During the summer holidays, just to keep my kids engaged, I had asked my elder son to help the younger one who is just into UKG, in knowing more english words and their usage.  They used to somehow kill the time on this issue, and everyday, Karthik used to say, something or the other like, "Anna taught me sight words", "today, I learnt action words", "It was a few prepositions" etc.etc.  To make me know about his teaching, Vignesh would test Karthik in front of me on several things that he had taught.  Yesterday morning, was their first day to school this academic year.  Me and my kids were standing down in the corridor for the driver to bring our car.  Karthik, usually cannot stand quietly at any place even for a second.  So, he was trying to gaze at the Flat Owners' Name List that was beside us.  He suddenly called his brother and said, "Anna, see how funny it is.  One uncle loves English so much that he has kept his name as "N. an.and".  Vignesh looked at that board and found somebody whose name was N. Anand.  He tried to explain his younger brother that the name was Anand and not as Karthik had said.  But Karthik didn't want to give up.  He stood firmly on his stand, "No, you are cheating, you only taught me the spellings of an and and and now you are trying to change".  Time alone should help my son to grow up.

Having two young kids, I am always afraid whenever the kids get holidays. Even a week's holiday becomes a tough time for my parents, especially managing my younger one, Karthik.  He cannot say still for even a minute or two, when he is awake.  Now, that summer holidays, for more than two months, are fast approaching, it is my mother who has started to become nervous, about managing the two, along with my father, who cannot stand their mischiefs.  My elder one, Vignesh came up with an idea that if we buy them new toys, then they will try to be friendly and avoid having fights.  They made a big list, like building blocks, clay, kites, few battery operated toys, etc.etc., and finally, Karthik ended up by saying two laptops with internet connections.  I said, "I do agree with all those toys etc. but, why do you really need  a laptop?".  He immediately shot back, "What to do when we get bored playing with toys?  At least if you get us a laptop, we will do some useful work."  I couldn't reply back to him.

Waiting for tough times ahead.

Uma

Karthik has an yearning about bringing up pet animals.  He used to keep on nagging me that we should keep either a dog, or a cat or at least a parrot in our house.  I used to keep on telling him back whenever he asks this question that  "It's very tough for me to take care of both of you.  I cannot offer to take care of one more."  He would promptly reply, "Let's have a maid separately for the pet or else I can myself take care of it."  Two days back, he suddenly asked, when he came back from school, "Amma, from where do we get the milk  we drink?".  I really took pity on him, as well as cursed myself for leading a monotonous city life which had made the children not know even the few basic things like these.  Yesterday, being a Sunday, I took him to a milkman's house whom I have been knowing for the past few years and asked him to show to my children a few cows, its young ones and also the scene of milking the cow.  Way back to home, Karthik said, "Amma, I know you are afraid of dogs and cats.  But, cow is harmless.  Why don't you agree to have cow as our pet animal?  Then, I will not nag you to come and play with me.  I will play with the calf."  I replied, "Karthik, we are living in a residential complex.  The association will not permit us to keep cows etc. within our premises.".  He immediately replied, "We can keep our car outside the house, near the compound wall.  If we keep our cow within our car parking area, then nobody can question us".  I am tongue-tied to give him a suitable answer.

Both my kids are often asked about a question, "What do you want to become when you grow old?"  They used to keep on changing their views.  Vignesh, initially said he would want to become a pilot has now changed his idea and says he wants to become a doctor.  Hope, he really becomes one because that was a dream that eluded myself during my young age.  Karthik, always has the wildest dreams like wanting to become an autoricksaw driver etc.  Recently, he watched a few movies which were centered around the life of policemen, that he now always dreams about becoming a policeman.  At home, he is surrounded by toy guns of various sizes, one or two in his pant pockets.  Longing to see what might be his next dream!!!

Last Sunday was a very joyous moment for our family when Vignesh appeared on stage to make his first keyboard performance.  He was very nervous.  More than that, I was absolutely nervous.  The reason was Vignesh is a very silent and shy guy, when compared to the other one Karthik who can handle any situation.  In fact, whenever Vignesh was telling me that he was scared, Karthik kept on telling, "Anna, don't worry, if you forget some notes, press the demo button and it will do the rest" . That's what happens at home whenever Vignesh takes his keyboard out for practising.  When the actual moment came, Vignesh stood up to the expectations and played a few songs.  Things ended well that day. 

Yesterday, Karthik's teacher had narrated them the story of The Fox and the grapes.  She had finally told that the fox went saying the grapes were sour as it couldn't reach them.  Karthik had questioned her "Why didn't the fox climb up a ladder and try for the grapes?"  The teacher was taken aback.

Last Saturday, my younger son's(karthik) class had a parents-teacher meeting.  His teacher was stressing the fact that the kids must become fluent in conversing in English.  She also asked all the parents to make sure that we speak with our children in English at home too.  On Sunday morning, both the kids woke up enthusiastically and were very noisy and mischievous.  My father-in-law got irritated and shouted at them in Tamil (our mother tongue).  Karthik stopped him and said " Grandpa, do not scold us in Tamil, this is english house, nobody should talk in tamil".
So is the impact of the teacher on my child.

Two days back , it was Janmaastami, celebrated as the birthday of Lord Krishna.  We had made elaborate arrangements for the pooja.  In the evening,  offerings were made to the idol of Lord Krishna and my kids were told about the significance of this day.  Karthik promptly pointed out, "Why don't we buy a cake and celebrate his birthday, just as we do mine and Anna's?"  I had to agree on this point and had to promise him that from next year we will do that way too.  Or else, he would have continued his battle for celebrating Krishna's birthday...

This is my first post. I am a proud mother of two kids Vignesh, aged six and a half and Karthik, aged four years. My elder son had been very quiet until he saw his younger one, and then started to be mischievous in a silent manner.Most of the time, Karthik would be caught by me for no fault of his; he would have done things that his brother had told. Just a few days back, I was telling my husband that my driver has been taking leave often, and hence I find it difficult to cope up with him. My husband had been again and again been telling me to start driving. I told him that the Chennai traffic, that too, during peak hours, has really been making me terrified to take the car along with the kids. I was telling that I was not able to concentrate fully on driving. Immediately, Karthik said, "Mom, don't worry. I will sit on your lap and take care of the steering. You just take care of the rest (gear, accelerator, clutch and brakes)". We were taken aback by his idea!