Dear Ruch,
In continuation to my comment on your blogpost, I will share what I learn from Raina everyday.
The moment she wakes up, she smiles and laughs and jumps around like a butterfly in the room. I might not be as rejuvenated as her but it stops any not so positive thought in my mind and I literally follow her in doing what she does. Recently I have stopped commanding her to do her activities. We laugh and jump till she reminds me that she is yet to brush her teeth or take bath. I want her to choose her activity and be responsible for it's completion and quality of it(may be later on as she grows). It takes lot of inner stopping to hint her to do the activity as my calender is running full but somehow these few weeks, I have put everything on hold and I go at her pace. This is strengthen her confidence in her own self and when I sit next to her listening to music on my earphone/reading a book, reflect on our day and what I learnt, I realize that if I do what she does in one activity of my day, I will reach my goal so happily and learn few things on the way. My heart and head feels proud to have caught this from Raina.
When Raina was 1 year+ few months, we used to stay in an apartment. That apartment had all the facilities like swimming pool and kid's play area. In the play area was a big blue slide. It was tall and had a gradual slope which was not terrifying at all. Most of the kids, Raina's age were easily climbing on from stair or from slide and enjoy it. Raina first for a week or two, just stood next to it and would observe every kid slide and go up and slide. For few hours we would sit in the sand next to slide and see this. I would want her to participate and but would not ask her as I wanted her to take that first step. She then next week went closer to the slide and feel it and put sand on it that would slide down. She would do this when there are no kids in the park. So next day onwards, we would go early, stay late and enjoy few moments of this exploration. One week later, she sat on the slide at the end and just enjoyed that feeling of being on the slide. Next day she asked me to hold her and put her midway to the big slide so she would slide still holding my hand. Next day little bit more higher up the slide with my help. Little over five footer that I am, I could not go much further. So we asked Harit to help when he would come back from office directly from parking. He would make this activity so much fun for Raina that we could see that she was flying with heart filled with happiness. Next few days went on like this and it was nearly 4 months since we started on the slidy. Then came a day where she would hold my hand and climb the slide till mid way, turn and sit and slide on her own. I felt triumphant. Few more days went like this and then she would leave one of my hand and climb with one hand stretched out to balance her. She then tried going right up the slide and then come sliding holding the sides. She was overjoyed that she could do just like the other kids. In this new build confidence, she climbed up the slide, sat on the top. There is metal rod horizontally placed to hang and hold. Raina was hanging from the rod and then jumped on the slide and down the slide. That was some confidence show there. Then sliding upside down, one side, and all gymnastics possible on slide. Not to bore you with more details here, but I learnt the most important lesson here observing her master the act of sliding. Take small baby steps and learn each phase/basic of the activity one at a time. Do not jump the steps and have patience. Once you have confident foothold, go to the next one. Do not worry what others say, focus and keep on keeping on. Once you master, rest of the world will be quiet and you will enjoy practicing your act everyday!!
Wow! even when I write this, I can think of many things which needs mastering from me. I am working on it just like Raina. I need to unlearn a few things and not worry about people and keep on working on my act.
Smiling with all heart all the time is the next lesson I learnt. just keep you heart open and smile. Do not expect and smile and give a warm hug and smile. She attracts the whole world with the smile and makes friends so easily. Talk and smile and smile and talk and everyone around her are entwined in that smile. So now a days I smile for no reason, keep on smiling when I do any activity, smile before picking a call, smile when I write this!! Just smile! It is a language in itself.
She asks the right questions all the time. It is one thing which amazes harit and me. Asking questions is a skill which we need to learn. She will not ask how? but always a why? While I have noticed adults do not ask why? but worry on how? I remember watching a video on Ted.com where some guy was talking how innovation is done and giving examples of 'apple' and their products. They think why and then figure out how. Most of the time when we do any activity, we are focused on how part more often and the why part never gets addressed.
Raina teaches me to be me and not worry about the rest of the world. She is free spirited, confident than I think of, happy on her own without worry of things or people, and lives in NOW time. I am on way to be like her. It is a compliment when Raina says, 'I want to be like mumma.' This statement puts me on spot where I want to be better, do things better and live to great example to her. for her sake I am ready to fight my fears, learn and do and make each day count like her.
Ruch, you have duo opportunity in form of your angels to relive your childhood and be like child. Happy living!!
Much love to all of you,
Mon
In continuation to my comment on your blogpost, I will share what I learn from Raina everyday.
The moment she wakes up, she smiles and laughs and jumps around like a butterfly in the room. I might not be as rejuvenated as her but it stops any not so positive thought in my mind and I literally follow her in doing what she does. Recently I have stopped commanding her to do her activities. We laugh and jump till she reminds me that she is yet to brush her teeth or take bath. I want her to choose her activity and be responsible for it's completion and quality of it(may be later on as she grows). It takes lot of inner stopping to hint her to do the activity as my calender is running full but somehow these few weeks, I have put everything on hold and I go at her pace. This is strengthen her confidence in her own self and when I sit next to her listening to music on my earphone/reading a book, reflect on our day and what I learnt, I realize that if I do what she does in one activity of my day, I will reach my goal so happily and learn few things on the way. My heart and head feels proud to have caught this from Raina.
When Raina was 1 year+ few months, we used to stay in an apartment. That apartment had all the facilities like swimming pool and kid's play area. In the play area was a big blue slide. It was tall and had a gradual slope which was not terrifying at all. Most of the kids, Raina's age were easily climbing on from stair or from slide and enjoy it. Raina first for a week or two, just stood next to it and would observe every kid slide and go up and slide. For few hours we would sit in the sand next to slide and see this. I would want her to participate and but would not ask her as I wanted her to take that first step. She then next week went closer to the slide and feel it and put sand on it that would slide down. She would do this when there are no kids in the park. So next day onwards, we would go early, stay late and enjoy few moments of this exploration. One week later, she sat on the slide at the end and just enjoyed that feeling of being on the slide. Next day she asked me to hold her and put her midway to the big slide so she would slide still holding my hand. Next day little bit more higher up the slide with my help. Little over five footer that I am, I could not go much further. So we asked Harit to help when he would come back from office directly from parking. He would make this activity so much fun for Raina that we could see that she was flying with heart filled with happiness. Next few days went on like this and it was nearly 4 months since we started on the slidy. Then came a day where she would hold my hand and climb the slide till mid way, turn and sit and slide on her own. I felt triumphant. Few more days went like this and then she would leave one of my hand and climb with one hand stretched out to balance her. She then tried going right up the slide and then come sliding holding the sides. She was overjoyed that she could do just like the other kids. In this new build confidence, she climbed up the slide, sat on the top. There is metal rod horizontally placed to hang and hold. Raina was hanging from the rod and then jumped on the slide and down the slide. That was some confidence show there. Then sliding upside down, one side, and all gymnastics possible on slide. Not to bore you with more details here, but I learnt the most important lesson here observing her master the act of sliding. Take small baby steps and learn each phase/basic of the activity one at a time. Do not jump the steps and have patience. Once you have confident foothold, go to the next one. Do not worry what others say, focus and keep on keeping on. Once you master, rest of the world will be quiet and you will enjoy practicing your act everyday!!
Wow! even when I write this, I can think of many things which needs mastering from me. I am working on it just like Raina. I need to unlearn a few things and not worry about people and keep on working on my act.
Smiling with all heart all the time is the next lesson I learnt. just keep you heart open and smile. Do not expect and smile and give a warm hug and smile. She attracts the whole world with the smile and makes friends so easily. Talk and smile and smile and talk and everyone around her are entwined in that smile. So now a days I smile for no reason, keep on smiling when I do any activity, smile before picking a call, smile when I write this!! Just smile! It is a language in itself.
She asks the right questions all the time. It is one thing which amazes harit and me. Asking questions is a skill which we need to learn. She will not ask how? but always a why? While I have noticed adults do not ask why? but worry on how? I remember watching a video on Ted.com where some guy was talking how innovation is done and giving examples of 'apple' and their products. They think why and then figure out how. Most of the time when we do any activity, we are focused on how part more often and the why part never gets addressed.
Raina teaches me to be me and not worry about the rest of the world. She is free spirited, confident than I think of, happy on her own without worry of things or people, and lives in NOW time. I am on way to be like her. It is a compliment when Raina says, 'I want to be like mumma.' This statement puts me on spot where I want to be better, do things better and live to great example to her. for her sake I am ready to fight my fears, learn and do and make each day count like her.
Ruch, you have duo opportunity in form of your angels to relive your childhood and be like child. Happy living!!
Much love to all of you,
Mon
Dearest Mon,
ReplyDeleteYour post is fantastic! A masterpiece of a snapshot of Raina's innocent childhood!
Have you seen the film Kung Fu Panda?? See it as a family if you haven't already, all three of you...! Its one of the best movies made, ever. KIds love it for obvious reasons, but it has a deep spiritual message for us all...
Lots of love and abig hug!!
yours
Ruch