Check out what the Indian Mommies are upto at indianmommies.blogspot.com

July 03, 2007

Off to School - Part 2.

In all honesty, I thought Ashu would take to school a little better. Though the suspense was killing me and I could nt wait to find out how she would react, I thought she would be okay and she will like it. I sincerely felt that she was bored at home all day long with this horrible Amma and would love to have a change. She loves to play with kids so I guessed she will have fun. But what do I know? She likes her boring Amma better than anything else. If this is nt pure love! :) But I should have known better. I should have known that the Genes always win and a mothers curse always comes true!

Now for a little history and no surprises here, I HATED school. Right from when I was 3 years old when I joined LKG until I finished the 12th standard, everyday was a battle. I just did nt like going to school. I was fine once I entered the school gate and was top 3 in my class through out my schooling. Either my classmates were really dumb or perhaps I was just lucky. I complained I had a stomach ache every damn morning just before getting into the rickshaw to avoid school. A few times it worked and my dad allowed me to stay home so I tried it everyday. I always had a big lump in my throat when I left home in the morning. And to think that my Big Sis loved going to school. She hated taking leave so every time there was a wedding or some other family function out of town, either my dad or mom used to attend and almost always I bunked school and accompanied them. Any reason not to go to school. And my parents made my life easier by allowing me to take leave occasionally. And I love them for that. I mean if not your parents, who else can make your life easier, huh? The way my sis and I are, I have doubts about the term "parenting" now. With the same set of parents and the same parenting style, we are as different as chalk and cheese. So kudos to my folks for making our lives as much easier as possible by encouraging us to do what we wanted to do rather than what they wanted us to do or what was the right thing to do. I was just a lazy child. Going to school was work and I wanted to sit at home, eat, read comic books and play with my imaginary friends. So even though children might adjust and stop crying and settle down in school after the first few weeks, they might not like it at all. Like me. And I continued to whine through five years of college and 8 months of work.

And today, I have to be the grown up and tell my daughter to go to school. I hate being in this position. And shes only 2 years old. She wants her Amma and if not now, then when can I be for her? I don't have anything else to do anyway. I am thoroughly confused. I feel like a total hypocrite. And all this emotion for sending a 2 year old to a stupid day care since 3 days. Am I crazy or am I crazy?

22 comments:

Premalatha said...

It is just the comfort blanket you both are used to. Newton's first law of motion ;-)

Send her off to day care. You will be fine.

upsilamba said...

oh Boo...my lil one is so shy. He always clings to me whenever people are around and cries murder if I/hubby leave. But he has no problems when we leave for work and leave him home.
I have a feeling he will be a lot like Ashu. *sigh

Musically Me said...

awww.... hope this experience goes well for the both of you... what does you mom has to say about all this?... what goes around comes around???

Me said...

i could relate to everything ...for me it was not school but paatu class...even when i had a real stomach ache my parents never believed me...

Anonymous said...

awww, I know I'll be here sobbing the same story a few months from now. hugs, hugs to Ashu...maybe it is too soon for her then?? want to wait a few more months? even if not, i think she would be ok...just a few days of adjustment.
as mom, you know best...

Anonymous said...

I can relate to that so much! The only difference is that I used to wiggle out of the rickshaw before anybody notices and run back home! My girls are a little bit better than me in that aspect. They were clingy and crying for the fist three days but were prety good from the second week. It also helps that their school is just around the corner from our home.

Unknown said...

My poor dear, starting school is more heartbreaking for us mothers than it is for them kids...dont worry, she'll settle in within a couple of weeks, and she will then actually look forward to school, and you will begin dreading the holidays....LOL.

Sunita said...

Hope she settles in soon.

I used to have more fun at school than home. I used to dread holidays since dad and mom would be asking me to study and then ask questions which was worse than being asked in a class because you alone had to respond and there was no one to prompt.

Sunita Venkatachalam said...

Hmm.. Maybe you should try for a couple days more? How about trying a desi setup if you can find one? It could be that, different language, different people etc.

C'mon cut her some slack, she's been with you for 26 months day in and day out...

I do think it's early to conclude that she will HATE school like you did.

Sunita Venkatachalam said...

And oh, I know you're busy right now with this, but I sent you an email, take a look when you get a chance !

the mad momma said...

gee thanks Boo... now the Brat will go to school at 5 years. not a day before.. i hated school too.. and as for whining.. if a 26 month old doesnt cry for her mother..who will? i hate this whole shoving kids towards independence move.... ok.. post coming up. hang on!

Maggie said...

I loved school - as a 3 year old, the only way my parents could get me to behave was by threatening not to take me to school the next day! Yeah I know, FREAK!

Moppet's Papa, on the other hand, pretty much hated school. I wonder who Moppet's going to take after...

Hang in there with Ashu - and if even after a couple of weeks, she still really hates it - maybe you can give it a break and try again a few months later?

Anonymous said...

Am I supposed to answer the question in the last line? you don't leave me much choice, ya know ;-)

Sorry, I can only make smarty-pant jokes right now 'coz me no mom yet. so let me watch from the sidelines and learn something, no? :-)

Gauri said...

Oh Boo !! I know exactly how heartbreaking this must be - both for you and for Ashu.

Give her some more time - she's just begun and all said and done - it is a huge change for her - cos she's had you around all the time.

And trust me when I say I know exactly how much more difficult it is for the parents when the children don't enjoy school. Abhay has been schooling for almost a year now and he still hates it. A constant source of worry for me, this issue has become !!

Hugs

Gauri

Just Like That said...

From someone who's been there- Ashu should adjust beautifully after the first week, tho' I doubt if you will.:-)

Anonymous said...

Its because of people like you, kids like me get tortured to goto school!

Shriya Kanth

Rohini said...

It's been three weeks at Ayaan's playschhol and now noone cries so Ijust be patient and she will settle down. And if she doesn't pull her out and try again a few months later...

timepass said...

I too used to cry to go to school initially. My mom would get a magazine and say that she will sit outside the school and read it till i finish school and I believed her!!!! That was in pre-kg. But going forward I started liking school so much that I would crib to take leave for any family function held out of town.

B o o said...

Latha - Im so used to the third law that I had to look for the first law. got the point and you are right!

Upsi - Dont worry. these kids are hard to predict. Ashu is nt very shy but she proved me wrong. I think kids with working moms settle down faster in school. A guess again!

Musically me - "your daughter will be like you" is what she said!

Me - I hear ya!

Kodis mom - A few days is what it takes. But it feels like an eternity!

mnamma - So true. they are ok in a couple of days. But for me it will take another week! ;)

Kiran - I cant wait for the day she ll look forward to school. nothing like a happy child! :)

B o o said...

Sunita - And my dad did nt remember which class I studied! Go figure!

Poppins - Finding an English day care itself was a big deal, forget about Desi setup! but language definitely matters. I would be the most happiest person on Earth if she likes school! So me hoping too!

MM - Will wait for the post. Its so much better when moms can relate with me. I really felt lonely during these times.

Moppets Mom - Hd hated school too so I should have expected the same from Ashu! But had a slight hope she might be like my sis on this one!

Priya - Trust you to come up with a comment like this! Thanks for the laugh. Much needed!

B o o said...

Gauri - Hope there was a magic pill for this. Beginning everyday with a whiny and clingy kid is no fun I tell you. And it has been only a week!!!

JLT - I can already see some silver lining. So will hold onto your words! :)

Shriya - I said the same thing to my parents. Did nt work!

Rohini - You are right. Seeing other kids settle down in a week or two was the reason I stuck to sending her. Otherwise Ashu would have been the first Day care drop out! ;)

Timepass - Thats a good one. May be ones the crying phase is over and reasoning prevails, will try that!

Anonymous said...

Hey Boo :) Don't have any kids or anything but I can relate to that early morning distaste. I was fine with college (mainly coz I didn't keep Indian college hours which is basically the same as school except out of uniform) but man, how i did hate having to get into that school bus! But I do think you're doing baby girl a favor by sending her to playschool - this way she knows the rules of the game before getting dunked in the bigger pool.

baby growth

babies