shoes all the time - but she is genuinely warm and kind. So go figure who she is - she is a hurricane with the right intentions mostly - haa!

- She started a new hobby this year - piano! She judiciously practices and seems to be enjoying it for the last couple of months and let's see where this musical journey takes her.

- Lost her two baby teeth! and gained a couple of inches - she does stand tall and threaten my position as number 2 tallest in our family of 3. ;)

- I think we have a reader here and quite a decent writer too (when she feels inspired enough that is). Horror as a genre fascinates her to no end.

- I feel the princess phase is kind of mellowing down and we might be on the pharaoh stage now - she wants to rule! But on a serious note - i think her mind is wandering beyond glitter and pink - literally and figuratively. She loves all her girlie accessories still but is embracing mustards and auburns and denims again, which is a welcome relief.

- She loves being out and about and busy - we have activities 2 days a week, another day she stays back at school for after school clubs (currently - Robotics), 2 other days she has recurring play dates most weeks - and she still thinks has has time for gymnastics, spanish, and what not. I had heard of overscheduling parents - ever heard of overscheduling kids?

- BabyCenter sent me an email this mornign congratulating me that I have now entered the most rewarding phase as a parent - well I am not celebrating yet - Agreed Manya is a great companion for most things - travel, car rides, conversations, activities, etc etc - but does she has an opinion or what. And she is defiant. My ears seldom hear, "Yes mom" at the first go. So many times anything that i say is replied by something that begins with But or However or No or How about. The sass, and sarcasm, and attitude all combined with this beautiful heart and intelligence is a deadly combination!

You are 7!

And you are on a roll!

Oh my god, Manya - you are 7. You are such a big girl now. I am thoroughly enjoying all our grown up conversations these days - errm - well mostly - I still shout back because I said so quite a few times don't I - when I know you want to know the inside and out of every why that could be possible. Well patience has not been my virtue and not really the greatest of your strengths either...;)

You know I have begun to imagine you reading these letters when you are all grown up and imagining your reactions to them. I hope I get to see you reading these at different points in your life. And I hope that each time you read them you recall the tender and the furious moments we have shared with love in your heart and joy in your soul. You are so loved - We are proud to have such an intelligent, caring, kind, (and sassy) but mostly very adorable daughter like you.

You wanted a rainbow themed birthday this year - and I think that is totally befitting! May you shine bright with all your colors, always.

I recently read this poem by Neil Gaiman and boy, could I have put in words better all the prayers and wishes that we have for you. So this one is for you my love. Happy 7th. Happy Every Day.

BLUEBERRY GIRL

by Neil Gaiman

Ladies of Light & Ladies of Darkness,
& Ladies of Never-You-Mind,
this is a prayer for a Blueberry Girl.
First, May you ladies be kind.

Keep her from spindles and sleeps at sixteen;
Let her stay waking and wise.
Nightmares at three, or bad husbands at thirty;
These will not trouble her eyes.

Dull days at forty, false friends at fifteen;
Let her have brave days and truth.
Let her go places that we’ve never been;
Trust and delight in her youth.

Ladies of Grace, and Ladies of Favour,
and Ladies of Merciful Night,
this is a prayer for a Blueberry Girl,
Grant her your clearness of sight.

Words can be worrisome, people complex;
Motives and manners unclear.
Grant her the wisdom to choose her path right,
Free from unkindness and fear.

Let her tell stories, and dance in the rain,
Somersault, tumble, and run;
Her joys must be high as her sorrows are deep,
Let her grow like a weed in the sun.

Ladies of Paradox, Ladies of Measure,
Ladies of Shadows-That-Fall;
this is a prayer for a Blueberry Girl,
Words written clear on a wall.

Help her to help herself, help her to stand,
Help her to lose, and to find.
Teach her we’re only as big as our dreams,
show her that fortune is blind.

Truth is a thing she must find for herself,
precious, and rare as a pearl;
Give her all these, and a little bit more,
Gifts for a Blueberry Girl.