A first crack and some hacks, the Pramadh way

 

                                First crack!

We often talk about milestone moments and firsts concerning our little human being! It could be a new learning, a new experience , a new thought ...a first for us!

I have had my share of fractures and casts and Papa also has had a hairline fracture in the rib during his all India ride, almost 15 years back. 

This week, on Monday while going to school, Ira jammed her thumb in the car door. Prashant was dropping her and some of her bus friends to school that day. 

She had a cut and it began bleeding. Prashant asked her to wash it and while she was going to the kitchen area to do that she felt dizzy due to the pain. She asked for Papa and then he had to slap her ( those are her words) to make her conscious. She was in severe pain and they rushed to a hospital close by. Ira generally has good pain tolerance and often brushes off cuts and bruises and gets back to play right away. This time there were tears. 

Papa asked them to give her a pain relief while they waited for the xray technician. The xray showed a small crack in her thumb! Ira had her first ever fracture! They gave her a splint and some pain meds. She insisted on going back to school and Papa dropped her back. 

All that you read so far is her narration of what happened that day. When Prashant messaged me and I called Ira from work, she said , "it is paining a lot!". I could hear her sniff but I knew she had her hero with her and Papa is the best at managing crisis moments like this. 

Offlate, I have been quite panicky about small things and that evening saw me get all worked up about the pain med, make calls to the Paediatrician and then find some strange peace of mind. All unnecessary drama. 

                  Goofing around with Mamma!

This is also the first time Ira has had to have a tablet and she has officially progressed from the world of syrups. She found it a struggle and it was a learning for all of us. We broke it, powdered it, water first, water later....tried all hacks. 

A few days now and Ira is much better. She has to keep the splint for a few weeks and now we are cracking jokes about it, literally. 

We are off for our year end break and she knows she has to be a little gentle with the hand, letting adventurous moments take a backseat,but just for a short while. 

#Ira #Iraisms #IraAtNine #NovelsAtNine #FirstCrack #FractureMoment #Parenting #Pramadhs #IraAndPapa #Gratitude  #FirstExperiences

BFC BFC BFC, the Pramadh way!

 

Ira ke Papa always comes up with new things to do with Ira. 

October marked another milestone moment, another first for Ira and Papa.

Papa took Ira to the Kanteerava Stadium to watch their first Football Match in the ISL.  BFC vs East Bengal. It was the first match for BFC at home ground.

While Mamma was at Mumbai on work, Ira during their morning video call said, Am busy today evening. You could call but I will be at the stadium.

Ever since they had booked the West Block A tickets, there was palpable excitement at home. Ira has begun to play football and school and is beginning to understand the game better. 

Post school, they headed early to the stadium. The Match was to begin at 8pm but they were there a few hours early. 

They soaked in the festive fervour, saw the team bus come in and Ira was super excited that one of the players even waved at her :) . Papa follows the West Block Fan page on Insta and was aware of the slogans. For Ira, this was a whole new experience. She was amused at some interesting words in the slogans. BFC won that evening. Ira showed mom the backflip kick by the footballer, J Hernandez that ensured the win.

They were also accompanied by a friend, who is a football player himself. Ira was thrilled that he won some coupons and gifts on showing some football moves at the Jockey arena. 

Post match, the two of them also went for dinner to a drive in place where they sat in the car and food was served on a plank. Our little girl is quite adventurous and loved the food experience. Also one of those rare times when she slept at 12am and Papa said it is ok to miss school the next day.

Mamma came home to listen to everything that transpired that day, with big grins and excited chatter.

Three weeks later, Mamma accompanied them for another BFC match and understood all the excitement and where it emanated from. It was an electrifying first experience for Mamma too. 

Ira is already gearing up for the next match with Papa! Post one of her football games during sports class at school, she also came home and spoke about the nutmeg move! That day, Papa and Mamma learnt something new :). 

So, to discovering new things and to new experiences with our little girl. 

BFC BFC BFC....forever!

#Ira #Iraisms #IraAtNine #NovelsAtNine #IraAndPapa #FirstFootballMatchInStadium #Pramadhs #Parenting #Happiness #Gratitude 

Hello November, Gratitude.

 I love November. Birthday month. Time to be grateful for Life and everything it brings with it.

The Saturday gone by was quite eventful and a roller coaster ride. A throat infection escalated to severe wheezing and I experienced breathlessness. A visit to the Aster ER, immediate intervention and some tests over the next few hours. Diagnosed with acute asthma and put on nebulization and meds for the next few days, I was discharged. Over the next few days, I also got tested for COVID and the flu panel as the doctors wanted to ensure there was no other infection lurking apart from the bronchial issues. Thankfully, all that was clear. 

I have been taking a break from work, cancelled all work travels and focusing on rest and recuperation. Taking things as slow as I can :) 

I came home to Ira that day and she gave me a beautiful card that she had made which showed me on the beach, enjoying the sun , once I am all better. My girls sure knows me well. And I wish I can manifest this soon.

The next few nights, there were sleepless hours and one such night, I also wrote a piece of poetry.

There is a lot to be grateful for

I am grateful to have access to excellent Medical care, to those doctors who patiently listened to me share how I was feeling and also sensed my fears. I am grateful to the wonderful and gentle nurse, Laveena who attended to me those few hours.

I am grateful for Prashant and Ira, who are just champs in moments of crisis. Been enjoying all the TLC. My bhai who cancelled all his plans in case he had to travel cross country to be with me (Ooru travel feels like that). My Baba and Ma, who were extremely worried but gave me the time to call them back when I could speak without getting breathless. My friends who were there to listen, who made me smile and who checked in on me frequently. My workspace human beings ( you know who you are) who ensured I could take a complete break and managed all backend drama.

Thank you Life.

You are beautiful , in every way. 

#AsthmaEpisode #LovePoetry #Gratitude #IraAndMamma #IraAtNine #NovelAtNine #BirthdayMonth #ExistentialThoughts

Ira and Papa's First Bike Ride, the Pramadh way

 

              All set for the ride, 9th September 2023

Dearest Ira

Happy Daughter's Day 2023. 

Today, I take this moment to blog about a recent first experience that you and Papa had. A milestone for sure. 

Making memories, on the road

Papa decided to take you on a bike ride to Hosadurga to meet your aunt, Ramya and cousins, Pranati and Pranav. 

This was a sudden impulsive decision on a Friday evening, but given how your Papa rides, the planning was meticulous to every detail. 

You both rode 420 kms over two days with a night stay over at your aunts place. For your first ride, this was surely fabulous. 

The ground rules of riding with Papa

1.  Always listen to rider

2. Even though am incharge of your and my safety, you have to take care of your safety.  Feet always on footpegs, no dangling. Vehicles zip past us closely. Small percentage of riders can come close to bike. If feet dangling, you are outside width of bike. Your feet can be injured. 

3. Phone numbers of important people. Where do you stay. This was a small chit that was put in your jeans pocket for easy access.

4. In case of accident, first people to call. This was also included as emergency contact on the chit.

5. When you fall, roll off the road. Injury will be lesser

6. Talk to me? Tap me on the left shoulder. I will slow down and stop. On the road, when in high speed, can't hear each other too well. Talk loudly. Pee, water, stretch, wash face, rest.

7. You cannot sleep on the bike. Be safe. Talk, sing to self. Think a lot, tell stories. Constantly look at what is around and be aware. Engage with self.

8. Public bathroom safety rules were added by Mamma. 

While Mamma was excited for you both, she surely was a bit anxious too. The quick calls intermittently not only helped her vicariously enjoy the ride but also gave her the moment to calm down.

You had a lovely time with Pranati and also visited the famous cafe at Hosadurga and had a lot of junk favourites for dinner.

What Ira learnt from the ride. You recorded audio messages for this and am putting it out here.

1. She cannot sleep while they are on the road and anytime she is sleepy, Because if she slept and fell on him and he lost balance, they could crash

2. If Papa tapped her left leg, he was asking her or telling her something 

3. When she had to tell him something, she had to tap him on the left shoulder or arm and if she wanted him to pullover, say pullover 

4. If he tapped her three times, meant there was a hump coming up and she had to hold on tightly 

5. A thumbs-up sign from either meant all good

              Yaay! Our first Bike ride done. 10th September 2023. 

What she liked about the ride was that she could look around, keep her self occupied and just enjoy. She said a car window provided a limited view but on a bike, she could see all around. Ofcourse the snacks at the pitstops were added benefits :) 

As parents, this was a big moment for us. Ensuring a journey of exploration and self discovery through this bike road trip for you.

To more bike road trips and to more new discoveries.

Love, hugs and kisses

Mamma and Papa

Little things, big Joys 😍

#Pramadhs #HappyDaughtersDay #Ira #Iraisms #IraAtNine #NovelsAtNine #IraAndPapa #Happiness #Gratitude #LoveBikeRides #LoveTravel #FirstBikeRide 

111, the Ira way

                     Ira and Paata, been together for seven years now.

Ira completed 111 months yesterday. Last year in September , we celebrated her completing 100 months at Kali Adventure Camp, doing her favourite things and eating gulab jamun.

I like to think of these milestones and remember them. I also realise that her 9th Birthday Blog is still a wip (in the mind). The last three months into Fourth grade has been quite a revelation. The learning curve seems to have jumped with her wanting agency for her decisions and wanting to feel empowered. She is navigating complex moments in her friendship and peer circles with some silent confidence and sometimes vocal thoughts.

Last evening, she came down with a cough and we decided to get some rest today, stay home.

Paata in her old dress, sitting beside Ira as she reads.

She has rested but has also done some new things today. She worked on some Maths and spent lot of time reading. Also, helped Papa make Serradura,the Goan dessert in the morning. We then began work on another craft project and did step one of it ( more hopefully in another blog). 

                         Serradura happiness

The cough is  still there and she may need some more days rest. But she remembered that I had promised to help her make a dress for Paata, her first doll :)

So, we got to the task. She had a favourite dress that was upcycled to a skirt and today we upcycled that to a dress for Paata. Taada!!

Ira happy, Mamma happy!Our little human being is 111 month and 1 day old and calling the shots ,perfectly. 

                        Being Ira 

#Parenting #Pramadhs #Ira #Iraisms #IraAtNine #NovelsAtNine #Love #Happiness #Gratitude 

Mutton roast and love, the Pramadh way

 

I love all the designated random celebration days every year! The days dedicated to chocolate, coffee, books and idli; the days dedicated to fathers, mothers, daughters and sons. I also like Friendship Day and Women's Day with equal gusto :) 

This Women's Day threw our way some learnings for Ira and me, thanks to an eventful metro ride. 

It also turned out to be  a beautiful day of being loved, made to feel special and building sweet memories. 

While Ira and I came from Babas home, Prashant picked us up from the metro station. We enter home and were welcomed with mint & tender coconut cooler! For the record, it is one of my favourite mocktails. This was followed by gifts! I love surprises but am myself terrible at keeping surprises. Ira and Papa had planned and got me new books! They had planned this for a while and i had no clue at all! Ira sure can keep secrets, like her Papa :) They just know what makes my heart melt <3 Papa also got Ira a card game. 

While we chatted away about the metro ride and the experience that morning, a sumptuous lunch awaited us. Mutton roast speaks love and comfort in every way. 

A beautiful day, spent basking in all the love and care. 

To the years of little celebrations ahead, to being the women we want to be and to be loved the way we are. 

#WomensDay # IraAndMamma #IraAndPapa #Iraisms #IraAtEight #EffablesAtEight #LoveSurprises #MuttonCurry #LoveSpeaks #Gratitude #Happiness #LoveBooks #Us 

Work-Travel and Parenting, the Pramadh Way

Our Morning routine while I travel <3 

I love my work and I look forward to my work travels. It is the time where I also get some me-time, I meet new people and am constantly learning in diverse social milieu. My work week is divided between days I teach at my alma mater, Mount Carmel College and days when I facilitate learning sessions for Corporate clients across the country. 

The last 5 weeks, I have travelled a lot and my next few weeks also look similar on my calendar. 

Over the years, there are things that I have discovered and learnt, support systems that am grateful for, a partner who is an equal parent and more and an adaptable little one who has learnt that when Mamma works, we still catch up about the day, at least twice through video calls. 

What has worked for Prashant, Ira and me while I travel has been some meticulous planning which translates to seamlessly functioning life , home and work environments. Are there adventures? Are there mishaps at times? Of course there are and what would life be if not for them. 

So, while I blog to share what we have done, I am sure many many women, many families have all found their own way to find this balance and integration. The fact is, we do what we can do. 

1. Plan and see how the month looks for each of us and also review how each week looks every weekend. If one of us is travelling, we usually know it in advance to plan. I make  a note mentally and in my notes and Prashant meticulously calendars it on an app on his phone. 

2. If we both are in Bengaluru, we also plan who will pick up Ira post school which day of the week. Prashant given his more flexible work schedule does this almost 95% of the time.

3. When one of us is travelling, we always prep Ira about the travel. Check if there are important school interaction days etc where parents are meant to be there. The last time I travelled, the school had a workshop on Sexuality Education for Parents and Prashant made it on behalf of us.

4. In moments like the above, in the last year we have slowly eased Ira into the idea of being home by herself, for a few hours. This is preceded by some safety dos and don'ts and also a set of activities that she does in that time. This could include some reading, some art & craft, drawing or writing and some tv time. Her snacks and meals are prepped and kept accessible for her. 

5. Sometimes, that may not happen as the duration could be a full day. At that moment, we have reached out to her next favourite adult (we like to believe we are her top two). Read Joy. He has come over and been with her. They play games, go on bike rides, watch movies , fight and play, while eating all their fave food, all with equal gusto! 

6. While we travel, we also cross check our groceries, veggies, fruits essentials. This may seem like common sense, but it always helps us. The reason being when I travel, Ira and Prashant eat some of their favourites, some food that we may not make too often because am allergic to and also all things cheesy! When Prashant travels, the menu involves all the veggies that are on his dislike list and also some comfort food like alu bhaate (Mashed potato with rice) for example. I am always curious to know what's cooking when am travelling. The two of them experiment, Netflix and have a chill time. 

7. We are also grateful to have a house help, who mostly heeds to the request of not taking leaves when one of us travels. 

8. Prashant and I have been equal parents and in many instances, he is Ira's primary care giver. The fact that he loves cooking and makes excellent food definitely makes life a colourful palate. 

9.  Set a routine where Ira knows that she will get to speak to us and share about her day. This is to also make sure that she doesn't miss out. This is apart from the innumerable messages, gifs, voice notes and even video messages that happen. Of course, once the travelling parent is back, there is mega chipku movement. 

10. The final thing is to normalise that working parents travel and not to gender the action as belonging to one parent. This helps us make the most of our work travels, set context to the fact that work is part of who we are, along with our role as parents. 

This morning, as I got onto the video call with Ira, she first told how Papa has made some crispy buttery toast and yummy omelettes and so she is having an omelette sandwich. She also showed me a neckpiece that she was wearing. I had bought this in 2008, on a trip to Pondicherry with Prashant. My little girl was thrilled with the stone pendant. I looked at her, smiled ear to ear and my heart skipped a beat. The joy of these calls while travelling is precious. 

So, to parenting and to new learnings, every step of the way. 

#Pramadhs  #Ira #Iraisms #IraAtEight #EffablesAtEight #WorkTravel #TravelTales #Us #Love #Gratitude #Parenting #NormaliseWorkingParentsTravel #IraAndPapa #IraAndMamma #IraAndJoy #SoloParenting

What's in a Name-board?

We shifted to a new place near Kanakpura beginning of the academic year. While setting up home, began the quest for a name plate. We wanted Pramadh's either drawn or inscribed or embossed. We were open to the medium be it metal, tiles or canvas. 

We wanted something that would define us. During that process one day, I realised that we had a blank canvas at home. And well, ideas erupted. 

Ira and I decided what's our common favourite colour. Purple, magenta, burgundy made it to the list. Then we thought that we wanted to connect it to earth in some manner. Ira means earth and so the green with tinges of yellow to show grass. We used acrylic paints and sketch pens and also did a comb texture.  I wrote the name while Ira coloured it patiently. 

And voila, we had our name board. Papa was entrusted with the job of getting it framed. This is us, simple and experimental :) 

A lot of times all it takes is small ideas,  being open to possibilities and little actions to make us happy. This name board makes us truly happy. Pramadh means rejoicing and that moment when we decided to make that Ira's second name will always remain the most special. 

Did you ask, "What's in a Name-board?"

#Ira #Iraisms #IraAtEight #EffablesAtEight #IraAndMamma #ArtProject #ArtByIraAndMamma #Pramadhs #NamePlate #Us #Love #Happiness #Gratitude 

First School Excursion, the Ira way

 

Ira and we had another First moment in our lives recently. She went on her first school excursion. What an exciting few weeks it has been from the prep to it actually happening. This blog post is my way to capture and archive this 'First'. Remember, I live in hope that Ira will some day read all my blogposts. Ok. At least some of them. At least those that are about 'Her'. 

18th December 2022 marked an important milestone for a group of eight to nine year olds and their parents. The little human beings were going on a school excursion, a first for almost everyone. Some of them had stayed away from parents but with grandparents for a while, like Ira did for 17 days when we had Covid. But this was a whole new ball game. 

While the children were mostly excited and making a lot of noise, the parents through humor, conversations and smiles were expressing the tumultous journey of the butterflies in their tummy. A parent even said how there was last minute separation anxiety. 

The concerns ranged from it being the first train travel for some, to whether they can live in the rural set up to can they adjust to an Indian toilet. Will they be able to board and alight the train safely, manage the food and for me specifically, hope Ira doesn't have any reactions to insect bites! Some of you may brush these concerns aside calling them silly, but trust me, they are real, they are big concerns and they do seem like huge mountains to cross. Some, like Ira ke Papa were of course pretty cool and chilled out.  I am extremely emotional as a person and was quite worried that I would end up bawling as the train left. But much to Prashant's amusement, that didn't happen :) 

The underlying thought across was will they be all fine, without us- the parents. From the train coming to the two meticulous lines disbanding in chaos because the coach moved further than where it had to halt, the kids all climbed on to the train in 2-3 mins of the halt along with their teachers. We said our byes, walked home with our partners and braced ourselves for the next few days. We were to call only in case of an emergency and a whatsapp group was created where pics would be shared every day. The ask seemed very rational given the teachers had to manage fifteen children. 

Circa, 23rd December 2022

The little human beings completed their wonderful trip and were back home. Each of them full of stories, arising from new experiences and wonderful experimental moments. 

Ira came home along with a dear friend and then through the course of the day shared little stories about her trip. She spoke about liking her train journey and meeting a Dr. Satya on the way to Talguppa in the train and how the Dr. was very familiar with the route.  Ira has earlier done a train journey only twice, once to Trivandrum and once to Mysore. She liked the middle berth and even slept quite well, in her words :) 

The kids shared some chores at the home stay where they were divided into groups and they had to serve food on plaintain leaves, ensure no food was spilt, wrap their bedsheets in the morning, get the firewood going for hot water. The home stay was in Talguppa and had a single bathroom that a large group shared. So, bath time was divided and the groups took the ownership of getting things ready. The trip involved nature walks, where they encountered different insects and ants; visit to a dam, a power generation plant, a fort, some temples and even Jog falls. For posterity, a printed photograph of the group made it's way to our home and our hearts. Eating a meal of rice, rasam, brown chana and payasam at a temple was a whole new experience for Ira. She liked the streams too but didn't want to wet her head below them, just her hands. They also went on paddle boats and some children danced in the bus with disco lights. 

Ira said that Parvathamma and Thatha at the home stay were very nice people and took care of them. Srilakshmi and the teachers helped make the meal that the children had and they had different types of food everyday. Just before boarding the train back, they had dose for dinner, which is quite a favourite with many kids. 

We asked Ira how she felt and she said that on the first night she was home sick and in tears. Some of her friends also went through that the next few days. We asked her what happened at that time and she said that Madhu (her class teacher) told them that this is her 7th excursion and she also misses her family very much. A common chord was struck and that helped them cope, I guess. 

Our little girl is quite a foodie and loves non veg food. The morning at home began with some hot bournvita milk and biscuits and dose and alu sabji for breakfast. Lunch was Chicken pulao and dinner was egg fried rice. In spurts, we got little stories and am sure for the next few days, they will keep coming. The exhaustion had set in and long naps happened. The joy of being home, enjoying her holiday and also being told how she was missed by her Mamma and Papa. 

She quite  a few times called me Madhu and then we had to tell her, you are home and it is Mamma and Papa now. Till the next time and the next excursion. 

These last few days are  a reminder of many things, we take for granted and things we must be grateful for. 

1. Children can always adapt to new experiences, the apprehensions and fears are with us adults. 

2. Children have a strong sense of Independence and given that space, can manage themselves, take some small responsibilities and ownership of tasks. The forgotten items, mismatched clothes and shoes, scrambling for things doesn't really matter in the long run. 

3. It is alright to feel homesick and to miss home. The acknowledgement of that moment is important but also to know that the other children and the adult with you sails in the same boat makes it easier. To know that you are not the only one with that overwhelming feeling. Children learn to cope. 

4. To know that not everything, everytime will be perfect but to work around what is possible and make the most of it. 

5. As parents, we have to remember that we can only facilitate certain experiences for them and then let go of that moment as the experience unravels (ok.Prashant and I were having a conversation on Parenting one of the days while Ira was travelling and this is a thought he shared and is being given due credit for). What we can do best is to teach the little human being to be open to all experiences. We are so glad that Ohana had these excursions and see it as a wonderful way to help the little ones get an understanding of the world beyond their comfort space. 

6. To know and remember that people are kind and helpful. The world is filled with generosity that makes its way to us if we keep an open mind. 

7.  We love our little ones and the best way to love them more is to give them the independence and the autonomy that their heart desires and their mind seeks. 

8. Make the most of these times as parents. We made the most of these four days meeting friends, binge watching Netflix, attending my favourite exhibition- Dastkar and even doing nothing! 

9. A big shoutout to Madhumati, Sneha, Arun and Sreelakshmi for making this happen and our little human beings for giving us Parents so many moments and memories through their little travel stories. 

10. Finally, Kudos to us parents. A small step for our little ones, but a mega leap for us for sure :) 

Ira also wrote a bit about her trip in her journal. And for years, these pages will always remain super special, the Ira way. 

Note: Permission was sought from all the parents before the group picture was posted in the blog. 

#TravelTales #Stories #Ira #Iraisms #IraAtEight #EffablesAtEight #Love #Gratitude #Happiness #FirstSchoolExcursion #Pramadhs #Us #Parenting #Ohana 

Moments of hope arise

 

Ira had her School Mela today. We had been really looking forward to it. The children, adults had put in immense effort for the big day.  And then inclement weather thanks to the Cyclone and plans had to change. A limerick to mark today. 

The morning began with constant pitter patter and gloomy skies

Will it happen or not, suspense stays and the sun still shies

We will have to wait, date with school another day

Post rains, rainbow and sunshine on the way

Change is constant, we learn and adapt, moments of hope arise

#ExistentialThoughts #Limerics #Ira #Iraisms #IraAtEight #EffablesAtEight #Pramadhs #Chai #HotChocolate #LoveReading #Hope #Adapt 

Get, Set, Go to BLF, the Ira way

4th Dec, 2022 just became a Sunday to remember! Ira is just recovering from a week long viral, with some remnant cold there. We had registered for the Bangalore Literature Festival but thought would miss it. 

Woke up this morning and decided to go for a short while. Ira was super excited that she would get to listen to and meet some authors, and may also get some books signed by them. 

We did the metro ride and landed at The Lalit Ashok. The place where the CLF tents were, was buzzing with excitement and kids :) Ira went to the whale tales segment, did a drawing and was happy to show that her whale flew :) 

While she was at that tent, I managed to catch a few minutes of the panel with Honey Irani, Farhan Akhtar, Shantanu Ray where Honey Irani's new children's book was being released. 

We also attended the session where Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan was talking about poetry, rhyming and the role of memorization. While I went to pick her book with another friend, Ira waited in queue and they had a little chat. Spoke about acrostic poetry and Ira shared a poem she wrote with the word Prize. Ira also got the book by Honey Irani autographed. My friend Chandra and her son Gugul also had come and we all had book loots to carry back. I sure had a thrilled Eight year old with me. We also picked a few more books from a larger lot she initially chose. However, Ira wished there were more graphic novels for children. 

By then, Dadu had arrived and we walked around, and soaked in the happy excitement all around. As a child, Baba took me to the Calcutta book Fair and I remember being in awe of it's vastness. A lot of experiences of book fairs, book store visits as a child and then a teen are with Baba. So, he joining us today was a happy occurence in many many ways, as Ira held his hand and took to show the bubble station in the CLF zone. 

We then went to Go Native and had a fabulous almost vegan lunch! Happy few hours and we braced ourselves for the journey home. Ira finished one of the books already at lunch and is now looking forward to the next edition of the BLF, just like me :). I hope we have a separate Children's Literature Festival, because while getting them to do their things, we parents definitely miss out some good panel discussions. I hope someone is listening. <3 

Ira ke Papa was missed and we cannot wait to tell him all about our first BLF experience together. 

#BangaloreLiteratureFestival #CLF #Happiness #Love #Gratitude #LoveBooks #AuthorSignedCopies #Pramadhs #Ira #Iraisms #IraAtEight #EffablesAtEight #IraAndMamma #IraAndDadu 

Thrilled to bits for little things, the Ira way

 

Dearest Ira, 

You are almost 8.5 years now. The last year has seen a surge of very interesting observations and questions that you have asked us. Some easy ones, some fun ones, some not so comfortable ones and some for which we had to find answers. Somedays, we wondered if you ae really just Eight and the next moment, you did something with child filled wonder and chaos that assured us you are still eight. 

You asked us about the need for caste. Why if we are born equal, do people then follow caste. You read the story on the Dalit boy and wondered about how mean people can be. You felt sad when you read about the atrocities the families went through. 

In our little travel, you have begun noticing the diversity around and also asked us what does it mean to be locals and who is an outsider. 

You have begun showing curiosity on practices and questioned them, food habits to expressions of faith. 

You have also wondered why adults are allowed to do some things and children can't. 

You are curious about growing up and we have had some interesting and deep conversation on the physical and mental changes that you have to embrace yourself for. 

You have navigated difficult interpersonal moments, sometimes chosen not to share with us and sometimes seeked our help. 

We have tried our best to have the conversations in simple ways, seeked the help of books and in some cases, even friends to quench that curiosity. You were sometimes happy with the answers, sometimes asked more questions and may be sometimes even wondered why simple questions had long drawn answers. 

You continue to assert yourself, find yourself and celebrate yourself in your little ways. 

You have shown us how small things thrill you to bits and your expressions have been loud and clear. Be it the lady bug pattern nailpolish , eating your favourite dessert, doing the fevicol craft, playing virtual games or making your own stories. Making rangoli art or trying some Science experiments. Choosing your new spectacles and then flaunting them with panache! 

On Sept 27th, you completed 100 months of being 'You'. We were at Kali adventure camp and you closed the evening eating Gulab Jamun. The thrill in your eyes and the smile said it all. 

You also learnt about budgeting a few weeks back when you shopped for books from two bookstores, keeping a budget in mind and managed to save a few tens! Thrilling indeed. 

Yesterday, you went for your first ever Karate Championship and won some medals. While the thought was to have fun, we also saw how you were thrilled holding onto those medals. 

So, to those questions, to that bowl of Gulab Jamun, to magical and mystical moments, to celebrating every small and big milestone with childlike innocence and wonder! 

We do have a surprise for you this evening and I can already hear that squeal and see that shine <3 

Happy Children's Day! 

Love, Hugs and Kisses, 

Mamma and Papa

#Ira #Iraisms #BeingIra #IraAtEight #EffablesAtEight #Pramadhs #Us #Love #Learning #ChildrensDay #LetterToIra #Questions #LittleHumanBeings #Parenting 

Off to find our Happy Way, the Ira way

This Daughter's Day we incidentally happened to spend the day doing something our little girl absolutely loves. We visited some beaches in Gokarna and she played in the water, collected sea shells, sang as she soaked her feet and they sank in the sand with the waves and watched the sun set. She also agreed to post when Mamma wrote I love you on the sand and asked her to step into the 'love'. 

This little human being, the 'giant' in her Papa's insta stories surprised us as she wrote a little poem on our long drive from Bangalore. 

That poem sums up a lot of our experiences, the Pramadh way. 

To loving, dreaming and traveling together, discovering happiness. 

#Ira #Iraisms #Pramadhs #IraAtEight #EffablesAtEight #TravelTales #GokarnaDiaries #Happiness #Love #Gratitude #HappyDaughtersDay #Us #PoemsByIra 

Independence and you, the Ira way

A little crafty endeavor to mark Independence Day (Idea courtesy: Deccan Herald) 

 Dearest Ira

Happy 75th Independence Day! 

As we celebrate this special day, read about the freedom struggles and be thankful for what we have, here are little thoughts on this big word, Independence

You assert your independence when you.... 

Share your thoughts with us, unfiltered

Eat what you want, with glee

Dream the path of your choice, unhindered

Choose the love of your life, with fierceness

Sing and dance in front of the mirror, uninhibited

Draw a rainbow hairstyle on the figurine, with pride

Speak what's on your mind, unabashedly

Walk away from the norm, with little heed

When you stand up for self and say 'No', unhesitatingly 

Read books, write stories, make random crafts, sleep, eat and repeat the same, with happiness

Fail, fall and learn to rise, unscathed

Be yourself and dance to your own tune, with courage

Be kind to self before others, unthinkably

Travel the world and be a part of it, with empathy

Wear your adventures on your lips, unlocked 

Be that little speck that will shine through, with gratitude

Question every injustice, unshackled

Stand up for what you deem is right, with fearlessness

Go, our little girl, assert your Independence every step of the way! 

Love, 

Mamma and Papa 

#Ira #Iraisms #IraAtEight #EffablesAtEight #LittleHumanBeings #Parenting #Pramadhs #HappyIndependenceDay #Love #Kindness #Gratitude