I struggled about putting up a post about the King of Pop. But after watching snippets of the memorial this week, I am overwhelmed with nostaligia and frustrated at the media coverage of the passing of this music legend.
My husband and I grew up listening to BAD and the news of the death of Michael Jackson on June 25th, 2009 brought up a feeling of immense sadness. When we heard the news, that evening, Father Bear and I , began crooning to the Man in the Mirrror much to Little Bear's amusement. Little Bear, I hope you will enjoy his songs and like your parents did try to mimic the moonwalk.
The questions that emerged after his death about his personal life are both sad and unnecessary. Let's celebrate the best part of his life, his biggest contribution to the world - his music.
In this bear household the biggest questions revolve around death. Why do people die? Is it only old people? Amma- I don't want you to die and the biggest one - Amma - I don't want to die.
How do you explain death to a 3 year old, I asked my mom. Her recommendation was to use the power of distraction and evade the question. He's too young to grasp the concept she said. That's the Indian way, I retorted. I want to be able to offer an explanation which is not based on any religious beliefs. Still looking for an answer but until I find it I'll have to go with my mom's way.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
Astronaut soup
Here's a recipe from the budding chef - Little Bear..
Take some jeera in a pan.
Put some chilly powder and then ginger.
Put eggplant and stir.
Add turmeric powder.
Add water and let it boil. Then add a drop of orange juice and apple juice.
Then add milk to it. Stir well. Then add curry leaf and coriander. Then filter the leaves out.
Why is it called astronaut soup you ask ... Because you add milk to it and it becomes white
Take some jeera in a pan.
Put some chilly powder and then ginger.
Put eggplant and stir.
Add turmeric powder.
Add water and let it boil. Then add a drop of orange juice and apple juice.
Then add milk to it. Stir well. Then add curry leaf and coriander. Then filter the leaves out.
Why is it called astronaut soup you ask ... Because you add milk to it and it becomes white
Friday, June 26, 2009
The Interview
I found this post and I thought that it was a neat idea. So, one evening armed with the an mp3 recorder I decided to record Little Bear's first interview ..You can listen to it here
here is the print version:
What makes me happy? " When I do something you asked me to"
”What makes me sad? when I do something you don't want me to"
How do I make you laugh? "I don't know"
What do you think I was like as a child? “A kid”
How old am I? forty five four (?????)
How tall am I? "Very tall" (I wish 5 feet is tall. Note to self - add 'petite' to vocabulary)
What is my favorite thing to do? "Shop!"
What do I do when you’re not around? "Look for me!"
If I become famous, what will it be for? "What is famous? “I don’t know.”
What am I really good at? "Taking care of me" (Way to go!!! Who wants a Mother's Day gift!)
What am I not really good at? "Shopping!" (which means I need to shop more so I can get good at it)
What is my job? "To take care of me"
What is my favorite food? "Dal"
What makes you proud of me? "When I listen to you"
What makes me proud of you? "When I listen to you"
What do you and I do together? "Play. Play tag, hide-and-seek"
How are we the same? "We have the same skin"
How are you and I different? "Your teeth are half-teeth and mine are full" (translated - Mommy has cavities)
How do you know that I love you? "Because you call me my name"
What do you wish you could go and do with me? "Build a propeller plane!"
Ok! buddy Lets go build one!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Indian girl ...
Scene: Mother Bear trimming Little Bear's nails
Mother Bear latest endeavor is to turn the most mundane everyday things into opportunities to learn. So, in the spirit of the aforementioned passion, I proceeded to explain the names of each finger.
"this is your pinky"
"And this one is the ring finger. Its called so because you can wear a ring on it
"Oh yes! I am going to get married and wear a ring one day. Oh yes! Oh yes!" (
"And I'm going to marry an Indian girl "
An Indian girl! A pretend gasp followed. Actually this is music to my ears.
Why? An Indian girl?
because..because ..She has a red fire engine and is very nice and will let me ride it
Little Bear when you are no longer little and become a big bear you can bet we will remind you about this.
Mother Bear latest endeavor is to turn the most mundane everyday things into opportunities to learn. So, in the spirit of the aforementioned passion, I proceeded to explain the names of each finger.
"this is your pinky"
"And this one is the ring finger. Its called so because you can wear a ring on it
"Oh yes! I am going to get married and wear a ring one day. Oh yes! Oh yes!" (
"And I'm going to marry an Indian girl "
An Indian girl! A pretend gasp followed. Actually this is music to my ears.
Why? An Indian girl?
because..because ..She has a red fire engine and is very nice and will let me ride it
Little Bear when you are no longer little and become a big bear you can bet we will remind you about this.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Overheard..
Scene: Bedtime
Little Bear: Appa, I'm Tiger Woods. From now, my name is Tiger Woods
Appa: ok ..
Little Bear: And you are Phil Mickelson
Appa: (very pleased) very good ..And who is Amma?
Little Bear: Hillary Clinton
Little Bear: Appa, I'm Tiger Woods. From now, my name is Tiger Woods
Appa: ok ..
Little Bear: And you are Phil Mickelson
Appa: (very pleased) very good ..And who is Amma?
Little Bear: Hillary Clinton
100 uses of a citrus juicer
We bought a citrus juicer recently, for Little Bear to be able to make fresh orange juice. This is a Montessori practical life activity which he enjoys greatly.
We originally bought this juicer at Target but an indepth price research proved that cheaper options exist. So, I decided to return the Target one and explained to Little Bear that we will wait to buy an inexpensive juicer.
When I returned home from work the next evening, Dadi(the nanny) announced that the juicer worked very well and Little Bear had a wonderful time using it. I had actually snuck ouit at lunch time and bought a $5 juicer to replace the Target one...As expected, i was a little annoyed because Little Bear had not heeded my advice to wait to use the juicer ..
So, here's what ensued in the car ride after we dropped Dadi home ..
Amma, its ok we'll just keep this juicer and use the $5 you bought..
But what will we do with 2 juicers? Its clutter..I argued..
Ok! we'll keep it in the basement
thats a waste ..
Oh! then we'll just try to use both
That seems like a waste too ..I said
Oh! then we'll give 1 to Dadi
But she already has one!
I know ..I know..We'll pack it in the original box and wash it good and return it to Target
A lesson on ethics followe wherin I calmly explained that we cannot return something that was used. But he maintains that we have to return it, so someone else can buy the expensive juicer.
We originally bought this juicer at Target but an indepth price research proved that cheaper options exist. So, I decided to return the Target one and explained to Little Bear that we will wait to buy an inexpensive juicer.
When I returned home from work the next evening, Dadi(the nanny) announced that the juicer worked very well and Little Bear had a wonderful time using it. I had actually snuck ouit at lunch time and bought a $5 juicer to replace the Target one...As expected, i was a little annoyed because Little Bear had not heeded my advice to wait to use the juicer ..
So, here's what ensued in the car ride after we dropped Dadi home ..
Amma, its ok we'll just keep this juicer and use the $5 you bought..
But what will we do with 2 juicers? Its clutter..I argued..
Ok! we'll keep it in the basement
thats a waste ..
Oh! then we'll just try to use both
That seems like a waste too ..I said
Oh! then we'll give 1 to Dadi
But she already has one!
I know ..I know..We'll pack it in the original box and wash it good and return it to Target
A lesson on ethics followe wherin I calmly explained that we cannot return something that was used. But he maintains that we have to return it, so someone else can buy the expensive juicer.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
These times
Well, the headlines say it all.
Scene: Little Bear reading the Wall Street Journal during breakfast
Saturday, May 16, 2009
The Bird House
The Bird House was built at the Build and Grow Workshop at Lowes by Little Bear with a little help from Father Bear.
We are enjoying watching the cardinals and sparrows. There is a lesson to be learnt from them - how patiently they sit and wait for their turn on the railing when they see another bird pecking at the seeds.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
About ants, snails and earthworms....
Its Spring here in Hotlanta and with temperatures in the eighties and quite a few wet days, there have been a lot of outdoor creatures on the yard, the deck and some venturing right into our house.
This spring Little Bear is spending a lot of time outdoors and has emerged into this bold and curious little boy who loves nature but much to our chagrin has a a nasty habit of 'crushing down' ants, snails and earthworms.
But why? I ask him everytime he proudly proclaims that he stamped a fire ant. "Oh! because it may bite me" is his response. Yesterday, when I picked him from school he said ..."Amma! I crushed up a snail shell..Buts its ok, the snail was not in the shell." A quick zoology lesson followed where I explained that a snail always carries its shell around with it because it is like its house. "But Amma, I'm sure the snail was not in the shell when I crushed it into pieces"
Later that evening after a fresh downpour, we went outside to see earthworms. I thought this would be a great opportunity to teach him to respect other living things and let them be. We got on our hands and knees to see the earthworms lazily crawl around. When one of them came too close to him, he threatened to stamp it. Frustrated I tried to explain with another angle - this earthworm is going back to its mother and we must let it do that, I said. He gave me a quizzical look and said -"No, this earthworm does not have a mother. Its independent" Not sure if he says that because he knows so or just because he wants to have a counter-argument about everything I say ..
Needless to say, in the coming weeks we hope to try our best to teach him the valuable lesson of respecting all other living things.
This spring Little Bear is spending a lot of time outdoors and has emerged into this bold and curious little boy who loves nature but much to our chagrin has a a nasty habit of 'crushing down' ants, snails and earthworms.
But why? I ask him everytime he proudly proclaims that he stamped a fire ant. "Oh! because it may bite me" is his response. Yesterday, when I picked him from school he said ..."Amma! I crushed up a snail shell..Buts its ok, the snail was not in the shell." A quick zoology lesson followed where I explained that a snail always carries its shell around with it because it is like its house. "But Amma, I'm sure the snail was not in the shell when I crushed it into pieces"
Later that evening after a fresh downpour, we went outside to see earthworms. I thought this would be a great opportunity to teach him to respect other living things and let them be. We got on our hands and knees to see the earthworms lazily crawl around. When one of them came too close to him, he threatened to stamp it. Frustrated I tried to explain with another angle - this earthworm is going back to its mother and we must let it do that, I said. He gave me a quizzical look and said -"No, this earthworm does not have a mother. Its independent" Not sure if he says that because he knows so or just because he wants to have a counter-argument about everything I say ..
Needless to say, in the coming weeks we hope to try our best to teach him the valuable lesson of respecting all other living things.
Monday, April 27, 2009
The Penguins in Antarctica
We recently bought "Antarctica" for the Little Bear.
The main reason I bought it was the beautiful illustrations and bold colors.I had very little idea about the actual story and did not expect it to be more than a geography/nature book.
We decided to read it at bedtime. The story is about the cold Antarctica and its inhabitants- the penguins, seals and skuas.It explains how the female penguin lays her egg and goes out to sea to feed while the male penguin cares for the egg. The male penguins huddle together to stay warm in the cold winter. Suddenly helicopter whirrs above and the noise frightens them causing them to panic and flee, leaving the eggs behind. The skuas then swoop in and eat the eggs. And this where my sensitive son started crying. As he choked and brushed away his tears, he asked me how the penguins will get more eggs? I explained that the mama penguin will lay more eggs from which babies will come out. Humans need to be more respectful of other animals and be conscious of how their actions affect other animals. Another learning here is about the food chain. Skuas feed on eggs and penguins feed on fish ...the food chain is what feeds everyone on this earth.
This is a wonderful book and has become a family favorite. It is full of valuable lessons and sparks a discussion everytime we read it.
“The land is where our roots are. The children must be taught to feel and live in harmony with the Earth.” ~Maria Montessori
The main reason I bought it was the beautiful illustrations and bold colors.I had very little idea about the actual story and did not expect it to be more than a geography/nature book.
We decided to read it at bedtime. The story is about the cold Antarctica and its inhabitants- the penguins, seals and skuas.It explains how the female penguin lays her egg and goes out to sea to feed while the male penguin cares for the egg. The male penguins huddle together to stay warm in the cold winter. Suddenly helicopter whirrs above and the noise frightens them causing them to panic and flee, leaving the eggs behind. The skuas then swoop in and eat the eggs. And this where my sensitive son started crying. As he choked and brushed away his tears, he asked me how the penguins will get more eggs? I explained that the mama penguin will lay more eggs from which babies will come out. Humans need to be more respectful of other animals and be conscious of how their actions affect other animals. Another learning here is about the food chain. Skuas feed on eggs and penguins feed on fish ...the food chain is what feeds everyone on this earth.
This is a wonderful book and has become a family favorite. It is full of valuable lessons and sparks a discussion everytime we read it.
“The land is where our roots are. The children must be taught to feel and live in harmony with the Earth.” ~Maria Montessori
The Fisherman
On Easter Sunday, we made a trip to the Bass Pro Shop.
Yes, The Bass Pro Shop.I would never in my wildest of dreams thought that I would have ever stepped into that store since it involves outdoor sports (mainly water), which is an area of very very little interest to me. The reason for the visit was two fold. Firstly there was an Easter Egg Hunt inside the store ...the 'inside the store' part was extremely important because the Little bear has been reacting pretty strongly to the Georgia pollen in the air. The second reason for going to this store was because he wants to become a Fisherman!
The boy has been using the Swiffer as a fishing rod. He took a yo-yo and tied it to the end of the swiffer, as the fishing line. The worms go in the beach bucket. He stands on the couch, pretends that the rug is the lake where the fish are. When he catches a fish, he pulls it up, loudly proclaims that he caught another one and then after he is sure that an adults attention has been duly received, the fish is thrown back into the water(We are vegetarians and don't eat it)
So, there was a lot of excitement about the trip to the "fishing" store. After the 'egg hunt', we explored the store. The fishing lines, the boats, swimming gear and the big tank of bass fish were seen. Papa bear promised to buy him a fishing rod but after a stern look and a reminder that he was too little for it, this promise was withdrawn and rapid distraction followed. We bought him a backpack instead with a fishing book and some toy worms and things that seemed more age approporiate.
The fishing back pack has become his best buddy. It is carried everywhere - even to sleep.
The Little Bear will get a chance to go out fishing on a dear friend's boat later this summer. I hope to report back about the trip soon!
Yes, The Bass Pro Shop.I would never in my wildest of dreams thought that I would have ever stepped into that store since it involves outdoor sports (mainly water), which is an area of very very little interest to me. The reason for the visit was two fold. Firstly there was an Easter Egg Hunt inside the store ...the 'inside the store' part was extremely important because the Little bear has been reacting pretty strongly to the Georgia pollen in the air. The second reason for going to this store was because he wants to become a Fisherman!
The boy has been using the Swiffer as a fishing rod. He took a yo-yo and tied it to the end of the swiffer, as the fishing line. The worms go in the beach bucket. He stands on the couch, pretends that the rug is the lake where the fish are. When he catches a fish, he pulls it up, loudly proclaims that he caught another one and then after he is sure that an adults attention has been duly received, the fish is thrown back into the water(We are vegetarians and don't eat it)
So, there was a lot of excitement about the trip to the "fishing" store. After the 'egg hunt', we explored the store. The fishing lines, the boats, swimming gear and the big tank of bass fish were seen. Papa bear promised to buy him a fishing rod but after a stern look and a reminder that he was too little for it, this promise was withdrawn and rapid distraction followed. We bought him a backpack instead with a fishing book and some toy worms and things that seemed more age approporiate.
The fishing back pack has become his best buddy. It is carried everywhere - even to sleep.
The Little Bear will get a chance to go out fishing on a dear friend's boat later this summer. I hope to report back about the trip soon!
Appa is Tiger Woods
So, the Little Bear has been showing some interest in golf, this spring. Perhaps this has something to do with the several trips that Papa bear has already (spring is just here!) made to the golf course. On Sundays, it is common for the father-son duo to sit in front of the television and watch a white ball being hit by a club.
And then much to Papa bear's surprise the Little bear called him Tiger Woods. Not that Papa bear is a huge fan of Tiger Woods. yes, he is probably ranked the World No 1 but Papa bear always roots for the underdog (Phil Mickelson). So, at dinner the other day when Little bear called him Tiger Woods, he did not quite know how to react.
Fast-forward to a week later. We were driving to the mall and Papa bear was speeding a little bit. I reminded him about the recent hefty speeding ticket we just paid to which Little Bear replied "Appa - if you speed then I will call you Phil Mickelson, not Tiger Woods". I think Papa Bear almost caused an accident because he looked behind where the boy was sitting and burst out laughing. Not really sure how Little Bear made the association of speeding with Phil M. but I suspect that in the days to come, Papa bear will work hard and try to change this misconception surrounding his golf hero.
And then much to Papa bear's surprise the Little bear called him Tiger Woods. Not that Papa bear is a huge fan of Tiger Woods. yes, he is probably ranked the World No 1 but Papa bear always roots for the underdog (Phil Mickelson). So, at dinner the other day when Little bear called him Tiger Woods, he did not quite know how to react.
Fast-forward to a week later. We were driving to the mall and Papa bear was speeding a little bit. I reminded him about the recent hefty speeding ticket we just paid to which Little Bear replied "Appa - if you speed then I will call you Phil Mickelson, not Tiger Woods". I think Papa Bear almost caused an accident because he looked behind where the boy was sitting and burst out laughing. Not really sure how Little Bear made the association of speeding with Phil M. but I suspect that in the days to come, Papa bear will work hard and try to change this misconception surrounding his golf hero.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Its been ..
..a long time since I posted anything here. The plan is to start back up with weekly posts at least. The Little Bear is growing up very fast. His current 'talking' pace is scary and I don't want these events to go unrecorded. So, here's whats planned for the summer. All this talk about Earth Day (April 22nd) has left me aspiring to be more green and so there will be a vegetable garden. A trip to the library and then to Lowes should help me with the basics and with Little Bear's help (right!), we should be well on our way. We also have a trip to the beach planned as well as plenty of local day-trips to places nearby. Should be a fun summer!
Friday, October 10, 2008
This day in history and some rambling ..
This week, the Dow ended at 8,451.19 . The CNN headline a minute ago read 'Vertigo on Wall Street'. The DOW plummeted 25% since September 26th when a banking crisis hit the financial sector. The ripple effect this has created is worldwide with investors everywhere feeling the pain ...The finance.yahoo headline read ' US Stocks end worst week mixed after roller coaster session'. And this is not the end - As analysts predict that the market is looking at a new low.
The middle class is feeling the pain as companies tighten expenses, layoff workers and shut down operations. While we are no where near retirement, there is some concern about our investments and savings. Really, is our money safe? How do we get a control on our finances and put more into our nest egg? I know what I'm going to do. cancel my gym membership ($60/month)..I love the gym but am pretty sure,that with some discipline and creativity can get some workout at home.
The middle class is feeling the pain as companies tighten expenses, layoff workers and shut down operations. While we are no where near retirement, there is some concern about our investments and savings. Really, is our money safe? How do we get a control on our finances and put more into our nest egg? I know what I'm going to do. cancel my gym membership ($60/month)..I love the gym but am pretty sure,that with some discipline and creativity can get some workout at home.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Are you my friend?
A curious thing happened today. We were invited to a fall fest at Little Bear's school. The event was in the school playground- there was music, food, lots of games for kids and we had the opportunity of witnessing the kids interact with each other.
Little Bear is definitely opening up and getting 'socialised". It was a pleasure seeing him play with other kids and occasionally come up to me and point and tell me (introduce) that so and so was in his class.
One thing is clear. The boy gravitates towards girls..he follows them around... All the kids he pointed to (aka introduced) were girls..At one point he positioned himself at the top of the slide and proceeded to question each kid (girls) as they waited to go down the slide -' Are you my friend?" If you answered with a "Yes/No", you were let through and allowed to slide down. If you did not reply, he blocked their way and asked you again ..I thought it was sweet and some of the parents watching this also thought it was hilarious!
One of the girls in his class, a 4 year old said "No, you are not my friend". He let her through but she came up again and he asked her again. This must have happened atleast half-a dozen times. It probably bothered Little Bear because he asked me why she said she was not his friend. Sadly, I really did not know what to say to him.
I was deep in conversation with another parent when a beaming Little Bear came to me and said "Amma, she said yes. She IS my friend". Persistence had paid....
When I tucked him into bed tonight, I reminded him of the wonderful time he had had at school today. "Amma, why did that girl say that she was not my friend?' asked Little Bear. "Not everyone needs to be your friend", I explained. "Its ok if some one is not your friend. You have so many friends." I hope this was the "right" answer to his dilemma. What I really want to tell him is that this is a lesson life will teach him through experiences, some good and some not so good.
Little Bear is definitely opening up and getting 'socialised". It was a pleasure seeing him play with other kids and occasionally come up to me and point and tell me (introduce) that so and so was in his class.
One thing is clear. The boy gravitates towards girls..he follows them around... All the kids he pointed to (aka introduced) were girls..At one point he positioned himself at the top of the slide and proceeded to question each kid (girls) as they waited to go down the slide -' Are you my friend?" If you answered with a "Yes/No", you were let through and allowed to slide down. If you did not reply, he blocked their way and asked you again ..I thought it was sweet and some of the parents watching this also thought it was hilarious!
One of the girls in his class, a 4 year old said "No, you are not my friend". He let her through but she came up again and he asked her again. This must have happened atleast half-a dozen times. It probably bothered Little Bear because he asked me why she said she was not his friend. Sadly, I really did not know what to say to him.
I was deep in conversation with another parent when a beaming Little Bear came to me and said "Amma, she said yes. She IS my friend". Persistence had paid....
When I tucked him into bed tonight, I reminded him of the wonderful time he had had at school today. "Amma, why did that girl say that she was not my friend?' asked Little Bear. "Not everyone needs to be your friend", I explained. "Its ok if some one is not your friend. You have so many friends." I hope this was the "right" answer to his dilemma. What I really want to tell him is that this is a lesson life will teach him through experiences, some good and some not so good.
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…
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
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.
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.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
French fries and fruit
Little Bear does not like french fries.
The reason, I am recording this rather trivial event is to inform him when he reads this blog someday years from now when he is not 'little' anymore. Probably some day when he has just finished a plate of french fries, chips or some other greasy food which are not a part of Little Bear's meals today.
We are a pretty health conscious family. We eat balanced meals usually using organic foods, try to work-out regularly and stay away from empty carbs. We payt a lot of attention to Little Bear's meals to make sure they are packed with all the essential nutrients, protein and fat. I do this because I have a feeling that as he grows older, more independent and exposed to what most of the world is eating,he will want to decide his meals, opting for the fatty, greasy, sugar laden foods that he was deprived of in his early years. Perhaps the foods he eats now will more than offset the bad foods he eats in the future.
So Little Bear, if you are reading this, remember that once upon a time not to0o long ago you did not like french fries.
The reason, I am recording this rather trivial event is to inform him when he reads this blog someday years from now when he is not 'little' anymore. Probably some day when he has just finished a plate of french fries, chips or some other greasy food which are not a part of Little Bear's meals today.
We are a pretty health conscious family. We eat balanced meals usually using organic foods, try to work-out regularly and stay away from empty carbs. We payt a lot of attention to Little Bear's meals to make sure they are packed with all the essential nutrients, protein and fat. I do this because I have a feeling that as he grows older, more independent and exposed to what most of the world is eating,he will want to decide his meals, opting for the fatty, greasy, sugar laden foods that he was deprived of in his early years. Perhaps the foods he eats now will more than offset the bad foods he eats in the future.
So Little Bear, if you are reading this, remember that once upon a time not to0o long ago you did not like french fries.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Off to school!
Unlike this blog which has seen little activity in a while, life in the Little Bear household has been busy and eventful.
We are having a blast with the little fella and are enjoying spending time with him. Occasionally, the Terrible Twos make their appearance and that too with a vegeance. We are dealing with discipline issues, lots of talking back, whining for no apparent reason and the decibel level in the house has suddenly quadrupled. All this, coupled with late bedtimes has left this blog sorely neglected but we are back to report some recent developments.
Last week, Little Bear started preschool at a local Montessori. We have been convinced that our son would thrive in the hands-on, peaceful and pleasant learning environment that a Montessori school provides and were looking forward to this event all summer .
Little Bear had mixed feelings about going to school. He was excited about the prospect of new toys at school but not so excited about other children being there too ...more kids means sharing of toys and we are not a fan of that!
So Monday, August 11th rolled around and we were all scramblng to get him ready for school. Dressed in brand new clothes and shoes, Little Bear posed for pictures with Amma and Appa and then a little reluctantly sat in the car. School begins at 8:45 am and ends at noon. We have a car pool lane to drop and pick him, a feature I was not sure about but one that I have begun to love.
When I picked him at noon that first day, his face bore a tired battered look. I knew he had cried some and was clearly overwhelmed. His teacher informed me that he had spent most of the morning crying and she had held him the whole time. The only 'activity' he had seemed to enjoy was sweeping the garden.
The first week, was a mixed bag of not wanting to go to school and crying. The following week, things were a little better. He had discovered another activity he liked - window washing. And between sweeping the garden, window washing and 'reading' the books, he seemed a content little bear.
The only source of concern for me was that he was not eating his snack at school. The school expected the kids to help themselves to the snack to encourage independence and Little Bear is not used to that. So, I sent him off to school with a gentle reminder everyday to get a snack or ask the teacher for it if he was not sure how to serve himself...But everyday at noon, when I picked him up, he was starving and informed me that I did not get a snack because there was none...Clearly, he was a little intimidated with the idea of getting a snack himself, and needed some help to overcome this fear.
Finally, I used the tried and tested last resort in parenting, one that has a track record of success but is usually frowned upon by idealists. I bribed the boy. The prize would be a new fire engine to add to his fleet of 'whee-oos' and he would get one, if he got a snack at school the next day. Papa bear reminded him about the prize when he dropped him that morning.
When I picked Little Bear at school the next day, the teacher proudly told me that he had had a wonderful day.Also, he ate a snack she announced. My heart swelled with pride and I glanced at the boy,who looked at me gleefully and opened his mouth to remind me about the impending trip to Toys r us. I hastily pulled the car off the car pool and drove home, with Little Bear rattling off the exact specifications of the fire engine he wanted - it had to have a ladder, a bucket, 2 firemen, a hose and should make a sound ...
We are having a blast with the little fella and are enjoying spending time with him. Occasionally, the Terrible Twos make their appearance and that too with a vegeance. We are dealing with discipline issues, lots of talking back, whining for no apparent reason and the decibel level in the house has suddenly quadrupled. All this, coupled with late bedtimes has left this blog sorely neglected but we are back to report some recent developments.
Last week, Little Bear started preschool at a local Montessori. We have been convinced that our son would thrive in the hands-on, peaceful and pleasant learning environment that a Montessori school provides and were looking forward to this event all summer .
Little Bear had mixed feelings about going to school. He was excited about the prospect of new toys at school but not so excited about other children being there too ...more kids means sharing of toys and we are not a fan of that!
So Monday, August 11th rolled around and we were all scramblng to get him ready for school. Dressed in brand new clothes and shoes, Little Bear posed for pictures with Amma and Appa and then a little reluctantly sat in the car. School begins at 8:45 am and ends at noon. We have a car pool lane to drop and pick him, a feature I was not sure about but one that I have begun to love.
When I picked him at noon that first day, his face bore a tired battered look. I knew he had cried some and was clearly overwhelmed. His teacher informed me that he had spent most of the morning crying and she had held him the whole time. The only 'activity' he had seemed to enjoy was sweeping the garden.
The first week, was a mixed bag of not wanting to go to school and crying. The following week, things were a little better. He had discovered another activity he liked - window washing. And between sweeping the garden, window washing and 'reading' the books, he seemed a content little bear.
The only source of concern for me was that he was not eating his snack at school. The school expected the kids to help themselves to the snack to encourage independence and Little Bear is not used to that. So, I sent him off to school with a gentle reminder everyday to get a snack or ask the teacher for it if he was not sure how to serve himself...But everyday at noon, when I picked him up, he was starving and informed me that I did not get a snack because there was none...Clearly, he was a little intimidated with the idea of getting a snack himself, and needed some help to overcome this fear.
Finally, I used the tried and tested last resort in parenting, one that has a track record of success but is usually frowned upon by idealists. I bribed the boy. The prize would be a new fire engine to add to his fleet of 'whee-oos' and he would get one, if he got a snack at school the next day. Papa bear reminded him about the prize when he dropped him that morning.
When I picked Little Bear at school the next day, the teacher proudly told me that he had had a wonderful day.Also, he ate a snack she announced. My heart swelled with pride and I glanced at the boy,who looked at me gleefully and opened his mouth to remind me about the impending trip to Toys r us. I hastily pulled the car off the car pool and drove home, with Little Bear rattling off the exact specifications of the fire engine he wanted - it had to have a ladder, a bucket, 2 firemen, a hose and should make a sound ...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
