One Step at a time

All big strides in life start with a single step.

In compliance with this ISO-OP(Old Proverbs) standard, things started in a similar way at St.Michael's Academy, Adyar, Chennai. June 15, 2005. Sun having fun. People on the run. A small young high voltage speedster in the form of my niece was getting ready to take on the second phase of life. Till date, the best phase of life. At age 3, she was already a veteran at going to schools ( her previous school deceptively code-named Play Coup, a play school ).

Being a connoisseur, she was more than happy to go to school. A fully loaded box full of sweets and biscuits to protect her, she happily pushed us to walk faster to the classroom. I remember writing about Typhoons in "Dhakshin chitra". I saw the beginnings of all those typhoons here. Such noise levels. Screaming at the top of their lungs would be a mocking analogy to what I heard that day. Brought back memories of that "special" day where the only other equivalent noise level can be generated on a Heavy Me(n)tal Concert.

I was brought back from my nostalgia by a kidster whose primary aim in life seemed to be crying. His mother was trying her level best to cajole him with chocolates, but to no vail. Not that he wasnt eating chocolates. All edibles shown near his mouth's vicinity went straight in. No hazzles. Just darn straight down the mouth. I made a point to learn from him on how to cry and eat at the same time. You need to develop these kind of skillsets. Can be useful in your later phase of life like after-marriage for instance, where you need to protect your cry-skills to protect your physical being and eat at the same time to safe-guard your dietary being. This usually occurs after you have did something which shouldnt have occured. To me, it is becoming a normal way of life. So, this assumes all the more importance.

Being the kid I am, I tried remembering what I would have done. Then it dawned on me. Blogging was not available at time. Damn... If only, they had blogs during my school time...... But from the way I remember, my mother would have been more than happy to kick my butt in such a situation.

Our own little gangster-at-home was such a sweet darling at school. She just straight went in and sat in a place given to her. Most parents were either sitting with their kids inside the class room or doing PT by running in and around the school premesis with their wards in the lead.

An incident inside the class. Our little kid saw another kid crying its heart out. His mother seemed to have disappeared. Taking the responsiblity on herself, she started talking to kid and asked him not to cry. But he seemed to be more focused on
his work and reduced the treble only when his mother landed on the spot. Our kid later complained to us that he was making so much noise and not at all heeding to her advice. One thing was for sure. I was able to see a clear difference between home-grown kids and those who had attended play-schools.

In the play area outside the class, a photo-session was in progress.
Model - the kid.
Photographer - his mother.
Intended Audience - Exported Father.
The digital camera was ready to cry for help when the mother stopped. It was time to go home.

Being the first day of school, the kids were dispersed after just 15 minutes in class. Some of the parents were more than eager and shot off before the alloted time. My niece's mother started to mentally prepare herself to start her second
schooling.

Being a kindergarten student carries its own work hazards. With worries like "not to tee tee in your dress", "bringing home a similar coloured dress" from what you got in the morning, "not losing your tiffin box", life is sure to be full of fun and thrill. I returned home wishing my niece a successful student life.

mmmmMMMmmm......