Hari's new school
Is it an institution for my son or me? I think both.
When I came out after writing my last exam at 12th boards, I was actually feeling relieved, unlike others who were more worried about what the results would be... how difficult would IIT entrance exam be.... would they get into a good engineering college... etc.. etc.. I had none of these apprehensions. I was absolutely sure I was going sit for IIT and not get into it. I knew I was getting into BA Sanskrit. Nobody could say no to me 'cos there were not many takers for Sanskrit. I was sure I would get a seat for Sanskrit and I did. So when my BA course started, it was full stop for exam tensions. It was smooth sailing from then on 'cos sanskrit was something like my 'forte'. Ok now you might be wondering whether this is about myself or my son. Its actually a bit of both.
Now the point I am trying to make is - As soon as I took up Sanskrit major I was mentally done with school, exams, uniform, books, bag, timetable, charts, projects, labs and most important of all teachers telling me what to do and what not to do. I never thought for a moment after that last board exam that I would have any of the above headaches. And guess what? I am back to it! Its totally unfair that I have to go through my kindergarden phase - something that I don't remember at all!
My son Hari goes to this school called Gurukul here in Pune. Its normal for kids to feel out of place for the initial few days. There are some kids who are literally crying their eyes out all the time. Hari has been pretty ok though he insists I sit with him all the time. So... my first day at school starts with assembling for prayer. Outside under a nice big neem tree the teachers... oops! Aunties ask the children to sit down for prayer. No No not only the kids but parents of kids who are cranky too. Okay!
"Parents please sit down beside your child"
"Cross your legs" This I thought was for the kids. So I was happily sitting with my handbag on my lap. One Aunty (who seemed to be incharge of parents) came up to each one of us and said "please cross your legs".
"Put your belongings away". Now some children had their bags with them. Okay! that was also for the kids..... NO! "Parents please keep your belongings down beside you".
"Remove your specs/glasses" Now that was definitely for me.
By now, just as I, you must have also realised that this school was bent on making me go through all those things that I had conveniently forgotten - stop talking, join your hands, say your prayer, say good morning Aunty, quietly go in a line, keep to the left, no running, blah, blah, blah.
Thus I ended up in hari's classroom and sat down behind him. The class was a mess, not in the sense of unclean. Just that kids were crying, shouting. Mothers trying to pacify them. Some fathers too. Medha Aunty was trying to get a head count asking the kids to say 'yes aunty' when their names were being called out. Some kids were absolutely enthu and shouted 'YES AUNTY' or 'YES TEACHER' (taught to say so by enthu parents no doubt). As expected Hari refused to say anything. He was still not ready to move away from me. Only when he saw that Aunty gave him nice breakfast - bread, laddu and sweets, did he open his mouth to speak to Aunty. First two days were fine and just about the same with Aunty incharge of parents giving us instructions now and then. It is time I stop referring to her as the aunty incharge of parents. Her name is Ashwini Aunty.
Hari by now had stopped crying. I could not say the same for Abhimanyu, Prajakta and a few other children. Poor kids! Imagine what would be going on in their minds. "Is my mom out of her mind. All this while I was alone at home... having a wonderful time, showing my power with these two who could easily be conned, get my things done with just a little show of tears, in extreme cases a sweet tearful please would just be right to get anything done. Now here I am in a strange land where there are other kids like me trying to get their rule established... Clearly I don't belong here. Mom, are you blind? Don't you see. It is that strange aunty who is incharge and not I. Why are you doing this to me? I HATE YOU!"
to be continued
When I came out after writing my last exam at 12th boards, I was actually feeling relieved, unlike others who were more worried about what the results would be... how difficult would IIT entrance exam be.... would they get into a good engineering college... etc.. etc.. I had none of these apprehensions. I was absolutely sure I was going sit for IIT and not get into it. I knew I was getting into BA Sanskrit. Nobody could say no to me 'cos there were not many takers for Sanskrit. I was sure I would get a seat for Sanskrit and I did. So when my BA course started, it was full stop for exam tensions. It was smooth sailing from then on 'cos sanskrit was something like my 'forte'. Ok now you might be wondering whether this is about myself or my son. Its actually a bit of both.
Now the point I am trying to make is - As soon as I took up Sanskrit major I was mentally done with school, exams, uniform, books, bag, timetable, charts, projects, labs and most important of all teachers telling me what to do and what not to do. I never thought for a moment after that last board exam that I would have any of the above headaches. And guess what? I am back to it! Its totally unfair that I have to go through my kindergarden phase - something that I don't remember at all!
My son Hari goes to this school called Gurukul here in Pune. Its normal for kids to feel out of place for the initial few days. There are some kids who are literally crying their eyes out all the time. Hari has been pretty ok though he insists I sit with him all the time. So... my first day at school starts with assembling for prayer. Outside under a nice big neem tree the teachers... oops! Aunties ask the children to sit down for prayer. No No not only the kids but parents of kids who are cranky too. Okay!
"Parents please sit down beside your child"
"Cross your legs" This I thought was for the kids. So I was happily sitting with my handbag on my lap. One Aunty (who seemed to be incharge of parents) came up to each one of us and said "please cross your legs".
"Put your belongings away". Now some children had their bags with them. Okay! that was also for the kids..... NO! "Parents please keep your belongings down beside you".
"Remove your specs/glasses" Now that was definitely for me.
By now, just as I, you must have also realised that this school was bent on making me go through all those things that I had conveniently forgotten - stop talking, join your hands, say your prayer, say good morning Aunty, quietly go in a line, keep to the left, no running, blah, blah, blah.
Thus I ended up in hari's classroom and sat down behind him. The class was a mess, not in the sense of unclean. Just that kids were crying, shouting. Mothers trying to pacify them. Some fathers too. Medha Aunty was trying to get a head count asking the kids to say 'yes aunty' when their names were being called out. Some kids were absolutely enthu and shouted 'YES AUNTY' or 'YES TEACHER' (taught to say so by enthu parents no doubt). As expected Hari refused to say anything. He was still not ready to move away from me. Only when he saw that Aunty gave him nice breakfast - bread, laddu and sweets, did he open his mouth to speak to Aunty. First two days were fine and just about the same with Aunty incharge of parents giving us instructions now and then. It is time I stop referring to her as the aunty incharge of parents. Her name is Ashwini Aunty.
Hari by now had stopped crying. I could not say the same for Abhimanyu, Prajakta and a few other children. Poor kids! Imagine what would be going on in their minds. "Is my mom out of her mind. All this while I was alone at home... having a wonderful time, showing my power with these two who could easily be conned, get my things done with just a little show of tears, in extreme cases a sweet tearful please would just be right to get anything done. Now here I am in a strange land where there are other kids like me trying to get their rule established... Clearly I don't belong here. Mom, are you blind? Don't you see. It is that strange aunty who is incharge and not I. Why are you doing this to me? I HATE YOU!"
to be continued
Comments