Dan Goes to School

Yes Daniel goes to school. No, he is not old enough to be enrolled into regular school, but given our circumstances he is being sent to a day care which the son refers to as school. He resisted going with all the might a 2 year can muster. Now, if you think that a 2 year old is a harmless type who can be cajoled with a few sweet words you are either a non-parent or a besotted aunt or his grandmother!!!! They are tough creatures. More tough and adamant that adults. And they are the least bothered about throwing tantrums in the middle of the road. So all in all the past 2 weeks were highly stressful. Gin and me would drop him at Amelio. My son would be resolutely declaring “ School bende, Beach”.. Which would translate to, Don’t want school, lets go to beach!!!! How we all wish for that, my son!!!! The floodgates would open as soon as Amelio would come to sight. He will resist with all he is worth to not get out of the car. And his mamma being the monsterella would anyway carry him through the gates. Given a chance his Appa would give him permission to never ever step into a school, if that is what he doesn’t want. So I won’t even consider getting his father’s help. And once Dan realizes that his mamma means business he will say, Mamma – Babo in a very baby-like voice and will lower his head onto my shoulders. I wonder why he says that whenever he is upset with something. Hmmm.. And he is not really sleepy too at that time. He goes in screaming at the top of his voice and trying to squirm him way out of the Ayah’s hands. Finally I leave with a heavy heart and I have the picture of a barely 2 year old wailing for his mamma in front of my eyes all day long.

No, I am not at all guilty. I know he is in a good place with efficient caring people and above all, his Good Father is watching over him. I only want him to settle and have fun in that place. There is lots to do for him and there are really lots of activities done there that will interest him. I only hope that in time he will be fine.

The day care people say that sometime after I leave he becomes kind of ok. But occasionally a wave of longing for his mamma will come and he will softly cry for me. Sigh. Being a mom is a tough tough business L And as soon as he sees me when I go to pick him up, he will cry with his lips pouting and all. And in a few minutes he is my chirpy little squirrel pointing at different things and talking.

Joshua is a whole world apart. He is happy with the maid who looks after him. And he has a wide toothless grin ready for anyone. His father is a pool of mush when the little one smiles at him. Joshua is barely 7 months but he wants to do all things Dan does. By the time he realizes that Dan has acquired better motor skills than him, he is lying flat on the floor and is wailing. A push or a shove or a whack from Dan won’t stop him from going behind his Chahca’s stuffs. No, we don’t encourage Dan being physical with Joshua, but then it happens anyway.

Back home from his day care Dan is cranky for a while. I now realize it is his way of showing his displeaseure from dropping him there all day. If I manage to distract him the evening progresses well with we playing and laughing etc. If he continues in his grim mood, God help us; it is downhill from there…

Touch wood, Dan is slowly settiling into school. He still cries violently when I drop him. Infact since he is familiar with the route now, he will start whining from the time we enter the IT park I work in. But once I leave, he has started to adjust with the people at school.So hopefully the little one will soon find happiness there J