Sleep like a boss!!

Seems extremely comfortable to sleep like this. 

Calm Down , Tone down

Of late, am picking fights/ getting into arguments quite a lot. My friends have observed this change. So glad to have you guys. 

My recent episodes Include 

1. A lunch table conversation that turned disastrous , and it happened to be about pre-schools . 

2. A run -in with a fellow at work , who hogged a meeting booth, which was to be used for confidential conversations. He left his bag and smart card in the booth , I pulled it out and took a call for 10 mins . I found out much later that he was a director . Time to keep my mouth shut 

3. I mailed some of the users who have been harassing my teammate  asking them to not to . I actually wrote to them very nicely, however my friend doesn't agree after I showed him the mail exchange . 

I know I've got to calm myself down , tone down all conversations, all good will prevail.

So, these days when I say , 

First day , New School

Nephy started this term in a new school. We will be soon moving into a new location, hence I registered her in two of the neighborhood schools. Two weeks back, I got a call from the school about a vacancy, and I enrolled her in. I checked with my friends on the school. It's an average sort of school, nothing fancy. 

Friends said homework is minimal , hardly a page or two on rare occasions. The school had dance and drama , fit well with my drama queen. 

A nice well clad lady greeted us and inquired why we were moving schools and such , who later turned out to be the school principal. Wow, a principal talking to muggles, sorry, commoners!! 

Heard both good and bad reviews about the school. Some of the complaints, sounded just like what i had encountered in her old school, however I didn't see those as reasons to complain. 

1. Exam dates are usually not communicated through writing or mail. At the beginning of the term, a plan for each week is handed out. This is the bible to go with. So, all that is known is , exam happens on week 7 or so, and to prepare accordingly. A date is never communicated. 

2. Lack of homework, some see this as bad. I smile my most wicked smile ever. It's pain for both the child and the mother. We are double okay on no homework 

3. Lack of constant progress updates from school. Deal with it, some local schools do not host parent teacher meets every term . It's at the end of term 2 and term 4 . Teachers aren't there to follow up on each kid personally and provide updates to the whim and fancies of parents. They like us , have a job of teaching. I see nothing that a teacher can do in a class of 25/30, that a parent can't do. If there is something seriously wrong, there will definitely be a special parent-teacher meet. If not, then it's safe to assume the child is okay

4. A friend said her child in P4 had trouble in school. The teacher didn't finish the lessons before the year end , and hence were asked to complete all lessons during the year end holidays , that scared the hell out of me. 

Good Reviews : 

1. School starts at 7:50 

That's the selling point with Nephy. She was apprehensive about changing schools. I told her that she could sleep for half an hour more , worked like a charm. 

2. Reading books 

The old and the new school encourage children to bring story books to read . I perfectly see this forward thinking mentality as a value add. Without any strain, the kids learn the English language and become proficient 

3. First day school 

Turned out just fine for my little girl. Her teacher introduced her to her class , got her comfortable . Her classmates helped her with the locker , the canteen and the washrooms . Her Tamil teacher complimented her on fluent Tamil. She sounded quite happy. 

Hope the luck continues , and stays happy in this school. 

Along with Nephy, a new guy From an Overseas Indian school has started this term . His mom called me up in the evening . She asked me why I moved Nephy to such an average school. I was offended , but I answered her that my priority was more on the distance than academic excellence. 

She checked on homework, and there wasn't any, except for the weekly spelling test . 

She asked me where we are moving , happens to be the same enclave as us. She sounded quite joyed , I wasn't sure if I shared her enthusiasm. 

She enquired on commuting to and from school . Her son takes the school bus , it's a 10 minute walk . I told her , am going to ask my child to walk back or take the public bus that stops right opposite the school and she can alight almost at my doorstep . She can close her eyes and board any bus that stops before the school, it's one straight road . The lady protested . Oh, my son has never stepped on a public bus. Fine ! 

She further protested , her son has no experience walking by himself . Wow ! 

My daughter walks back home from her old school , has to cross two roads ! She is only seven ! My mentally gave my girl a hi-fi. 

I quickly wrapped up the call unwilling to hear any more nonsense!! 

After a long day at work

Each day when I get back from home , I just want to relax . Sit down quietly, put my legs up on the coffee table , watch TV / read a book. Enjoy a quiet dinner . Relax some time lounging on a cushy swing , and then fall asleep reading a book . Sigh deeply that this life is too perfect. That's exactly what I want to do when I get home from work.

What I really do is a mad rush. As soon as I get back from work , I quickly change into my home clothes . I drag my first-born , give her a bath. I cajole my younger one to the bathroom , and give her a bath, by this time my clothes are all wet. While I dry and change my little one's clothes  , I yell at my first-born to get her books , and most importantly her pencils and eraser Ready. If you have a 7year old at home , you would know by now how difficult it's is to find a pencil and an eraser .  I deal with all this quietly. 

It's time for homework, I struggle through homework while the kids take turns throwing vile looks . The drama queens soon throw a fit , and I deal with it quietly

Midway through homework , I get dinner on the table . Father and the daughters each want their own different things for dinner . I spoil them and serve their own favorites . There would be a demand  for a mobile to watch a video from the daughters . The father just plays his thing on the TV . After all , he doesn't have to share the TV with anyone . I deal with this quietly too . 

Once dinner is done and cleaned , it's time to relax . The kids read their books o, and I read to the younger one . As I read she listens quietly. I like to think that she is dozing off , and I wish I shall be done in another moment . Not yet , the little one is full awake and starts her whining session just after the clocks strikes 10. I deal with her quietly .

She pretends to sleep, and I fall asleep in her small toddler bed , when she randomly picks a fight with me because l can't answer her question about a man we had apparentlymet somewhere , whom she doesn't know , whom I've never met , whom she can't remember anything about , whom she is absolutely clueless . She still insists she would cry until I give her a name , I tried giving her all the uncles' names , still no go. She continued crying, I didn't deal with it quietly . 

My darling husband was upset that I didn't deal with it quietly. 

Did anyone say Vodka ? Am coming ! 

My Sensitive baby

Raising Hazel is a challenge , she comes with the usual package . Like all children, she has her tantrums , anger, stubborn ...in short , just another three year old. Plus , extra sensitive . 

She is a highly sensitive child. Time-outs or other disciplining simply overwhelms her. She can't stand the idea of rejection. Handling her is so much tougher than my first-born. Her rules are simple , No scolding her , no complaining about her to Grandma/ Dad , strictly no teasing allowed. Sometimes, I avoid correcting her because I can't handle another melt down and can't calm her down after a potential situation. I know I am wrong . 

I try these quick tricks with her, when am not worn out. 

1. I say 'My Hazel would never do this' 

This is powerful , works like a charm.

2. I take her to the room / bath and give her some Gyaan on the whole episode. It's a lecture that I give her , but this trick doesn't work at all times . I've had to bring her back kicking and screaming several times . 

3. Finally , there is one more quick trick . Let he dad handle . I would simply ask her Dad to handle her , which he would generally refuse it its on invitation. So, it's strictly , dump the kid on him and run !! Thats a trick that works consistently. 

Recent conquest

Am a recreational reader mostly!! I read what does not require me to think or obsess. Strictly for entertainment only, there is no knowledge gain aspect to this. Many people when they see the amount of reading I do , take it that I do something unusual or worthwhile . Let's make this clear . It's something like how the others watch TV , they gain nothing. I read books like that , purely like watching TV . 😀😄😊

What a disappointment ? 

So, in the line of my reading conquests , once again , for purely entertianment purposes only, there are two new books by Kathy Reichs. it's on lines similar to BONES, a popular TV series . I'm a law and order , crime and investigation sort of reader. However ,I think am done with Kathy Reichs series . The second book itself is too predictable , somehow bone talk doesn't interest me. Tempe is the central talk , an anthropologist discovers big cases. Like the "Major case squad" in Law and Order I suppose.