This is winter break for schools. DC metro is filled with parents and grandparents bringing their wards to visit museums or other attractions. On my way home from work, I noticed three different parenting styles which made me chew my lip and slap myself some..
A family with a 9-10 year old boy.. The boy appeared well behaved, albeit on the heavy side. He was asking how much longer the ride was.. his parents were noncommittal.. you'll see, at the end of the line and so on..
A second family with three little girls come in.. noisy but well behaved.. the older two children started playing rock, paper, scissors with the mother.. but were not keeping track of their scores. (math lesson?)
The boy wanted his parents to play with him.. his mom said.. she didn't want to because he was too good and that she would lose! Really! Dad wanted the boy to be quiet..
Enter family#3 with a boy and a girl.. the girl is hyperactive and the boy is trying to imiate his younger sister. Family one looks at family #3 with raised eyebrows scornfully.. Family #3 kids have the same question.. when are we going to get there.. The mom pulls out a metro map and has the kids track the progress..
I remember car rides when I would answer we get there when we get there or something equally silly. Recently, I printed out a google direction sheet for the back seat and let the kids help navigate. I realized they need to know the scale of the trip.. progress..
Questions from kids, even if they are irritating, are opportunities for us parents to teach them or learn from them as in my case.. I resolved that I would take every question from my kids with some level of seriousness and take the opportunnity to communicate something of value.
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7 comments:
Why slap yourself? I think you're doing a great job! Don't think I'll have half your patience when mine start asking questions!
You have inspired me to make a different New Years Resolution this year - aside from trying to lose weight that is...
Sorry for the comment overload. Been reading your posts today and hope you wont mind a male parent commenting as well.
This is a game I play with my children-translating the lyrics of the music we are listening to and singing in the same raagam.
Frinstance,
Devi Neeye thuNai
(Goddess, you are my refuge)
Then Madurai vaazh meena lochani
(South Madurai living fish eyed one)
It is both ridiculous and hilarious. Fish-eyed one had them in splits for a long time.
AhamudaiyaaL thinks it is all very blasphemous and frowns on this.
But hey, we emerge from a one hour actually laughing.
I like your point about laughing. That is something, I hate to say it, that we rarely do as a family.:(
10yearslate,
Comments are always welcome.. even from non-parents. So, you are legit :)
It is a great idea -the only song we sing in two languages is : honge kaamyaab.
my first reaction was "What.. singing Keeravani in English.. " Luckily Papanasam sivan is no more.
But, I like the idea of a little fun! Plus, I'm sure you have the children wanting to go through the sanskrit dictionary finding the meaning of the words!
I'll have to try that one with mine.
Thanks. Re the dictionary, that was one among the spinoffs for us grownups. Besides, we found ourselves getting into philosophical deep waters after we started off what we thought was a simple instructional piece (always devious and full of subterfuge-we parents!) like Nallathor veeNai,
Frinstance,
Visaiyuru Pandinai-ppol, uLLAm
VeNdiya padi sellum udal kaettaen
Nasai-yoru manam kaettaen-Nittham
Navamena-cchudar tharum uyir kaettaen
We had to beat a swift retreat as we could not provide a banal translation. AhamudaiyaaL and I then started dipping our toes into Bharati’s works. We are now getting a glimpse of the intellect of a man far ahead of his times!
Love BharathiyAr too. but unfortunately not erudite enough to understand the subtelities.
I used to teach the kids indian music - they seemed to have a lot of fun with the va va va in oLi padaitha kanni nAi.
hopefully one day when my work is done and i find the leisure to delve deeper into such works..
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