Found my ‘cup’ of happiness!

While growing up, I always saw that Menstruation was a topic that was spoken about in hushed tones. Be it sharing the news that a little girl has grown up (yes, this is what is exactly said), knowing smiles from aunties, discussion among jethis and mashi about how being a girl is about enduring pain. Your teachers are very considerate and kind and tell you to be discrete about this new development. You have of course been told what it is in some of the strangest ways possible. It is bad blood that the body has to throw away, it happens to girls so that they can become woman and have children, it is God's will that you will have to go through the pain and discomfort and try not to complain. After all, a girl is born to suffer. You are not supposed to talk about it to your father or the other male members in the family or to boys at school. You can just' whisper' and pretend to 'stayfree'. 

Thankfully, the conversations are changing today. We no more have to hide the napkins or feel awkward to talk about period cramps. The conversations are changing, the mind sets are changing and we are working to get rid of the taboos and the myths. I for sure will not be telling Ira that it is bad blood leaving the body! There is a lot more happening to spread awareness about menstrual health. We have informative health portals, where people are sharing their thoughts and experiences. Aditi Gupta, the founder of Menstrupedia has relentlessly been campaigning about menstrual health and hygiene. The first time I visited this blog, I felt so happy and relieved that someone was addressing the health concerns and the taboos and doing it the right way. The advertisements today are less discrete though the white trousers and blue liquid on pads reign the screen. There are massive efforts towards educating girls in villages about menstrual health.  The story of Padma Shri Arunachalam Muruganantham, the social entrepreneur from Tamil Nadu who created low cost sanitary pads and changed lives. Two years back, I read about the sustainable menstruation campaign, where women were urged to shift to cloth pads and menstrual cups. EcoFemme has cloth pads that help you shift to sustainable and more Eco friendly ways to handle menstruation.

January for me has been about making some changes to my life and shifting to the cup has been one such change. Prashant told me about the cup almost two years ago and then another close friend who has been using it also told me about the benefits. While I was sold on the idea, I just couldn't muster up the courage to make the transition. This month, talking to a confidante who was just taking the plunge gave me the final push. She later said we are cup sisters (only women can come up with names like this!). We were ordering it from Boondh. Of course, this involved reading up all over again about the benefits and such, dos and don'ts. It's amazing the colour choices that are available. Happy to have cupverted in 2017! The menstrual cup brands are boondh, she cup, moon cup, the diva cup, lunette and the keeper.

So, stating some of the obvious advantages and some challenges. 

Advantages :

1. It is good for the environment. You as an individual are creating less sanitary waste.

2. It is less cumbersome. No need to worry about carrying a newspaper to dispose the napkin or the tampon. Most bathrooms in public places still don't have dustbins. 

3. It is comfortable and easy to use as long as you follow the technique and within a cycle or two, I am sure it will only get better.  Understand your body and how it is reacting to the cup. 

4. You don't have to worry about that nasty cough or sneeze and that weird feeling of 'flooding'. The cup is snug and works well. 

5. You can swim, exercise and lead an active lifestyle wearing the cup. 

6. No worries about rashes due to napkins. This is a big plus. 

Challenges

There are however some things to keep in mind. 

1. It will take some time getting used to it.  I shifted from napkins to tampons to the cup and the transition was fine. But I was still nervous. Also, essential to choose the right size or choose a brand that makes an average size fit for all.

2. It is not as hands free as using a napkin or a tampon.  Also, it is honestly a little messy when you empty the cup. But again, you will get used to it. 

3. You will need a decent bathroom with water supply when you are on your periods and using the cup. Lot of hand wash too, as you have to wash your hands and the cup properly.

4. All manuals claim that it lasts for longer than the napkins. It does.  However, for a heavy bleeder, it can get almost full in 6 hours in the first two days. 

5. People who are allergic to silicone, who have a IUD and those who have a history of toxic shock syndrome cannot use the cup (from the user manual). 

6. Any change is challenging and the mind and body needs time to adjust to the change.  Essential we give it that time. 

So, to all the ladies out there. Give the cup a chance, it does make life better.  #cupvert2017 #boondh #lettheconversationsbegin #menstrualhealth #menstrualhygiene #sustainablemenstruation #menstrualcup #periods #embracechange

Like this... Like this... Like this.. the Ira way!

Ira had her first ever annual day today,  Jackfruit House Festive Aura 2016-17. A historical day for the Pramadh household again. Preps began weeks ago at school.  We got a chit that specified that we are supposed to get a red satin frock with frills,  white stocking, black shoes and silver pompoms as she was part of the Christmas dance. Parental diligence demanded that we ask her everyday what she was doing for her annual day. The response would be a stoic silence. The day neared, P and I shopped for the clothes and shoes (got two cheap options from trusted Bata, one of which was later used by a little hero on the A day). A mommy friend came to the rescue and got the silver pompoms after some R&D in malleshwaram. Just a few days prior to the A day, Ira showed us some of the steps, saying... Like this... Like this.. Like this. Throughout she sang jingle bells.

As the day arrived, she had only practice sessions for few days. We got a memo with rules and regulations, stating how we must not crowd the place trying to take pics and videos and the school has made the required arrangements. This was definitely a good thing. The other bullet was that we parents were requested to be attired ethnically. Bringing up a child is a big task but following school instructions is an even bigger one. Almost like we parents are students again in another time line.

The day began early this morning and our little girl was all excited. We managed a small photo session at home before heading to school. The children were let in and in some time, we parents were let in.
The programme list stated the Christmas dance as the third one. With bated breath we waited and then walked on to stage our little ones. They held their poms poms and they all did dance, in their own little way. They danced to Feliz Navidad! None of this mattered- the unsynchronised steps, the missed beats,  the staring and doing nothing,  the trying to clean the pompoms on stage. Time stood still for us proud parents as our little ones took on the stage and totally owned it.

The festive Aura showcased various dances for festivals across the year. The children emceeing each dance were so articulate and impressive. It was a beautiful morning when the cloudy sky and the gentle breeze kept us company.

Ira did do some of her like this... Like this steps, she smiled, adjusted her pompoms and at times just stood there.  While entering the gates, her papa told her 'Be awesome'  and she was just that with all the added doses of Iraisms. 

5 Mantras to ‘effectively complete’ THAT Online Course

A few things I learnt while doing some online courses on Venture Labs. Working with Nitin and Kumudhini only made the process of learning more enjoyable. Shared these on #ClubSciWri this January. The article was originally published on 2nd January, 2017 at http://www.sciwri.club/archives/1947

#csg #onlinecourses #ClubSciWri

Online courses have been around for a few years now. Coursera, Venture Labs and many more portals have innumerable courses ranging a wide breadth of topics. While online courses are the perfect place to go for those who want to learn new things, it is also a great way to build skills that will help you go up a few notches in your career. Some of the courses may be directly connected to your area of study or current work, while some may be diametrically opposite. Some of the learnings may be immediately visible and some may be more latent.

Five Mantras to effective complete that online course

1. Choose a course that interests you 

Interest is the key word here.  Do not choose a course just because someone is doing it.  While there is a lot of flexibility, it is essential to remember that you have to figure out the best way to make the most out of them.  So, choose a course topic about which you are motivated to pick up a book or read the slides, end of a long day.

2. Work with a study partner or a study group

They could be geographically spread out or even your close friends in the same city. It helps to have a partner in crime. Build a rapport and work together, making the most of each of your complementary skills.

3. Plan for the course and create a time table

Plan the time commitment ahead.  Understand how much time you can invest in a six week course.  Prepare mentally for it, and then physically too. Treat it with as much seriousness as you would a regular course. Timetable for assignments and deadlines, make lists of what you have learnt, what is the next session about and your work that needs to be completed.

4. Online courses are like a Pandora’s Box

You have to figure out how individual assignments work for you, video lessons, audio lessons and presentations.  During the course, also focus on the learning tool being used. Before you know, you have learnt a whole lot of new things.

5. Self-motivation is the key

Remind yourself why you are doing this. Be disciplined. While you complete the suggested reading material, read anything you find on the topic. Always helps to widen your horizons, literally.

Speaking about my personal experience, I have done a few courses from Stanford Venture Labs on Creativity, Design Thinking and Technology Entrepreneurship. This was almost four years back. I did it with a few friends and the group study sessions were immensely helpful.  Also, the fact that we were from diverse backgrounds ensure lot of new learning, at both conceptual and practical level. I, over the years, have used the techniques/concepts learnt for my training sessions and they have been appreciated.  I guess as I write this piece, it is time I find that next online course.
 

'Happy' Parenting- heart breaking & heart melting at the same time

Parenting is hard. It is probably the most difficult thing you have done and you are doing a decent job, trust me. There will be many such moments in the coming years like this morning. Moments when you lose your cool and you actually scream at your 31 month old. That split second when you raise your voice and have a stern face and the next moment when your little ones eyes swell up with tears and she weeps and says, "Please don't sceem Mamma". It is the most heart breaking moment. Like their first vaccination or the first time when she fell on her face, cut her lip and bled a lot; like that time when she had such high fever that she just clung to us all through the day and that time when she needed the superhero mask (nebulization) to take care of that nasty cough. It is that kind of heart breaking.

There will be many such moments because as your child grows, you are also learning with them. There will be moments of pure frustration, moments of anguish, moments when you just want to scream your head off. There are times when you feel that your toddler understands everything and then that time when they just don't get what you are saying. As parents, us being stern, strict and being vocal about it is all well meaning and we can hope that our child will see that.

While I wallowed in self guilt and my mind ran a maze of articles on parenting I had read- strict and liberal parenting, role of punishment and reinforcements, children and sense of entitlement; and of course it was all fuzzy. I was high on emotions and rationality was in slumber.

While as parents, patience is the biggest thing we have learnt, we also need to learn that we must not be so harsh on ourselves. We need to cut ourselves some slack. These little beings are more resilient and perceptive than we can imagine. They also forget these moments quicker than we do. Post her mamma's meltdown, she had her breakfast, got ready for school, enquired what her snacks and lunch is, sang rhymes and hugged me in the cab all the way to school. I told her am sorry that I screamed at her and she just nodded her head and hugged me. A heart melting moment.

While your little one is being a child, you are also being a parent and it is a new experience for both. Happy Parenting! Love them, cuddle them, kiss them, scold them, be stern, be a parent in every way.

I speak for

Dear Ira,

Writing another one of those letters. A letter from a mother to her daughter, from a woman to a girl, from one human being to another. Time and again incidents around us are a stark reminder that we have to look out for ourselves and for each other. We women have to find the strength in we. The new year's eve mass molestation case in Bangalore reiterates the safety concerns for women. But what strikes me as a greater concern is the way women folk have reacted to it. There are some poignant , thought provoking reactions, some jingoisms and then some reactions where the onus of safety is completely on the woman and how she should have the common sense to not do things that can put her in harms way. I want you to know Ira that yes, you are responsible for your safety but you are not responsible for someone else's hideous misbehaviour. You have to be smart to know where to go and how to handle situations but you are not responsible because another human being forgets to behave like one. I want you to know that Papa and I intend to enrol you for some self defence course (guess by the time you get around to reading these blogs of mine, you would have already been enrolled:)); because we want you to be prepared to deal with such people but we don't want you to live in fear.

You are a little girl today and tomorrow, you shall be a young woman. But you will remain our little girl. We want you to be brave, strong, smart. We want you to embrace life for what it is, to be loving, caring and giving. This poem is for you and every other little girl around.

Love,
Mamma

I speak for myself

I speak for all women

Learn to say, "No",

Learn to say, "Enough".

Let your voice be heard,

Let your rage be seen.

Break those stereotypes,

Break those shackles.

Dare to dream,

Dare to speak.

Go, travel the world.

Go, live your life.

Be brave, be smart,

Be confident, be assertive.

Know your rights

Know what is wrong.

Do not give in,

Do not give up.

Find your calling,

Find yourself.

Discover the wild you,

Discover the 'child' in you.

Strike that conversation,

Strike that fire within.

Beat that mind set,

Beat those expectations.

Carve your niche,

Carve your path.

Journey untrodden roads,

Journey unexplored ways.

I speak for Ira,

I speak for all girls.

2017 is here!

2017 is here.

"Happy 2017"

It almost seemed like 2016 went in a jiffy but honestly, it always seems so.  There is so much that happened. We had some eventful and not so eventful work moments. A lot of firsts in terms of parenting. Ira began montessori and life just got more exciting. We made time for things that mattered, people who mattered and life because it mattered. Thankful for all the new friendships made and the new experiences and looking forward to what 2017 has in store. Hoping for a fruitful year work wise, a more healthy year and more newness.

I will also do something new beginning today. I have been gifted a five year journal where you write a line for each day, by a very very dear friend and I look forward to writing a line for each day gone by. This journal will capture experiences, feelings,   thoughts, confusions, Happiness,  madness and more.

Thank you V! 

"I am so proud of you", the Ira way

Ira celebrated Christmas at school today and it marked the beginning of her holidays.  Ira's vocabulary seems to have exponentially increased in the last few weeks and so her capacity to express herself very articulately. She wants to wear her own shoes,  carry her own bag, eat by herself, make up her own Rhymes and tell stories her way. She says she didn't realise that she was wearing her shoes ulta and that she recognises the alphabet on the book. Realise,  recognise and because are hands down her favourite current words.
As the year closes, it feels overwhelming to see how much she has grown and humbling to realise how much we have as parents learnt. So,  I guess it is fitting that one of my December blogs share all that Prashant and I have learnt so far in this parenting journey. A journey that has just been awesome... and tiring, fabulous and apprehension filled,  full of gawky moments and some perfect strokes.

"I am so proud of you"- a line that Ira tells Prashant and me out of the blue these days,  followed or preceded by, "I love you". This I guess is what is music to the ears,  for Mamma and Papa for sure.

Parenting is a hard task,  nail-biting,  tear my hair moments happen to all of us.  Do not go by the happy pictures and posts that we parents blog and brag about.  Of course,  there are those gem of moments.  But to get there, is a long tedious,  tear filled,  mental screeches filled journey,  multiple camera shots journey.  No complaints whatsoever.  What am trying to say is, like everything in life,  we have to work hard to make parenting work. We have to learn to let go,  we have to learn to let a toddler have their way,  we have to learn that a glass of spilt milk,  a tornado driven toys all over living room is a part of the deal. We have to listen to every little thing they say the way we would listen to another adult,  we have to patiently answer their same question a zillion times because that is what little inquisitive minds do.  There are times when you both are filled with pride that 'we created this'  and there are also times when you think,  'did we really create this!'.

Some things that Prashant and I learnt that has made parenting an even more kickass  a journey for us.
1. Being clingy is their birthright and it can happen anytime anywhere.
2. They are the most well behaved in the most unexpected circumstances.
3. They are riotous in the calmest of situations.
4. Some days their favourite food is all you need to make them happy.  For Ira,  this could be dates,  papaya or chicken leg :)
5. Some days you just have no clue what will work. And trust us,  it is fine.
6. They can read their favourite story book over and over again.  Mind you,  your intonations have to still be animated at the 20th reading in a single day and you dare not skip that para. Her current absolute favourite is,  "Are you my mother?" by P. D. Eastman.
7. They may want to drink milk with spoon,  eat idli with fork,  n pasta with hand.  Let them experience food the way they want to.
8. Mess is good.  Don't be paranoid (note to self). Playing with stick and stones,  throwing mud and cleaning the park is a good thing.
9. Falls,  hurts,  bruises are good and essential for growth.  And of course,  boroline is Ira's best friend,  along with the adage,  'no big deal'.
10. Teach them to love and appreciate people but there will be moments when your most huggy child will not want to hug the visiting friend.  Let them be.  Personal space is an early learning and an essential one at that.
11. You have to feed Bonny,  Leo,  Sophie, Panda and Snowy and shower them too with goodnight kisses,  when your little one takes them to bed with her.
12. Listen careful to their imaginative stories,  play with them,  drink that make believe buttermilk and eat that carrot sabji.  Enjoy that conversation when she asks Bonny to sit with legs crossed and use the activity mat to play.
13. They will be as brave,  as happy,  as adventurous,  as loving as we are.  They reflect what they see. They are our best mirror images.
14. Positive affirmations work wonders.  They need to believe they are smart,  strong,  brave,  loving.  They need to hear it from us.  Be strict,  be stern when needed but those little hands need that comforting hold.  They need to know we are proud of them for what they are.  And this pride is not just quantifiable through achievements or milestones,  this pride is that parental emotion that is ours to know,  experience and express.
15. Discover the child in you through your little one. Preserve that smile,  that memory. These will all be stories to be told and retold.

If you have actually read this long piece,  know for sure that,  "I am so proud of you", the Ira way.

#Iraisms #Ira #Positiveaffirmations #Proudofyou #parenting #learning

Happy tummy, happy us

I love cooking.
Sometimes I can be a super enthu cook and sometimes, plain lazy.
One of the first things I learnt to make was omelette like ma and chicken curry like baba. I would add cheese,  tomatoes and anything that caught my fancy to the omelette. Most of the cooking I did at my parents was restricted to noodles,  pasta and some non veg starters.  Being married to a go foodie and a fabulous cook has only made cooking a more intriguing experience. It fascinates me to see Prashant read multiple recipes,  make complex masalas and then cook with the same enthu. Cooking for me is also destressing.
And I feel it is a skill that everyone must acquire. For days when you want comforting food, nothing works better than hot rice,  alu bhaate (bong mashed potato with mustard oil,  salt and green chilli) and moosur dal.
Since Ira has joined school,  there has been the effort to learn some new things and try variety of tiffin friendly recipes. The tiffin journey has now begun in true sense and have renewed respects for all parents who pack a wholesome homely lunch everyday.
Thursday morning enthusiasm saw palak parathas and alu bhaji being made. Happy tummy,  happy us.

For all of you

For all of you nursing a broken heart.
For all of you in pain, in a daze.
For all of you who are lost,  confused,  bitter.
For all of you suffering in health,
Physical or mental.
For all of you trying to break away from the shackles,
For all of you mourning the loss of someone close,
For all of you anticipating the worst.
Hang in there.
Time will hopefully heal.
Scars will remain. Memories will stay.
You will grow but stronger.
You will come out more resilient.
Embrace this moment, embrace the power within.
Life will go on.

#talkaboutwhatisbotheringyou #findthestrength #forallofyou

#microblogging 

I am no doll

Dear little girls,
I apologise on behalf of everyone who has ever called you a doll. Ofcourse it is said as a compliment and they mean well. Because,  "awwww... She is such a doll" is meant as a positive affirmation. It refers to being cute,  sweet and lot of other such descriptions accorded to little girls. But I am very conscious not to refer to a little girl as a doll because she is a living breathing person and I somehow find the compliment annoying. I may belong to a very small tribe who feels this. Because I feel positive body image is an essential part of a healthy growth and being a doll cannot really be an aspiration.
So,  this poem is for you all.
Love,
M

I am no doll
Am not porcelain made
Nor rubber or wooly stuffed one
Not hard wooden or silicone ware

I am no doll
Am real and here
Have thoughts and feelings
Likes and dislikes
Smiles and tears

I am no doll
Am no toy to play with
Am no puppet to discard
Am no whim and fancy playmate

I am no doll
I have questions
And curiosities
I have dreams
And aspirations

I am no doll
Stacked on a shelf
Lifeless and show
For people to buy and go

I am no doll
I ask, I want
I need,  I strive
I am here flesh and blood

I am no doll
I am no doll

#Ira #Iraisms #poems #iamnodoll #girlsaregirls #genderdescriptions #notacompliment

The 'First School' for your child - 10 Mantras to help you choose

December is here and with that parenting groups,  mommies groups and school groups are loaded with questions on playschool,  pre-schools, nursery, alternate schools,  montessori method and all discussions pertaining to schooling and school admissions.  It is in some sense a big deal because we need to start the hunt early and if we are choosy,  it makes the hunt even more tedious. While embarking on this search last year, I posted my query on Fb and got some very practical suggestions on how to choose the school. Thank you to everyone who wrote on this thread a year back.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10153215440895796&id=675550795

Prashant left the initial groundwork to me. So, I started the way I know best. Made an excel sheet with details about the schools that is easily available and then another set of details got over the phone. Post that we took appointments and went and met the school authorities and saw the premises.

So,  here are the 10 mantras to help you choose a school.

1. The Methodology Followed
Today there are many options. The traditional playschool/nursery method, the montessori method, the Waldorf method, the Steiner method. Read up,  do your groundwork and decide which method will work for your child and you. Parents today have to complement the teaching technique at school with how they also imbibe those learnings at home.
We visited the IMTC website (http://www.indianmontessoricentre.org/schools-recognized-indian-montessori-centre),  did our research and felt that we would like the montessori method. A lot of schools and famous chains claim to use these methodologies but a shocker was that most of their teachers are not even trained or certified.  A very famous chain of schools we visited, the centre head told us we teach multiple intelligence to the children and follow multiple methodologies. So, when I asked her what she meant, she said, you know we use play technique, stories... You wouldn't understand. Yes,  we were actually told that. I was also aghast to see that the pamphlet said they teach kids existential intelligence, whereby teach them about life and death. When asked,  they said we teach them through play. Seriously, teach a two year old. The chain was off our list immediately. Often they rattle off terminologies and jargon,  and underestimate the preparation a parent may have made. I wish they were a tad bit more sensitive to this aspect.

2. Distance between Home and School
These days our toddlers begin schooling very early.  It helps if the travel involved is not much. For them, it is a whole new routine.  Waking up earlier than usual. Getting ready to go to a new environment and meet new people there. Less distance to travel is one less strain avoided. For some parents,  the deciding component would be the distance from their work place to school,  depending upon their arrangement to drop and pick up their baby. See what works best for you. Look at options both near home and work.

3. The Physical Space
The school should have a natural play space. Good ventilation is also essential. Added benefit if they have a ground or garden, have sand-pits and trees. Lot of schools have artificial play spaces, no trees and boast of indoor gyms. We were finicky about this aspect and many schools were struck off the list on this criteria. A word of caution would be that do not go by their photo gallery on their website  or Facebook. Very deceptive to say the least. Some of them looked like they had long corridors and huge halls but later you realise they are small spaces shot smartly and distance between gate and building is few steps. Lack of ventilation is also a concern in many of these playschools. With almost 20 children crammed in a small space, it seemed nightmarish. The school doesn't have to be fancy, it has to be utility friendly for children. One important point is that they must have children friendly toilets with small pots and low level handwash basins. It is a safety requisite. Some schools also had an overboard of cartoons all over. At one place Ira went to the wall and rattled off names of some of the things she recognised- lion, apple, monkey, tree.  While the parent in you feels triumphant,  it is essential to understand if the sensorial element is too much, seems forced. Some plain walls would be good,  you know. Let the children imagine what can cover those walls.

4. The Teaching and Support staff
As parents, we are fiercely protective when we are sending out our children into this big world. One of the ways to maintain sanity is to talk to teachers and also the support staff and see how comfortable you are. While teachers can have qualifications to show, it is essential that they come across as gentle and disciplined and open to understanding that each child is different. The support staff help the children with their toilet time and snack time and helps to talk to them too.

5. Teacher Student Ratio
This honestly is a luxury. Ideally, 10-12 kids per teacher maximum. But this we will know more by observing the space than by asking, because everyone claims to have a very beneficial ratio. One of the big schools kept telling us every class has a teacher and  a help. On close observation, realised that each class has 35-40 kids.  It was a big premises and close to 120 kids at any point of time with just 4-5 help and about 7-8 teachers.

6. Day care
Some of us may be also looking at the Day care option. In such a case, hygiene of the place, the support staff post the school hours and the timings is an important criteria. We were also open to the idea of day care in some time and so kept this in mind.

7. Audio visual component
Why is audio visual component a point here,  you ask? Well,  most of the schools had TV which they claimed they used for edu-infotainment sessions. This meant they showed things that were educational,  informational and entertaining. Honestly,  we didn't see why a school needs that.  We are outliers in the fact that we don't have a TV at home for years and Ira has only recently been introduced to the concept of YouTube and Rhymes or stories online. Unfortunately, two of the places we visited had chota bheem and some other cartoon running loudly and kids sitting very close to the TV. On probing a bit,  a help told us that they put TV during day care time. Exposure to electronic gadgets and TV is a personal choice that parents make and this while was a criteria for us,  may not be a big deal for many.

8. Food /Snack provisions
Some highend playschool provide a curated meal to the children.  While doing your search,  also see if this is a criteria for you.  We were not particular about this facility. But what we were on the lookout was what type of food or snacks is allowed by the school.  Most schools these days do not allow junk of any kind and prefer home cooked meals. This is surely a good thing we see.

9. How they see your Child?
This while an important criteria,  may be difficult to gauge in a single visit. It is interesting to see that behavior ranges from over friendliness to hard selling. Some places make the effort to let the child be, while guiding them to the play area or an interaction space during the first meet. Also,  some schools make us fill a basic form while others ask a lot of questions about the child,  their preferences,  social interactions etc. While a detailed form may seem a tedious thing to fill,  I surely appreciate the effort taken by the school.

10. Let your Child decide
This is the trickiest point in my opinion. How do we know? What could appeal to a toddler?  You will be surprised at how your child reacts to the environment. You will be taken aback at the first things they go and touch at the school -  could be a pebble in the garden,  a colour set or some wooden blocks. Look for their comfort level, how they are able to move around in that space and how they fit in. How they interact with the adults and the other children. A bit of this is what you see,  and a bit would be your intuition about the place. So,  take a step back with your check list,  your excel sheet with highlighted boxes (yes,  I did that too) and just observe.

**Fees is an important criteria but I am keeping it outside this list. Today,  schools depending on the facilities they provide charge fees that does seem exorbitant. So,  the thing to do is while we are deciding on the school,  also see if we can afford the fees and are comfortable with it. Have clarity on what you are paying and what are your expectations from the school.  Understand why schools with special methodologies or alternate schools charge higher than traditional schools. Do your homework so that you feel that you are getting the value for the money you are spending.

Goodluck to all parents and the little adults who are about to make an entry into a whole new world.