My son finishes a page of sums in a flash but takes eternity to do his writing work. I keep telling him, "Hurry up a bit ...how would you feel if you are the last one to finish in class....how would you feel if everyone finishes their work and you are still writing in the recess...etc."

One day in midst of the my lecture he looks at me and says, "Mamma why do you always want me to finish first? Everyone cannot finish first. Someone has to finish last right?"

Reality bites

The truth finally dawned upon him :

"Mamma, everyone does something to earn money right? People do different kinds of things...some put out fire...some take out garbage...others sell things...make ads or do research... and then there are some who people earn money by asking other people for money."

The prayer

The weather forecast warnings said that the eastern part of the country was to be hit by a major cyclone. My son was concerned about the safety of his Dad travelling to that part of the country. He asked me if prayers could stop the storm and I said that he could try. Soon he was folding his hands and praying and his prayer was:

'God please stop the storm . God please keep not only my daddy but all the people out there safe from the storm.'

I so touched.

Brand Barbie

The Barbie world is overwhelming - especially the popularity of this adult looking doll creating an adult world that has become a necessity for constructing the gender identity of little girls. You can resist it but you cannot escape the pink world of Brand Barbie as it stares you in your face through brand bags, pencils, lunch boxes, shoes, accessories and even gift wrapping papers. Barbie finds her way into her house if not through you bit through the well meaning but thoughtless gift givers. I think my son has a couple of things - a bag / a toy piano gifted to him - pink in colour with a smiling Barbie logo.Brand Barbie has created a girlie world of shared interests, language and identity. The brand has taken over and how- if you are not into it you cannot belong - you are an outsider.

II

My friend who has a 3 year old daughter has strictly been trying to avoid a Barbie-free up bringing. Steer clear out of the pink world of Barbie is the motto. The conversation went on about the difficulties of doing so and her daughter's possible alienation from peers with a shared interest in the Barbie world. So she encourages her daughter by saying “There is nothing wrong in being different, " Be proud to be different” - and so on went the conversation .

A few days later my son watching an ad about a new Barbie doll avatar says to me, "Mamma please buy me a Barbie?”
I am surprised at this car crazy boy’s request and ask,” Why do you want a Barbie? Do you like dolls?”
He replies, “No, not that much.”
“Then why?”
"Well none of the boys in my class have Barbie – so I want to be different – its good to be different. "

Split milk

My space obsessed 5 year old son was watching a Sci- fi movie with me. Post movie conversation as follows:

'There are real aliens right?'
'Well some think so ...'
'They look like the ones in the movie? '
'The movie showed imaginary .'
'I think there are aliens many galaxies away but they will never come to earth .'
'Why not? '
'There is a big problem. They think our galaxy - Milky Way- is just milk split in the sky - that's the problem. They may think it is stinky spoilt milk and never come near it. So there will never discover earth.' :(

!!!

Five year old on being explained about force of gravity through Newton's apple story : " Why did have to wait for the apple? Didn't he realise why he was stting glued to the ground ?"