Graduating from Pre-School

Then the day came when they graduated from their preschools to start real school. (((Oh Boy! Weren’t we relieved, that we wouldn’t have to pay for their preschools anymore, because that payment was like a second mortgage for us.) No! not so soon! With just 2 ½ hours of kindergarden and another 2 hours of Paid Extended day program and arranging a driver to bring them home from EDP it was no different. Before graduating preschool, the trio were asked what they want to be when they grew up. Poojha was clear “I want to be married”. Neha wanted to be a cleaning lady while Kauvya wanted to be in the computers. All of the characteristics they saw in their mom so fair enough, but, at that moment it was shocking for me to know that my daughter perceived me as a cleaning lady. Now that Richa has started pre-school I will get a chance to know what she wants to be when she grows up too.

Recently, when Pooja, was engrossed in one of her drawing while I watched, she mentioned to me offhand “Mama, you know, Neha thinks that I’m going to grow up to be a tattoo maker because I’m such a good artist.” Atleast , her expectation of herself has reached the level where she thinks she needs to do something in life when she grows up, although last summer she was clear among the 3 to tell me that she is not interested in college and still interested in just getting married. Kauvya is so clear. She wants to do 3 things. Become a scientist, have a pet without a leash and be a mom to 3 kids. Neha is still unclear as to what she wants to be, although when one looks at the focus and motivation with which she approachs her school work or her music and dance, she sure will be something.

I feel very lucky to have kids who are artistic and creative. Their drawings are so detailed (although not neat), and they acknowledge this trait in them without modesty. ‘mama , you know I’m the best artist in my class, nobody draws as I do’. At one meeting Poojha’s teacher showed me a drawing that Poojha made of a worm and told me “look at the details Mrs.Palle, this feels like a drawing for an encyclopedia”. Their music teacher is happy with their sense of the swara’s although unhappy with their seriousness. Richa, who has just turned 3 doesn’t know the “sa de baan kaas” (richa’s pronunciation for the 7 notes sa re ga ma pa dha ni ) but is able to match her voice to the key on the keyboard. Pavan is so relieved with this ability of the kids. He loves music so much but is unable to vocalize a note correctly.