When we started our life in US last year , I really felt that my son won't like this place and he will definitely want to go back to India. But after winter was over in 2012, he started mingling with kids here. He started his schooling in Kensington preschool. Whatever he learnt in his LKG, he has to unlearn here, but he already shined as a star in the class. Slowly he developed his communication skills by watching other kids and watching nice educating animation series like curious George, caillou and so on. I m able to see the improvement in him day by day. He always trys teach me, thought that I didn't know anything. Whenever I asked him "shall we go to chennai back", he immediately say a big NO. Even though I don't like this place to survive, I learned from my son that how to adapt to new environment. He makes himself all day busy, he runs, jumps, plays cricket, cycling, walking and gardening.
It's very difficult for me to sit idle for so long days. I don't know my path to come up in my life but I m so happy that I will make a good path for my son. Love makes me to sit idle and the same love showed by my son cheers me up. He makes me to think differently all the time, whenever I feel so depressed, I talk and play with him, that gives me more energy. One day we were watching tamil debate in TV, he asked me "mummy, in which language they are talking" (they were talking in senthamil). I was really shocked that makes me realize "why I didn't teach our native language". Then I included tamil as one compulsory subject for him to be teached by me or Hari. We always make a schedule to teach him maths and English daily.
I started teaching tamil letters, tamil poems and Thirukural. For the first Thirukural, he showed so much interest and then he learned a few. Then that makes me realize that why I m not at reading Thirukural now a days. In my school days I love to read "dhinam oru kural" during morning session, I beg to my tamil teacher that I want to read it because I m so impressed how thiruvalluvar able to provide good thoughts through 7 words. I still remember that I got a thirukural book from my tamil teacher to encourage me. That's how I started reading it daily for at least 20 minutes.
Though he likes this place so much, his love for his grandparents is not changed. When we were in chennai, he was so much attached to my neighbors and he accepted them as his grandparents. Daily morning, he calls his grandma and talk for at least one hour. I thought that I m always a best friend to my son but he makes me feel that grand ma s the best friend always.
Sarvesh US life is so high class life, even for a fly, he s saying "yuck ..mummy fly", if he sweats he immediately says "Oh man, its sooo hot here " though the temperature is 55 Fahrenheit. He loves for a pizza even he likes appam and idly soo much, he started acting to his friends saying that "i love pizaaa sooo much"
i use to call him as Peter boy.
It's very difficult for me to sit idle for so long days. I don't know my path to come up in my life but I m so happy that I will make a good path for my son. Love makes me to sit idle and the same love showed by my son cheers me up. He makes me to think differently all the time, whenever I feel so depressed, I talk and play with him, that gives me more energy. One day we were watching tamil debate in TV, he asked me "mummy, in which language they are talking" (they were talking in senthamil). I was really shocked that makes me realize "why I didn't teach our native language". Then I included tamil as one compulsory subject for him to be teached by me or Hari. We always make a schedule to teach him maths and English daily.
I started teaching tamil letters, tamil poems and Thirukural. For the first Thirukural, he showed so much interest and then he learned a few. Then that makes me realize that why I m not at reading Thirukural now a days. In my school days I love to read "dhinam oru kural" during morning session, I beg to my tamil teacher that I want to read it because I m so impressed how thiruvalluvar able to provide good thoughts through 7 words. I still remember that I got a thirukural book from my tamil teacher to encourage me. That's how I started reading it daily for at least 20 minutes.
Though he likes this place so much, his love for his grandparents is not changed. When we were in chennai, he was so much attached to my neighbors and he accepted them as his grandparents. Daily morning, he calls his grandma and talk for at least one hour. I thought that I m always a best friend to my son but he makes me feel that grand ma s the best friend always.
Sarvesh US life is so high class life, even for a fly, he s saying "yuck ..mummy fly", if he sweats he immediately says "Oh man, its sooo hot here " though the temperature is 55 Fahrenheit. He loves for a pizza even he likes appam and idly soo much, he started acting to his friends saying that "i love pizaaa sooo much"
i use to call him as Peter boy.
Vijji,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your thoughts on the fast growing Ch. Sarvesh. He is so young and still socially unconditioned, which means we get to enjoy pure thoughts and actions expressed by him and similar children of his age. This is consciousness and expression of our soul by individual (See, Stress Management below). As they grow, slowly we as parents condition them (by uttering: be quite, don’t touch this, sleep now etc. – mostly with their safety and with good intentions in mind), the School conditions them and eventually the society conditions them that influences their demeanor, eating habits, language, and larger interests that lead to professions (Information Technology, Scientist, Social Psychology, Sports, Medicine, Professor, Religion etc.) that pay the livelihood and living.
The key is for all of us, as parents to stick to certain philosophy of raising the children by careful nurturing. In America, particularly for adult professionals, there is tremendous opportunity for higher or different learning – Languages (http://www.fluentin3months.com/pimsleur/), Human Potential (Brian Tracy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQfE0SMU4Ck, http://www.briantracy.com/freegifts/ETFTranscript.pdf), Food and Diet (http://www.amazon.com/Week-Zone-Ph-D-Barry-Sears/dp/B005IULU5G), Achievement (http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/parazyns.html), Cooking (Splendid table: Listen to the weekly show on Radio: here is a sample: http://www.splendidtable.org/episode/557), and finally raising our children in a Love & Logic way (http://www.loveandlogic.com/tips.aspx). If one wants to raise the bar to a higher level on raising the children to very high standards, here is a reference talk that is more than one hour given by the Author Prof. Amy Chua – I am intrigued and awed by her book: "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom". In this video, she talks about her book https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGHvGw4_ExE&list=WLC2A5B4FC5BD8B552. Finally, on Stress Management, one of the best ways to navigate a stress free life is through meditation. Please find greatest resource through a LIVE meditation session next (Use Microsoft Internet Explorer as browser and not Google Chrome to view the videohttps://www.deepakchopra.com/video/view/69/live_meditation_with_deepak_chopra)
Love and Logic parenting was phenomenal, where the methods help children become accountable leading to positive habit formations. It is enjoyable as well. Padma and I were fortunate to attend 3 week sessions on this parenting techniques back in 2011 when Prairie Children PreSchool, a IPSD hosted event. I do have the notes if you like. This happened when Bhargavi was in PreSchool at Prairie Children PreSchool.
At the Community level, here is a very good local resource on activities: (Watch few videos to determine your interest and our children’s interest by participation) http://www.nctv17.com/spotlightonnaperville/
The above discussion gives you a glimpse of what is available and possible in America. Knowing and following some or most of the above topics would influence our children’s upbringing. So, there is always a lot to do and get familiar, particularly in a different or new place that requires acclimatization. Time is not free and also fleeting. We all have to use it properly with the short life and health. The best way to achieve is to manage time. A simple way is to PLAN our time (day, week and month - learn more from Brian Tracy’s video above)
Padma and I are grateful of knowing you and Hari, not to mention the young Ch. Sarvesh. You are a very good teacher and a wonderful parent. Bhargavi is what she is partly because of you and your coaching in dance and behavior.
Your family and other friends are invited every Sunday at 4PM at Eola Community Center, Aurora, IL to expereince wonderful family activities such as children’s story telling (Hanuman Chalisa), games, Yoga, Pranayam and other. More at: http://chapters.hssus.org/naperville/
Thanks for ur useful comments ..thanks a lot :)
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