Chronicle Of Tiny Little Steps

OLX pe Bech Do

2014-12-11T16:09:00.002+05:30

While coming from a brief outing on Sunday evening, I took a different route than the usual one to go home.
Munta: Where are we going?
Me: I need to go to petrol pump.
Munta: Why?
Me: There is no fuel in the car, I need to refill it.
Munta: So what? OLX pe bech do!!

Heart Break

2014-12-01T14:30:00.002+05:30

On a lazy Saturday, we were having lunch together at home. Muntasir finished his portion sometime earlier & mom asks him to finish some of his homework, that were to be submitted on Monday. He proceeds to the bedroom without any fuss. After finishing our lunch, as she heads towards the bedroom, she finds that he is playing with cars, the homework is half complete. A mild scolding follows & then he finishes the homework soon. Everything alright so far.

While lying on the bed, she could suddenly feel tears rolling down from a cute pair of eyes. Bit puzzled as there was no reaction when the scolding happened earlier & then the below discussion follows (the discussion happens in Bengali, I am just giving the translation for convenience)

Mom: তুমি কাঁদছো কেন? (Why are you crying?)
Munta: তুমি আমার heart break করেছ (You have broken my heart)

Now in Bengali, pronunciation of heart sounds as the way you pronounce hand(হাত)। So, she thought she might have injured his hand, but she remembers that she just mildly scolded him. How can that result in injury to hand? Totally perplexed, she asks again what happened?

Muntasir (pointing towards his left chest): এখানে মনের মধ্যে যে heart থাকে, তুমি সেই heart break করেছ (You have broken the heart, which stays here while pointing his left chest)

We both looked at each other, how and where from 'heart break' is added to his vocabulary is unknown to us. We tried to ask just out of curiosity but no success, so felt going to sleep is a better option. Remembered that he had mentioned about Be-Ka-Ra-Ri (the Hindi word for excitement of heart - http://chronicleoftinylittlesteps.blogspot.in/2014/07/be-ka-ra-ri.html) few days back. Now comes 'heart break', God knows what next. But for sure, he is growing up..

Context Is More Important Than Information

2014-11-23T15:54:00.000+05:30

Muntasir was suffering from cold, so went to a nearby doctor. Doctor prescribed couple of medicines along with some advice. Upon reaching home, when his mom asked what the doctor said, he smilingly answered that the doctor uncle asked him to eat chocolates. Wife totally confused as couldn't think of any relation between cold & chocolate. I let this continue for a while to see if he says anything else but he kept on only saying he has been asked to eat chocolates. And then, I had to jump in before wife could go mad. I explained her that though he is not lying, but he is only telling an incomplete story. Whenever we take our kids to doctor, in general any doctor at stretch talks about avoiding ice cream-cold drinks-chocolate. In this case, as he was suffering from cold, the doctor advised him that he can eat chocolates but a complete no-no to ice cream & cold drinks. Muntasir did not lie but he very smartly chose to narrate only that part of the story that would benefit him.

And the same thing holds true for our day-to-day life. Data/Information without the proper context is just a number/text and is left to be used as one wishes. I remember one senior colleague of mine once told that nowadays he does not trust the news channel much as he does not know what is being not shown. The more is the data, the more is the scope of manipulation/misinterpretation. Therefore it is important to give importance/act only when one has the complete information along with the context, otherwise it is best to just ignore. The above incident could be just a funny act of a young kid with no harmful intention, but very often we fell prey to such incidents and end up act wrongfully…

Define Jealousy

2014-11-08T15:54:00.000+05:30

Define jealousy: "Ammu, you hug Abbu at times, when he comes from office. You never hug me when I return from school" !

Happy Birth Day, Completing 5 Years

2014-10-09T15:53:00.000+05:30

Today Muntasir is completing 5years of his journey. Please bless him n wish him a bright future...

Good Men Bad Men

2014-10-03T15:52:00.000+05:30

As we were hopping Pujo Pandals & coming across different design of the Goddess Durga being depicted, Muntasir kept on asking why the bad man (The Mahishasura) looks so different in each place. And in one Pujo Pandal, he was curious to know why the bad man is invisible (There were announcements of chain snatchers around, so requesting people to be careful. I explained him that bad men were around though we can't see them)but he was finally relieved to see the good men (the Police) around with a hope that the bad men will be caught soon. In a sense, this sums up life. There are bad people around us, sometime in the disguise. But with determination & hope that good will always defeat the devil. Wish all my friends, families a Happy Bijoya Dashami & and an advance wish for a Happy Bakri-Eid next week..

তোমার অফিস আমার ছুটি

2014-09-30T15:40:00.000+05:30

একে তো পুজো পুজো গন্ধ আকাশে বাতাসে, তাতে অফিস আসতে বেশ ভালই জ্বলছে। আরও জ্বলে যখন দেখি তিনি ৯টা অব্দি ঘুমিয়ে, তার পরে একটি পালটি খেয়ে হাতের তলা দিয়ে মুখ বের করে এক চোখ খুলে আমাকে বলেন " আব্বু তোমার আজ অফিস, আমার ছুটি হে হে হে …"

Mistake Happens, What's The Big Deal!

2014-09-26T15:39:00.000+05:30

Discussing Report card & grades etc. with Muntasir. When almost done discussing the 'positives' & 'areas of improvement', he asks me "সব বুঝলাম, কিন্তু একটু আধটু ভুল তো হতেই পারে (a bit of a mistake happens!!)"

Koun Kiska Baap

2014-08-19T15:23:00.000+05:30

One of the naughty fight I have with Muntasir is who will sleep in the middle among 3 of us. Today afternoon, I pushed him aside on emotional ground, he settles there though unwillingly. After a minute or so, I get a call, went to pick up the call. As I reached the other room, the call disconnects. I see missed call notification from wife's phone. Totally perplexed. Came back to the previous room where we were planning to sleep. See Muntasir holding her phone with a mischievous smile!! Thinking Koun Kiska Baap!

Understanding My Father, One Decade Later

2014-08-08T11:59:00.000+05:30

Once again experienced what parenting is all about yesterday. Muntasir had gone for an inter school drawing competition @school & therefore I had to pick him up. Reached there before time, was waiting in the reception along with some other parents. As the kids were coming back from competition, anxious parents ran towards them & I heard few of them celebrating their kids' success. For some reasons unknown to me, decided to remain seated, I think I was bit tensed for sure. But as the sound of other kids' success got louder, I became restless to know how Muntasir did. Strangely afterwards, with each passing seconds, I could hear my heartbeat becoming louder & louder. It was just an inter school competition, did not have a significance of large magnitude, still so much was my nervousness, anxiety. And I was just wondering how parents handle the pressure when their kid appear for board exam or other important exams of life, could feel what parents go through as their kids grow up. As soon as he came, just hugged Muntasir tight even before asking if he has won any prize or not. And then sitting there, remembered the day when I got my first job. As soon as I had reached home, my father gave me a strong hug. I felt strange, I was never very free with him like I was with mother, so we never hugged each other like so many other father-son duo do. I could never understand his behavior, this question kept wandering in my mind. Only yesterday, I got my answer, more than a decade later..

Happy Eid Wishes

2014-08-01T11:52:00.000+05:30

This sums up how we celebrated the Eid https://www.youtube.co/watch?v=8IPW4SGBixs .

Watch the expression of the kid with white kurta-pajama on the left.

Be-Ka-Ra-Ri

2014-07-22T11:50:00.000+05:30

Playing spelling games with Muntasir. He asked me to spell Bakery.
Me: B-a-k-e-r-y
Munta: No, it is Be-Ka-Ra-Ri. I have no clue how & when Bekarar/Bekarari got added to his vocabulary!

Dear Saturday, When You Will Come

2014-07-07T22:59:00.000+05:30

Waking up at 6am & school bus at 7am. Muntasir already experiencing Monday blues. On a Monday morning, he is counting how many days more for Saturday to come :)

Idly, Not Luchi

2014-06-07T22:56:00.000+05:30

"Wowww... Idly...after so many days"!! This was Muntasir's reaction, tasting Idly after more than one month or so, when he returned to Hyderabad after spending 2 months of summer vacation in Kolkata. Bengali's favorite "Luchi-Aloor Dom" can rest in peace now :(

Can You Drive A Plane

2014-04-14T22:50:00.000+05:30

Discussing need for study with Muntasir.
Me: When Abbu was a kid like you, Abbu studied a lot, that's why Abbu can operate a laptop, drive a car now.
Munta: Can you drive a plane?
Me: Oh! Suddenly caught unaware, no Abbu did not study that much :(

Win Win...

2014-03-22T22:24:00.000+05:30

I love it when i loose an argument to Muntasir. I don't let him win, but when I really get caught off guard, when he points at my self-contradictions. It's learning together n even some time unlearning, too for me. Perfect example of win-win...

One Kiss, Please....

2014-03-04T22:19:00.000+05:30

I am eligible for a kiss from Muntasir when I am cute. And I am cute only when I do shave. Poor me, never felt the need to be clean shaven even when I was bachelor...

Loosing Monopoly On My Favorite Sweets

2014-01-18T22:15:00.000+05:30

Since childhood, I have enjoyed my own share of all tasty delicacies because first my sister & later my wife did not share the same food interest that I had. While I was mad at sweets, they were into something else (you know Fuchka/Golgappa and other trivial things! ). With Muntasir growing up, I am now loosing my monopoly. Yesterday mother brought Peda (http://www.rituscooking.com/1_104_Bengali-Peda.html ) from Kolkata, which I couldn't have any claim whatsoever. There is a tough competition on the Firni, too. Luckily he has not yet set his eyes on Jaynagar er Moya (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joynagarer_moa ). Can clearly see the tough competition ahead..

Funny Moment From PTM

2014-01-10T22:05:00.000+05:30

Wife read from Munta's diary that there is a Parent-Teacher-Meeting next Saturday & she was mentioning the same with me. We were briefly discussing what all to discuss with teacher and that included asking how he is doing in the school etc. Suddenly he exclaimed "I am not fighting with friends anymore". We are all surprised, perplexed as could not find any context. And then remembered the PTM of last time. The teacher had complained that he finishes his homework soon and then he is engaged in fighting with friends.

New Generation, New Language

2014-01-06T21:56:00.000+05:30

I referred to one of my friend as "Yaar" (Hindi of "friend") when I was in standard 5th/6th. My father did not like it as "Yaar" was perceived as a not-so-good language then, at least in my family. Few days back, I just hurt myself while playing with Muntasir & he immediately responded "It's OK yaar". Instantaneously I was taken aback, remembered my father's look, then realized it is something Muntasir probably has learnt in the school & then replied back to him "OK yaar, let's continue playing then". Since then, we have been telling "It's OK yaar" to each other, when one sees the other one upset, it has become a fun now.
P.S. This is not to argue if my father was right or wrong, but the chemistry in a relationship is continuously evolving & we have to be adaptive to that...

Happy 2013

2014-01-01T21:54:00.000+05:30

Stealing Milkmaid from fridge n getting caught by Muntasir - childhood is priceless! Happy New Year to everyone..

Parents' Expectation, Kids' liability

2013-12-11T21:49:00.000+05:30

   I have learnt one great experience on parenting, and as usual from my own mistake. This is school admission season & so was getting Muntasir prepared. Went to couple of other schools just to get a learning experience both for him & for us before going to the school we were targeting for.
   In 1st school, everything went fine, almost perfect. After couple of days, in 2nd school, he was completely different, adamant, scared, feeling less confident. I was instantaneously upset, showed my anger on him. A little bit of introspection, and I realized unconsciously we were pressurizing him, that he needs to get into a big school, he needs to speak English, we were asking question on this & that. And realized that "fear of failure" had creeped in. Everything he was answering, at his back of mind he was thinking whether he is doing right or wrong, what I would feel if he does not get it right.
   And this is the grave mistake we parents do to our kids. Our expectation becomes their liability, they develop inhibition, their natural strength takes back seat. Immediately talked to wife, rectified ourselves. For the next few days, did not talk to him anything related admission etc. Everything we were discussing among 3 of us was kind of playing games, just let him do, be natural & guide him here & there. Luckily, with God's grace all went well. But a great practical lessons indeed, which no theory could have taught me..

Eating Chocolates, No Problem

2013-12-02T21:43:00.000+05:30

Me: Munta, don't eat so many chocolates. You will have germ in your stomach. Doctor uncle will have to give you injection.
Munta: As soon as I go to potty, all the germs will go out, so no problem!!

No more words..

Rhymes, Not Songs

2013-11-13T12:46:00.000+05:30

Suddenly Muntasir has become fan of Bengali actor Dev, singing his songs loud. Thinking that he should learn something better I made him listen to some soft songs from Manna Dey, Anupam Roy . He just shrugged it off saying these are rhymes, not songs!! May Manna Dey rest in peace & Anupam Roy, please continue your journey, there will always be silly critics :)

Growing Up

2013-10-04T12:27:00.000+05:30

Muntasir keeps on asking that when he would grow up. I wish he realized what it takes to grow up !!