Play School- Another milestone reached!

Yes, its another milestone reached.. Did a bit of research on the options available close to home and the choice wasn’t difficult at all.. I had a few specs and the one we zeroed on met them comfortably… No television, no AC, less crowded, and mainly, outdoor space, not a dumping ground kind of place where the parents want to send the kids to keep them out of their hair for a while (though it would be nice).

The founder is a wonderful, friendly, and well-read person and engages the kids herself with two other ladies to assist in toilet training and in keeping the place clean. We were gearing ourselves for a showdown, but we need not have worried:) This is his second week and he is simply enjoying the new routine.. He looks forward to go to the play school every morning. And night. The moment I reach home, he pulls me by my finger and says, “amma, vaa, paeshkoolukku polaam”! Maybe I should wait for another week before declaring a win…

Some updates:

1. He comes into the bathroom ready to brush and bathe when we tell him we’ll be late to ‘paeshkoool’.

2. Refuses to wear sleeve-less shirts or tees!!!

3. Says ‘auraith’ a little often, which i later discovered is -Alright! Seems to have picked up from the teacher:)

4. ‘Rannn’, Catch are new additions to his new English vocab. He knows 3 other words- getup, sit, no-no. This doesn’t include the words which we use as if they originate from tamizh like -bat, ball, tv, sofa etc.. Anyone saying mattai, pandhu, tholaikaatchi petti/potti etc.. please raise hands.. would love to meet you:)

5. And 2 sentences- whaashissyaname? (what is your name) and answers it himself with- ayyan varun (I am varun)!

6. “baashket ethundiyaa maa” he asks, reminding me to carry his basket that has a spare dress and a water bottle.

7. He is sitting through the bed-time story-reading these days.. Till a couple of weeks back, he used to get distracted often and mostly I’d be reading to the pillows or walls or at best, the anna will do a ‘parallel listening’ besides reading his own book. And will sometimes show serious interest in the literature for 2-3 yr olds! He is so much like me that way.. He’ll drop his book and snatch the one from me and read.. looosu paiyyan!

6. Any instructions to Varun from me in English for fun is met with ‘aasehethjerllluluadheluluwa se’ – some mumbo-jumbo articulated with great earnestness and animated movements of his hands.. Looks serious when he speaks his version of English.. To make the best of the situation, I challenged him with, “say floccinaucinihinipilification”. His response- fausheeessssshaan:) The anna must have thought his ‘sakkarai pongal’ exercise to be much better!

Varun, come, I want to kattipich!!