Monday, September 22, 2008

Where is He?

Its Ganesh Chaturthi and we made modaks to offer to Ganpathi Bappa. Here is a side conversation after the puja

Little Bear: Amma, where is God? Is he really going to eat the modaks?
Amma: God is everywhere. He is in your heart ….
Little Bear (looking at me with a quizzical expression): Amma, but how did he get into my heart?
By now, Little Bear has removed his shirt and run to the closest mirror to look at his chest and see if he can spot ‘God’
But Amma, I can’t see him. Where is he?

Amma: You can’t see him. He’s just there…
Little Bear: Then how will he get out of my heart to eat the modaks?

Amma: here, why don’t you eat the modak and share it with God..
Little Bear: Ok…

Money, Money

Little Bear: Amma, did you sleep in a crib when you were a little child?
Amma: No, I slept with my Amma and Appa. And curious to see his reaction, I blurted out …’We did not have a big house and money to buy a crib’
Little Bear (laughing): What, money?
Amma: You know - money to buy a crib, money for a big house with a large bed room to keep the crib. (By this time, I’m clearly rambling) A crib costs money. Everything costs money
Little Bear: All mothers and fathers have lots of money. Yes, they have lots and lots of money. Why you say …your Amma, Appa did not have money
Amma: shocked and speechless

Saturday, September 6, 2008

No Tree hugger

Little Bear loves to 'play' with the toilet paper rolls when he is using the bathroom..Its his favorite pastime as he sits on the potty...He unrolls the toilet paper, then attempts to roll it and then proceeds to tear it and litter the floor with the pieces. As a result there is plenty of ' Don't do that'...'Don't make a mess'....and so on that ensues everytime he uses the potty. On one such occasion in an attempt to discourage this, I resorted to appealing to his logic and this is what followed:
Me: "Lets not waste toilet paper. You know where we get toilet paper from?"
Little Bear: "Where do we get it from? Amma.."
Me (pleased to have his attenton): "from trees. Trees get sad when you waste toilet paper" (Now, I also have the dad's attention)
Little Bear: "How do we get it from trees"
Me: "the wood from the tree is used to make wood pulp and then paper. So, if you waste paper you have to cut more trees"
Little Bear: "But.Why do we need trees?"
Me: (I was not prepared for this part and digressed): "If we don't have trees we wont have oxygen to breathe"
Little Bear: "We don't need oxygen from trees. We can use it from oxygen tanks like firefighters use"
Me: shocked and speechless.

I'm still working on refining my "tree" story.