The art of raising !!

It was Feb 9. The television was looming large with “My name is Khan” movie promotions. Well, you know SRK. He’s all over the place. Not that I mind. But there was one tagline which caught my eye “In 3 days time, Rizwan khan will know that there are two kinds of people in this world, Good and Bad”.

I looked at my younger one. All I could think of was “For a three year old, he already knows that there are two kinds of people in this world, Boys and Girls.” You heard it right !!! I couldn’t help but chuckle.

The other day, I was reading an article called “ Honey, I shrunk their childhood.” It was all about how the next-gen kids have no longer the so-called starry-eyed childhood, when even simple things used to surprise them. Kids are cooler now, with cooler gadgets, books, schools and even cooler attitude. So what if India is Hot?? The kids are cool at least. But, seriously, raising kids in the present days involves so much of an attention-to-detail that Good parenting has become a kind of degree conferred to the hard-working parents.

In the same process, for me, life is a complete whirlwind of activities. Despite having two kids of the same sex, I have everything different in my house. Such different individuals , they are !! Starting from the gene factor, of who resembles whom, to the shopping factor too, both my sons are as different as chalk and cheese.

As I started on, my younger one knows that he’s a boy now. And that girls are something to be blushed over. Time for me to roll my eyes. One day, he comes home triumphant with an important announcement to make. He is selected for the annual day dance. Well, that was the announcement… the important part was that he was paired up with two girls on either side. He chuckled, he blushed and I asked him if there was any other boy to rescue him. He joyously answered in the negative. Naari naari naduma murari ???

Some trying times also come with the idiot box too. I meant the TV !! Common knowledge for moms and dads, kids love to watch advertisements more than the actual program, until and unless if it’s an Elmo or a Mickey. So, anyway, their love for ads increased as they started classifying each product for each kind of people. Well, there are more classifications in my 3yr old dictionary. There are anyway boys and girls. But it’s more important to understand that there are big boys and girls,(ie; adults) and kids ( his elder bro) and babies (himself !!). Could somebody please explain that babies can’t go yakkity-yak and declare themselves as babies? I tell my younger son that he is no more a baby, as he not only stopped wearing diapers, but also knows how to wear his shorts all by himself. But that only makes him sad and says that if he’s not a baby, then Krittika and Janani are also not babies. Who? The same girls he’s going chayya-chayya with, on the school annual day. OK !! I didn’t really want to break my baby’s heart by telling him the harsh truth that he’s growing up. Hmmm….

Some embarrassing situations with the kids also prop up when they watch some unwarranted ads like Whisper or Durex, and ask me as to who will use them. Do I have an answer? I pretend to be busy !!!

And then, the shopping woes. While my elder one is so simple with his clothes, that he is ok as long as I don’t buy him either pink or purple. "Those colors are for girls, mom"… he declared a long time ago. That’s ok !! At least, he isn’t as choosy as his kid brother. My younger one has such shopaholic genes running through his blood ( no, not mine !!... his father’s !) that he simbbbbly loves going to malls. He tries on all the tees which he finds fanciful, but the main struggle occurs when he irritatingly discards his old tee-shirt and chooses to walk out in the brand-new shirt. I glare at my husband and he lovingly looks at his junior. So much for the gene pool !!!

Now that my 6 yr old started going to tennis, my younger one has to accompany me and wait for that one hour in the tennis court, watching his elder brother play his favourite game. When I asked him if he would also play in a couple of years, he said “No mama, I would play cricket”. I was astonished, but wait… why should I be surprised? It’s my husband’s exact copy am talking with !! It was such a cute moment that I couldn’t resist calling his papa and telling him the same.

The differences among the brothers just doesn't extend in looks...

One likes Rice, the other chapathis.

One likes Pasta, the other noodles.

One likes Books, the other looks.

One likes girls, the other too thankfully likes girls. Ain't I gay for that? Err... i meant happy....

And so, with days rolling into years, I find myself having the most busiest weekdays ever. The inevitable lunches, their extra-curriculurs, their homeworks, ... everything is a big routine now. I just fondly remember those wonderful days, when the kids were still infants, when I could sleep as long as I could, not worrying what to cook for their lunches the next day.

Oh wait, did I mention that they need different things in their respective boxes too ?? Am not relenting though,... Am tough with them !!! :P

Gotogo now, need to make potato for one and paneer for the other !!! :D