X and V are numbers?

One of the many pitfalls of being hasty is losing out on the real thing. One of the many good things about being a mother is you cannot afford being hasty, there is not enough time. I have this beautiful big clock in my living room which I, in one of my rare non-clearance shopping sessions had picked up for our then new home. Didn't realise that it would be an impediment to my 3 year old's learning to tell the time. It has all the kid friendly characteristics - it is big, the numbers are visible from anywhere and most important - its hung way above their reach ( or so I thought till I found them putting pillows on the backrest of the couch and trying to touch it, thankfully I foiled that attempt before completion and have threatened them enough to try again, or so I think). So what was wrong? Why was Manav having such a hard time telling the time seeing this clock, while he could actually tell time from a drawing clock in his classwork sheet. Of course the omnipresent digital clocks do not count. Manav doesn't even call them clocks, they are "bad clocks" not the way "real clocks" should be. I agree.

Ok, coming back to the point, the problem with this clock is it has roman numbers. So I was planning to get a new one with normal numbers and save time by not repeating "Please check the microwave or oven clock" (They are digital). As with other projects this has always been pushed below the milk-egg-bread shopping list, in short has never been fulfilled. So I was very very surprised when one day

"Manav we have your match coming up at 5 PM today"

"Mommy is '5' 'V'?" he asked

"What?" I didn't get that, yet again dismissing it as his silly talk making the rounds these days

" V, V for violin" he asserted.

Then I got it, he was referring to the clock.

"Yes, it is. How did you know that Manav?" I was thinking this guy is a genius, has mastered the roman numerals? Really?

" I counted it" pat came the simple reply.

"And VI is 6 and VII is 7 and so on. I know that Mommy"

The learning? Never ever think anything in the house is an impediment to learning, just that it might not aid learning as you define it. He/She will learn something else in the process. And of course never overestimate your child, he is not a genius, he is just a child and can figure things out better than you. Period.

Is my blog becoming too philosophical? Am I preaching? Am I deviating from the mission to make eager persons a part of my kids' life? Its just that I am the author, so some of me will show in the posts. And needless to say these days some philosophical version of me has surfaced. Lets proceed.

This afternoon ( or is it 'today' afternoon?, just don't feel like 'google') they came home to spaghetti and meatballs (read broccoli for Arnav). Since Manav has been insisting on pasta ( in any form Mommy, Mac and Cheese will also do) I thought this will be apt lunch. Arnav went and sat on the table waiting for his lunch while Manav changed into his soccer gear. Arnav then decided that he didnt want the table mat and created a big deal of noise about it. Manav was frustrated that he couldnt get his jeans out without getting his shoes off so whined and cried incessantly. This is the same after school scene everyday, only the reasons for crying/whining/noise vary. The main reason though is their hunger. So once the spaghetti was out on the table( I insist on warm food, so that takes a few minutes) there was this eerie silence, punctuated by their slurps to suck up the long noodle. Of course this serene silence remains for only a couple of minutes, once their initial hunger is satiated, the cacophony begins, this time laughter more than cries.

After lunch Manav chose to be Sammy and appointed Arnav as Sidney and I was Selfia. His best friend's (Sidney's) family in short. I dismissed it as another pretend game but couldnt have been more mistaken. Arnav had finished his potty and I was going to clean him when he ran away from the bathroom. I promised everything, jelly beans, TV whatever  but he told me

"Nothing Mommy, I don't want anything" with tears in his eyes. I was so at a loss to account for this behaviour and all this time Manav was trying to tell me something. I finally lost it and said

"Manav, please stop, I absolutely need Arnav to come back to the bathroom"

"Arnav come to the bathroom or I will have to force you now" I told Arnav

"I am NOT Arnav, I am Sidney" said Arnav tearfully from the living room.

Then everything made sense. I said

"Sidney, please come to the bathroom" and he promptly was back on the potty seat.

"That is what I was trying to tell you Mommy. You wouldn't listen. How would you feel if someone called you the wrong name? Mad or happy?"

"Mad Manav er Sammy" I said

"So? "

"I am sorry Sammy"

"Its ok Selfia"

And this continued till they napped. It was stressful to say the least and resulted in more tears and heated discussions till they finally slept.

Didn't have the strength to take them out so they practiced soccer in the living room. God save the neighbors downstairs.

Some serious play

And more tomfoolery

Then it was time to end the game when they were hitting each other more than the ball. TV is what I resorted to next but that too came to an end due to my feeling of guilt and I let them play in the dirt on the patio. Shovels and buckets and lots of dirt - a great formula for keeping them busy. The downside - you're busy for rest of the day/night trying to get the dirt out of their body from inconceivable places. A bath after dirt play is a marathon affair but a must.

I can hear them as I type

"Hello, Hi" calling out to passer byes

No response from some

"He's not saying Hi, he's shy. Hi Shy" Manav says giggling

"Bye Bye Miss American Pie" says Arnav and more giggles.

Thankfully a little later Caunteya came in. Manav in his all mud clad splendor greeted him

"Hey Papi" his endearment or that's what Dora calls her Papa, I have to yet find out

"Hello Manav"

"What do you do in office?"

"Work"

"How was work?"

"Good" I guess Caunteya was concerned that the dirt was now falling downstairs, hence the monosyllables

"My school was good too" went on Manav in his usual chirpy self, oblivious of all concerns and troubles.

Then we headed out to Romano's for dinner and it wasn't bad at all. Caunteya said

"You are behaving very well Manav. You are the best"

"You got it Papa" said Manav with a wide grin

On way back we picked up the mail and Manav asked

"Are they telling us to go to church?"

"No Manav" I said laughing. He was referring to the fliers that come in from the local church bearing sufficiently bright animations to catch his attention. So I had explained that they were just asking us to go to church.

It is just 9:50 PM on the big clock on Friday night and I am already all ready to crash. Yes, 'X' is 10.' And tomorrow at 10 AM Manav has his soccer match.