It has been raining heavily for the past two days at Chennai.  Yesterday, Vignesh had school, but the younger one, Karthik, whose school is comparatively at a better place than Vignesh, had holiday, as he was in smaller classes. Today when I got up around 5:30 a.m., it was pitch dark outside, and there were heavy showers with lightning as well as thunders.  So, thinking that both the kids might have holiday today, was doing my cooking in a lethargic manner.  At around 6 a.m., made Vignesh to wake up with great difficulty, and also heard from the school’s Porur Campus, that the school was functioning today.  Both of us had a heavy heart and Vignesh was slowly getting ready for the school bus. I had made vegetable biriyani for lunch, and packed the same.  Once Vignesh, left for catching his bus, my next job was to wake up Karthik, whick is more than a Herculian task.  My husband too got up early, as he was to leave early for his work today.  I thought I will check the school website to find out whether Karthik had a holiday today too.  The school website did not say anything about that.  But at the same time, my gmail alert popped up a new message, something regarding the results of HDFC Meritus Scholarship Exams 2009.  I immediately checked my inbox, and to my sweet surprise I found that Vignesh has been declared as one among the 3300 winners, out of 4.2 lakh kids, all over India, who participated in this competition.  Kudos to Vignesh.  Really feeling great today morning.

P.S. Vignesh, still doesn’t know about his feat, as he is off to school.  Waiting for the evening to come so that I can convey the news to him…

The path to his success:

This Scholarship competition was announced in Feb. 2009.  I am a salary account holder with HDFC Bank for the past 4 years.  One day, while logging on to Netbanking, I saw this contest and wanted Vignesh to participate in the same.  The rules of the contest said that there will be two rounds of telephone quiz,  which, after qualifying will lead to the final round of written test.  The final round will also take into consideration his other interests, extra curricular activities etc etc.  I had registered my mobile number and Vignesh was waiting for the first round of IVRS(Interactive Voice Response System), which will ask 10 questions, each of different level, totalling to 30 marks.  There can be a maximum of 5 attempts, but the marks scored in the final attempt will be taken as his final score for that round.  In the first round, he took the first attempt, the score was 19/30, and the second attempt resulted in 28/30.  My husband said that it is better that he stopped there, because it would be the second best score.  We waited, and got a message stating that he has qualified for the second round.  The second round, he took through the internet, and got 30/30.  We knew that for sure, he will receive a call for the last written test round.  It took place on August 16th, 2009 a Sunday, at Sri Ramakrishna Mission Boys Higher Secondary School, T. Nagar.  Actually, it has been a long time (a very lonnnnnnnnng time) since we had gone out of station.  That was a good weekend, as Aug 15th, Saturday was also a national holiday.  One of my colleagues was getting married at Trichy.  I has asked my husband, and we were of the thought, that we four, will drive down to Trichy and spend the weekend over there.  But by, Thursday, we received a message from HDFC, that the final written test was on Aug.16th.  We thought that Vignesh, should take up the final test, as he had come up to that level.  But, by Friday itself, he developed high fever, and was down.  We had taken him to the doctor, and was under medication.  That was the time that the first case of swine flu was diagnosed in India too.  SO, we were all the more worried.  On Sunday, as he looked a bit better, he said, he will take up the test, and Vignesh and myself, went to the exam centre, around 9:00 a.m.  There were a good number of students, who had come to take up the written test.  Vignesh, was as cool as he usual self.  The exam was for two hours 10:00 to 12:00.  My husband, came around 11:00 and once the exam was over, we both were pestering Vignesh, the whole way back to home, about the questions, that were asked in the paper.  He couldn’t even recollect 5 to 10 questions.  He said, overall, atleast 30 to 35 questions will definitely be right, and the rest, he had done some guesswork.  We spoke to a few officials of HDFC over there, who said that the written test was conducted at various parts of the country, on different dates, till September end.  We knew that the results would be out anytime after September.  Today was that D-day, and we are all very happy for Vignesh!!!

It has been quite sometime since I wrote about my kids.  The duo are growing very fast and while running along with them, I am not able to write much about them.  Vignesh, who is currently in his Std. IV has been learning keyboard for the past two years.  He gave a small performance during the annual day celebrations of the Music School.  You can watch the same at video.google.com/videoplay

Karthik, is currently in First standard and has been learning Mridangam, since his nursery school.  He played along with his batchmates at Swaralaya's Annual day celebrations.  His piece of music is at video.google.com/videoplay

It was thoroughly an enjoyable event to watch.

The kids were too good, that day.

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...