Tough Cookie

It was a beautiful Easter sunday and little Miss Haana and I went for a post-lunch walk. We ran around in circles in the park, then jumped skipped hopped to the lake. Then strolled to the playground.

There was an older girl and her brother already there, sitting below the playground stairs, digging. Little Miss Haana went up to them to talk and play with them. But the kids didn't want to play with her. The little girl felt bad that she wasn't included in their games, but then began playing at the slides by herself. 

Soon 2 more kids came, an older boy with his younger sister. Both older than little Miss Haana. Their Dad, following behind, caught up with them, saw the kids already there, and asked his son- "Hey, you know them, right?", without actually taking any names or referring to anyone but his son. The son nodded. Dad wandered off.

Since the kids all knew each other previously, they all started playing together. Little girl Haana thought maybe they'll all play with her too now. But, the oldest boy (who came later) turned to her and said "I hate her". 

I heard him clearly, I was right there. Gugu was on the slide right between him and me. His sister repeated the words, adding "me too". They all turned around and proceeded in their games. 

I was just stunned at the words. And at what had just happened. I wanted to somehow protect my little baby from the hurt that callous people and their wanton words can cause. But I also want to teach her emotional endurance and for her to stand up for herself. For that reason, in general, I don't like to intervene, I want her to handle situations. I do watch and listen, so I can tell her what's right and what's wrong. 

The next minute, Gugu turned to me and said "Everybody hates me Mumma."

I couldn't believe my ears! I said, "What?" She said " Everybody hates me except Rushil". I was even more taken aback. I said "Don't say that bachha. Don't use such words. Those kids are just being silly.". She said yes they are bad kids. I agreed with her.

Many more kids and their parents had come now to the playground. The parents were busy setting up an Easter egg hunt in the playground. 

She proceeded to play at the slide next to this one instead. There, she started on this project of digging a burrow for a bunny! I goaded her a few times to leave the playground and head home. But she wanted to complete her project.

I sat on a bench nearby and wondered how these kids learnt such a word. And how they didn't learn the meaning of the word kindness. To be honest, I didn't have a high opinion of the parents at that point either, who, I thought, haven't taught anything half decent to the kids. And, I thought such kids are not fit for social company. To be perfectly honest, I wanted to take my little girl and go back home. But I waited on her at the bench by myself. Watching these parents set up their Easter egg hunt with distaste.

Meanwhile, little Miss Haana was still working under the other slide, and we left only when she was satisfied with her burrow for a bunny rabbit. She came up and took me by the hand to show me.

On the way back, I asked her about the kids, and she said they were bad kids. I agreed. They were bad indeed. 

But some thing I realized later; in spite of the older kids ostracizing her, her sticking it out; not getting intimidated, not wanting to run away, holding her ground, playing her games, doing her thing- is brave. And for that- I'm proud of her. She proved to be the strong one. 

She may be smaller in size physically than some other kids, but mentally, I was proud to witness, she can be one tough cookie! 

Perfect Pet

Yesterday, as soon as little Miss Haana woke up, she came running up to me and said- Mumma, I had a great idea!!! When I'm 5 years old, I'll get a real pet! 

"Hmm", I said, "You already have a pet. The doggy dog and red riding hood...", referring to her stuffed toys. 

She said no, a real one! That's alive!!

"You mean a perfect pet?", this time referring to a recent book we had read where a little girl in the book wanted a pet, but every time she had a suggestion for the pet, the parents thought that was not a perfect pet (it sheds, scratches, too scary, too big etc). Then the girl settles for a bug. 

Gugu said, "Yess! A perfect pet!". 

"You mean like a bug?"

"No, bugs are scary. We will get a cat. And papa said yes."

"But Papa is not Mumma. And mumma has not said yes."

"But it will be the perfect cat!!"

"Hmm.. What kind of cat is it gonna be? A real one? What color is it gonna be?"

"Yes, a reaaal cat! It will have rainbow colors!!! You know some cats have black and white like a zebra? But they're not zebras. They are mostly black with a little bit of white!"

By this time I thought I need a visual.

I said Gugu, you need to draw what your cat will look like. Why don't you draw me one. 

So, out came paper, pencils, color pencils and later, sparkles!! Little girl made what her perfect rainbow sparkles cat would look like.

See pictures below:

Notice it has 5 legs and initially had no tail. Then, when asked about the whereabouts of the tail, a tail appeared. First it had a tail like a horse. Then I showed her pictures of real cats and the tail was touched up a bit.

:-)

We are still on the look out for 5 legged cats for Miss Haana's pet. If you know of any, call us. On second thoughts, don't call. I'll call you!!!

 😀😀😀

Pictures:

Easter Egg Hunt -take 1

It's that time of the year again! A very special time. One of my favorites! Easter egg hunt is here.

Last weekend was an Easter egg hunt in the neighborhood and things were brimming with excitement! I had been telling little Miss Haana how much fun the hunt was going to be. She was looking forward to it, mostly because several of her friends were going to be there as well. I was looking forward to a big basket full of loot, er, eggs!

As it turned out, I had some other plans that day, and little Miss Haana was to go to the hunt with her daddy only. Somehow we all got dressed, fed and out of the door in time for the hunt. 

I bid her a bye with happy dreams of a big basket full of colorful, candy-full eggs waiting for me upon my return. I had planned to actually prep her for the hunt, but somehow didn't find time for that. Last year I had prepped her before the hunt, told her how to dart out as soon as the hunt starts and race down the field towards the eggs and grab as many as she could and land them in her basket! She had not disappointed. Last year our big basket was full of proud, bragging-rights eggs! 

Surely she remembers last year, I thought. She was looking forward to meet her buddies..

When I came back home, I peeked into the basket, down at the bottom of the big pit were a few eggs! 'What? Just a few?! Maybe she has been playing with the eggs elsewhere', I thought. She was sleeping, so I let the matters lie.

Later that evening, I enquired, what happened to the eggs? Daddy told me, Gugu and her girl friend were strolling down the park in cool composure, while the other kids were busy grabbing eggs from all directions! She found 4. Of course there were logistics to blame too. It was too cold, too crowded, too few eggs, too small.

I was still horrified! 4 eggs? 4? 4??? Just. 4?

Luckily, there's another egg hunt this coming week. We have some fixing to do! ;-)

Shredder Fright

My little girl is a cautious one. She's very careful and precise in the things she does. She's particular in her likes. She's deliberate in her actions and tasks. She's not usually the kind who'll say lets do this and see if it hurts. 

Last Sunday Daddy had some plans, so Miss Haana and I were going to have a mom-n-daughter dinner night. The evening was to end with Puss in Boots videos (weekend allowance).

I was sorting mail just before we had to leave for dinner, and had a stack of papers to shred. Miss Haana came by asking to help out. She's ever the handy little helper! She went to the shredder and instead of turning it on "Auto", accidentally turned it to "Rev". I have no idea why small shredders like ours' have such a useless function. The shredder started spitting out shredded paper. The little girl frantically moved to turn that thing off. But the few seconds that it took for it to stop, and the unexpectedness of the shredder, left her all shaken up. 

I sympathized with her. I know it can be scary when it does that, I told her. The shredder is not such a friendly thing sometimes. She felt somewhat better in a little bit, but then decided she will not be helping me with the shredding afterall.

This is when I think I changed into this bad, evil, pushy mom. I told her she can't give up because of the fear, she has to shred the papers now. No surprises, it didn't work. She wanted nothing to do with the shredding.

I said we can't go out till she completes what she started. She sulked and resorted to crying instead. I wasn't getting anywhere.

Then, I said we are not watching Puss in Boots unless you finish what you started. Now she was really unhappy! Puss in Boots is something she really looks forward to! I felt really bad inside too. I look forward to cuddling up together and watching those short videos too..

Then, I said- look at Puss in Boots. He's a small cat, and still fights much bigger monsters and theives. Sometimes he's even scared but he never gives up. He stands up and faces his monsters. That's what a brave little girl like Gugu needs to do. Somehow, this suddenly struck a chord. She and I went back to the shredder, and she finished her shredding!!!

Moral of the story? I love Puss in Boots! 

Five Year Old

Last week when I was picking little Miss Haana from her montessori school, she and her buddy Navya could hardly bear to part for the evening. They were hugging each other, making plans for a sleepover that night.

Both Navya's mother and I intervened citing that it was a weeknight, and hardly an appropriate evening for a sleepover. Now of course I think the little girl is way too little for sleepovers anyway - but I rely on other arguments instead. Also, I should confess, I have these sweet visions of me being part of her sleepovers anyway!. My friends do not fail to tell me they find me crazy.

Nevertheless, little Miss Haana and her friend grudgingly parted for the evening and we headed home.

The following weekend, suddenly the little girl asked- "Where's Navya? Is she not coming to my house?". I remembered the painful separation a few evenings back. I said, I don't have her phone number, does she know where we live?

Miss Haana replied with resounding confidence, "Yes!"

And then added, "She knows because she's five year old. You know? She has a five year old brain. So she knows what my address is".

Now it's entirely possible that there are times when laughter is not the best medicine; and maybe I should not laugh at my little girl, but I laughed and laughed!!

 

Scissors Enthusiast

My little girl Haana can be a scissors enthusiast. At school on some days they practice cutting paper in straight lines to develop fine motor skills. Some days she comes home and does the same too. 

Yesterday she came to her Daddy with a small clear plastic tube about an inch in length in her hand. She looked part sorry and part pleased with herself. I saw what she had in her hand and immediately knew... I said "You cut the sippy cup straw!!". The pleased-with-herself part immediately left and she now was both sorry and embarrassed. She started to cry.

I felt bad and felt like laughing all at once! I picked up the little baby; and used the excuse for hugs and kisses :)