Venue: Your nearest park.
Time: Every evening
Fees: Entry free
Mode of teaching: Live demonstrations.
Teachers: Parents/caregivers and children.
What you need to bring with you: A pair of open eyes.
Example Scenario: A little girl has climbed onto the jungle gym and is stuck. She is afraid to get down.
Reaction 1: One mother, who is at the other end of the park, looks around at her daughter calling her urgently, and she turns around, finishes her conversation with her friend, and walks across leisurely, the little girl screaming with panic all through. She lazily holds out a hand to the girl, helps her down, and goes back to her friend without wasting another moment.
Reaction 2: Another mother stomps furiously towards her daughter, lifts her down, slaps her hard, and says, "How many times have I told you not to climb this? You always get stuck. You cannot climb it. Can't you understand this simple thing?" (Any wonder that the girl always gets stuck on it?)
Reaction 3: A father stands and looks up at his wailing daughter and laughs at her. "Heh heh ha ha, you look so funny stuck there..." while the little girl is shaking with fear, holding on to the rods for dear life.
Reaction 4: And then there is a father who goes to his daughter and encourages her. "Come on, you can do it. No, I won't hold you, but I am right here. I will not let you fall. One foot there.. that's right.. hold this rod... yes... yes... now, one foot down there.. correct... and there! You did it yourself!"
Now you look at all this and don't learn? Impossible :)
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15 comments:
Nice lesson. Will remember.
WOW !! Pair of observing eyes can teach so many valuable lessons!
Your observing nature is surely a plus point for people who read your blog :)
And I finally have my chance to reel with joy :). This post was really striking, and I love that you observe so keenly, Shruthi. It is true that the lessons of life are all too apparent as long as one can keep one's eyes open :).
I'm so happy that A has such an amazing mommy :).
And that last dad I bet is your S! :D
I guess most of the new age mom and dad are like the last one!
I know I have noticed such things several times and it sure teaches you !
:) nicely written. i think you should write a book.. seriously!
Reaction 5 (hypothetical): Wow how tall you are now sitting up there! How far can you see?? You are taller than even me! Ok... getting down is going to be really fun. + Reaction 4
I guess the fourth reaction was the one point where the child wasn't just some obligation to fulfil :)
Beautiful post Shruthi, really drives home the point that parents could be fellow playmates as well like Hobbes in C&H... (maybe at times at the 'risk' of looking silly, though of course I don't mean to insinuate one should climb up the children's gym :) )
what a way to pendown superb shruthi hats off to your post nothing more to say except I enjoyed it.
pranesh
congrats on your felicitation by DECCAN HERALD for winning the prize in the story contest. saw your photo with others and report in todays deccan herald
hardhika shubhashyagalu from me and one and all at MB
pranesh
Thanks Tiger Pran for the pointer... here's the link The winners of the Sunday Herald Short Story 2008 competition were felicitated at an event on Saturday. The photo can be seen in the e-paper version of the article (login needed).
Shruthi, you are an amazing writer and an even more amazing observer. also would love to visit that park sometime.. :)
Gopal, :)
CA, oh yeah!
Kusublakki, :))
8&20, oh you make me blush! :D
Anon, ha ha! I haven't seen him in action, but yes, I guess he will react like the last dad.
Radhika, actually, no! There are too few of those.
Swati, yup! Just that you should be receptive!
Haathi, ha ha :) Thank you for your vote of confidence :)
Jaanamari's appa, that's a wonderful addition - add to the experience the sense of wonder and adventure. Great. And thanks for the links.
Pranesh sir, thank you!
Shruthi, thank you! And you are most welcome to visit the park! :) It is a beautiful park - I am sure you'll love it.
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