Thanks for making me silly....

October 2015

Yesterday you asked me for Soi(water) and I gave you some, knowing that cute smile on your face, I told you repeatedly, Soi is only for drinking, not for playing, do not spit it out please. You took the sippy cup from me, took a gulp of water and spit it out. Then you ran away from me and did the same all around the dining room. Of course I got annoyed but looking at you laughing and giggling over the spills I let you play for another minute. Then I came over and took the cup and sternly said, no spitting, soi is only for drinking. At that instant I did what I thought a parent should do.

But after putting you to bed and as I was drinking my tulsi tea, I replayed the scene in my head. If I didn’t have to clean up the floor and did not know about norms of society, I would totally do what you did. I mean, spitting water out is so much fun! This made me realize when did I grow up so much! When did I become this adult who sucks the fun out of simple pleasures of life!

The one who asked you not to spit is the same woman who this year at the age of 35 played more than one prank on her co-workers. I covered a person’s cube with photos of teenage idols and scared the wits off another by pretending to be a visa officer. So much for professionalism!  This is the same woman when she was in college sat in the back bench of a lecture and played cards and ate cake under the bench. This is the same woman who when she was in school was asked to stand out of the class because she talked and laughed too loud in a non-ladylike fashion.

Let me tell you baby girl, each one these incidents is what makes me who I am. I am not perfect, but I try to make the best of the situation and make life fun. I made a boring class into fun by sneaking cards into the class, getting buy in from peers and played. This involves creativity, leadership, team effort and risk. And not to mention oh, all the fun and the giggles, I still smile when I think about the back bench days.

So dear BoBo, who am I to judge a 22 month old spitting some water and making my dining room a mess. In this quest to have a well behaved child, I sincerely hope I don’t make your life less fun.

You playing in the snow

Rolling around and eating it...So much fun!!

Well behaved women never make history and I am sure these women who made history had mothers who let them be, play an extra few minutes in the shower, skip a boring no value added homework or play in the puddle so much that I have to hose you down before you enter the house (this has happened more than once already!).

I want you to know that I will be strict, just because that is my nature. I do not take nonsense from people, whether it is my boss, coworker or your father. The same goes for you. But I also want you to explore the world in your own ways, giggle and cry at your own mistakes.

So next time you ask for that soi with a mischievous smile, this is what I will do. I will give it to you and ask you to play outside so that I don’t have to clean up, or I will let you play for few minutes so that you can have some fun and then take the bottle from you.

You still have to listen to me but you are entitled to have fun too. I hope I remember this every time your carefree innocent silliness takes over and I hope it rubs me in a positive way and brings the child in me.