A letter to my child's grandparents.

Let me start by saying ,we still need you and value your advice. It might seem we are too busy in our new found parenthood but we always will need you.

Now let me get to the tricky part!We may differ in our opinion about bringing up children. That does not mean we think that your way is the wrong way. It is just that things are different from what it was when you were raising us. There are times we may snap at you . Trust me it has nothing to do with you (well most of the times atleast! There are very few times....very few times when it might just have been ) . We are just trying to fit in the "super parent " image of today and trust me the world has changed a good 180 degrees in the last 30 years.

The rights and wrongs of your times have changed and maybe you could not keep in touch because you were busy raising us till the day we had our own. Yes,  I agree in your eyes we are still your little ones who always needed you and we will always need you but sometimes it is ok to sit behind and relax with your grandchild. You are not responsible for raising good grandchildren that's our job. Your's is to pamper and spoil them. You have done a good job in raising us. Trust us in raising our little ones well.

Just another sunday.

It is Sunday and Sid - His Highness suddenly decides that he is a morning person and is up at 6.00.Yes I get it ;as parents we dont get "off" days. But,can't blame a soul for hoping.We crawl out of the bed. Sid is up ,fresh as a dew. I am not a morning person at all .Not even if u load me with caffeine. I like my silence and peace for the first half an hour. But let me just say with Sid in the picture those leisure days are just memories.

He picks up his toy phone says "HAVO!!!!!!"(his version of hallo)and starts his conversation with his imaginary friend on the other side. Sometimes his blabber sounds so real that it actually does scare me. I remind myslef to stop seeing movies like 'A beautiful mind ' and stick to the classic feel good movies like "The sound of music ' and 'Marry Poppins'.

Since he woke up early he takes a morning nap which drags till a little after noon. By then we do the cooking and cleaning and we are exhausted and ready to crash and Sid is up bright as day.
Keeping a 18 month at home an entire Sunday is no easy task any parent will agree. Sid wants to go out . I almost shout" son its sunday noon!!!!!! do you know what it means?" Even if I had shouted ,it would have fallen on deaf ears. He is trying to wear his shoes.  I know how futile it is going to be to reason with him. So we decide to ride to the park near the university. I am still cribbing while Arun is fine. He was smart enough to take the morning nap with Sid.
Just as we ride a few meters can feel Sid jumping with joy sitting behind my bike and waving happily at Arun riding by our side. That was just the beginning of a wonderful afternoon we were going to have . The beautiful weather ,the lovely greenery, Sid picking up every flower ,twig and pebbles on the way and the toy train ride lapping up ice- cream . It could not have been better.
Sundays with kids around are never going to be lazy sundays but they sure promise to be fun. Not a bad trade-off at all!

The learning curve.

Let me start from the very beginning.It was nothing like what the johnson baby ads showed it to be. Instead it was messy gooey and a lot of crying. I am not what the world would term as "natural" at being a mother. All I remember is being overwhelmed . There was so much to do. I kept telling my husband babies should come with a statutory warning. My so called smooth sailing boat was rocking . It was not love at first sight for me. Whenever I saw my little angel I kept asking myself ,what would he need now ? He could not ask and the world expects me to know. How am I even going to raise him.?A life dependent on me for all his needs ;big and small. Was I ready for it? It was a rhetorical question to myself . The answer did not matter. I had to step up !

It has been 18 months since sid and me are doing well.Being a mother of course takes a toll on you.The worst part of being a mother comes if  you give in to the pressure of what a perfect mother should be. I am still learning that its nothing but a myth. There is "my gut" which will tell me whats right for my child .I have read books  on parenting and they are really helpful. But one can't live to every word of it.So I am taking in what I can.

I have stopped judging other mothers. They are doing what is best for their kids. Who am i to pass a judgement. Moreover it just puts pressure on me to be better than someone else. Not worth the time or effort as my son is growing fast and I am not going to miss it trying to be what i am not.

A long day ends with a book and when i see him sleep ,he looks so beautiful. I am happy he is asleep . Now i have my "me time" . No guilt attached. Have earned it :)