Growing up with Yash

I stand this ground, for almost three decades Strong and beautiful with paint that sometimes, fades. I was built with mortar and bricks, a lot of thought and a plan I've harboured under my care, one fantastic clan! Through my windows and doors, as the sun rays flow in My Lady, the 'Rani', works her magic in the kitchen. Her lips carrying a smile always, she goes about her day Forgiving and loving, always with a kind word to say. Majestic teak panels, adorn my walls in all glory My Master, the 'Raja' of this beautiful family tree. The world comes to him for his thoughtful advice His girls come first, no matter what the sacrifice. On my floors of marble, he rolls and glides, It is in him, everyone confides. My walls hold no secret from him, Loving this family to the brim. Like my foundation, under the ground There's an old soul leaving me spellbound. She rules the roost with her iron fist in velvet glove, Her kn...

As Yash has grown older (now a few months over 8), I feel like I have a lot more time for myself now. He doesn't need me as much as he used to before. Not that he ever felt my need, I've always felt the need to be there for him. Now, I just find him more and more independent. With my new found time, I felt the urge to take up a home improvement project. Disclaimer: This is not my usual rant on parenting or raising our brilliant son. This is purely a mom's attempt at home improvement. If you expect anything else, give up reading now and move on to some other parenting blog ;) Taking inspiration from some Vastu and Feng Shui, I decided that we'd make a mirror for our living room. Vickram, my husband is a true son of the sun. So we settled for making a sun shaped mirror. Pinterest was my go to source for inspiration. Here is how we did it, all in pictures. Materials: Mirror (2 ft radius, circular) Mirror adhesive tape (should be available where the mirrors are sol...

Three days ago, Yash (my 8 yr old son) who had gone out to play with his friends came rushing home with a bloody finger. Aghast, we washed and administered first aid. Then came out the story behind the incident.... Four of the boys had gone out to play, One found a blade on the fateful day... One said 'Not real, it's just a fake', 'I'll test it first then you take'.... Snip went the blade on the first boy's hand, Snip went the blade on the second boy's hand... They all came running really fast, Leaving us parents completely aghast!! Though I'm able to find humour in the situation now, that day was spent in disbelief at the children's stupidity. I shudder to think of what all could've gone wrong. It was just a small cut and we immediately rushed both the boys to the doctor nearby to get a tetanus shot. Luckily, since they both had had their vaccinations, they didn't need one. When in a group, children come under peer pressu...

About a year ago, we went to our favourite sporting store, Decathlon, on Bannerghatta Road. Though we went for something else, Yash, who was 7 yrs old then was all excited to see skating gear. He looked at his dad, my dear husband, Vickram with longing eyes. Presto! We were billing for the whole shebang before we knew it. The person who attended us at Decathlon was patient enough to help Yash with the trial, all the while giving some good tips: Buy a helmet that covers the back of the head specifically, as the other ones (used for cycling, etc) may not be able to protect the back of the head fully. Ensure that the skates are tightly fastened, if not, it may cause the ankle to twist. The child should be able to wear and remove his gear on his own, making him (or her) not only independent but also responsible for his (or her)now safety. Wear all the safety gear even if it is just a small trial as accidents may happen anytime. I was a bit apprehensive because the skating gear wh...

Joy of Play Yash is now all of 8 years. With each passing year, I'm trying new games that can keep him engaged. Being a working mom, I know that it is a bit of a challenge and I usually don't have time for much preparation and planning for materials. I've taken inspiration from various sources over the years and created some of my own. Here are some very popular games with Yash, that we both enjoyed growing up with. 1. I spy with my little eye - Right from when Yash was one and could point with his little finger, we started playing this. I would find something in the surroundings that was easy to locate for a toddler. I would then close my eyes and say 'I spy with my little eye.... A duck' (or whatever is the thing I chose) My little excited toddler would look around, make an effort and point! This was a great game for doctor's waiting rooms, at home, in the car, basically anywhere that we went. And the best part, we continued to play this game for years...

Yash at a tea estate, picking tea. My almost 8 year old son, Yash, has recently acquired friends from the opposite gender. These two lovely girls are now part of a gang of 4 spirited boys. As I get a first class view of their behaviour and activities, the little girl in me lives again! It has been wonderful to see the influence of these girls on the boys :) The valentine's day that just passed, got a lot of attention from this gang. Few days before the 'Day', I heard murmurs that the day was about LOVE! It was in hushed voices and so my curiosity was naturally heightened. On the 13th of Feb, I was pleasantly surprised that the kids were planning for surprising their parents on Valentine's day with a home made chocolate. I caught them on a scavenger hunt for the ingredients from each of the kids' homes. Since the whole plan was revealed to me (basically, I spied;), my kitchen became their lab.  From this entire interaction, I understood that the ide...