Diary of a mom

Night-time toilet training

noreply@blogger.com (Shyvee) — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 05:01:00 +0000

This is another major item on my current agenda.

Gy turned 4 this July. She has been off the diaper during the day for almost 2 years now. The night-time diaper, however, has persisted till as recently as 2 weeks ago.

I have consciously made her wear just her undies now during the night. This is what I follow:

- Ensure no liquids are given upto 1.5 hours before bed.
- Make sure she uses the bathroom just before she goes to bed.
-Bought a large plastic/rubber sheet that fits the entire mattress. This way, if she does wet herself, I just need to change the sheets. And her nightsuit and underwear, of course :)
- Wake her up once during the night to use the bathroom.

She does seem to be getting the idea and I hope I am doing things right.

Update!!- October 22,2010

I am so happy to be able to post this. I actively started night-time training last Monday, nearly 2 weeks ago. I was persistent and refused to put her on the diaper, although there were nights when I wish I could have:)

Here was her routine:

WEEK 1:
-Give her dinner and curds by 9pm, change into her nightsuit, use the bathroom and go to sleep.
-set the alarm for 12 am, wake her up, make her use the bathroom and put her back to sleep.
-Set the alarm for 4am, wake her up, use the bathroom, go to sleep.
-Wake her up at 7 am.

She adjusted fairly well to this and only wet the sheets twice that whole week.

WEEK 2:
- Upon advice from a friend (Thanks, S!), I decided to wake her just once in the night.
-Feed her by 9, make her use the loo and send her to sleep.
- Wake her once at midnight for using the loo.
-Wake her only at 6.30 for next round and get her ready for school.

This worked very well. Already her body seemed to have adapted to the change.

Best part:

The last 2 nights, she has woken me up on her own to say she needs to use the bathroom.

I can't tell you how happy I am :)

Kids say and do the darndest things!

noreply@blogger.com (Shyvee) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:30:00 +0000

A while ago, I started making a note of little things that my daughter used to say or do,which would bring a smile or an uproarious laugh to my lips. Then, I figured I would laugh or smile even more when I read the same things 20, maybe 50 years, down the line. This post catalogues snippets from December of 2008, just a little after Gy turned 2. I wish I could have started earlier, but am content that I have my treasure trove to delve into later.

So, welcome to this set of exchanges between me (SV) and my precious angel (Gy).

Here's hoping you enjoy them as much as I do:) Feel free to post comments.

We took Gy for her first-ever movie experience in a theatre. Baby was an angel and enjoyed the movie too:)

-Dec 30,2008

SV is tired of the whole 'amma-I-no-go-school' with tears -in- the- eyes routine that her daughter seems to have perfected!!!!

-Jan 28,2009

I am shocked that my little monkey of a daughter is willing to go away with her teacher, abandoning the parents who brought her up!! That's gratitude for you!

-Feb 10,2009

Am truly amazed at how quickly Gy's vocabulary has grown! Full sentences now, where only a month ago, there were monosyllabic words:)

-Mar 18,2009

I went to pick up Gy from school yesterday and was greeted by daughter crying loudly on seeing her mother. Reason? She did not want to come home with me- wanted to return by the school van as usual! She turned to me in the car and sternly ordered me never to come and pick her up again! I've heard of kids being embarrassed by their parents, but never realised it could start THIS early!

-Sept 3,2009

While waiting for the school van on friday, a tractor rumbled by making a rackety noise. Gy covered her ears and said," what noise, Amma!" I said, "A tractor always makes such a loud noise". She thought for 3 seconds and responded, " That tractor on which I saw the 'Ganesha' did not make so much noise." That did it! I was speechless!

-Sept 13,2009

SV is so proud of Gy! The little doll danced so well to 'Chak De India' on stage at school today:)

-Oct 2,2009

SV had a blast at Gy's school Christmas party! There was a sing-along session with christmas carols (even I rendered a 'solo' of 'Silent Night'):) That was followed by a story-session, a cartoon screening of Dr.Seuss' 'Green Eggs and Ham' and a supper which had items made by all the parents! I love play-school:)

-Dec 19, 2009

SV marvels at the scope of creativity. Bought a Hindi alphabet board for Gy. Since fitting the pieces into the slots has become boring, she has lined them up as children and talks to them:)

-Jan 8,2010

I simply love it when Gy puts her face close to mine and says 'I love you so much, Amma'. It is someting I never tire of hearing:)

-Jan 12, 2010

SV loved travelling around the world at the school Annual day today. The stopover at Arabia was especially cute with all the belly dancers around-Gy being one of them;)

-Jan 23, 2010

SV thoroughly enjoyed the Graduation Ceremony at Gy's school! She sang 'Hum Hongey Kamiyaab' . Each child wore a graduation cap, a sash with the child's outstanding quality and received an 'Achievement Book'!! Gy's sash was ' Helpful':) The book contains interesting snippets:"She loves to sing rhymes....she tries to write patterns neatly....she can answer simple questions". Lovely end to the academic year:)

-Mar 27, 2010

SV is living every mom's nightmare. The dreaded 'Why' phase! Sample:

G: Amma, why is Hanuman's name Hanuman?

Me: Because his mom named him so.

G: Why did she name him that?

Me: Because she liked the name.

G: But why didn't she name him something else.

Me: Umm... because she could not name him Gayathri.

G: (silence for 3 seconds).. so why did you name me Gy?

Me: (in my head) Dear God, give me peace!!!!

-May 7, 2010

Gy's idea of fun- flooding the bathroom with water as there was too much in the tub! Sigh....

-July 1, 2010

Gy after saying goodbye to her dad comes back into the house and sits on the sofa. After 5 minutes, I notice she has her hand tightly clenched. 'What is that?' I ask. She replies, 'Amma, this is the kiss that Appa blew to me. I am holding it." :-)

-Aug 31, 2010

At the Pittsburgh temple, the following dialogue took place:-D

Me: This is Lord Vishnu. Pray for anything that you want.
Gy: Can I ask for anything?

Me: Yes

Gy:( closes her eyes and prays for a few seconds) ok

Me: What did you ask for?

Gy: I prayed for a banana

-September 7, 2010

The other day when I was feeling pretty blue, Gayathri sensed it. She came up to me,put her arms around my neck and said," Don't worry, Amma. Nothing won't happen when I am with you". I was left speechless...

- September 12, 2010

Gayathri has tears streaming down her face during the climax scene of 'Beauty and the Beast'. I asked her why she was crying. She replies, " I did not want the Beast to change into the prince. Can you please change him back into the Beast? "

-September 17, 2010

Gayathri walks into the room where I'm packing and says, "They are showing dirty things on TV, Amma". Wondering what they would be showing on Sesame Street, I asked her what she meant. She said, in a hushed voice and wrinkling up her nose, "They are talking about DE-CAY." :D

-September 21, 2010

SV simply adores the way Gy flings open the curtains at 6am and yells excitedly, ' Amma, look! It's morning already!' :)

Gy wakes up one morning and comes to my room with a droopy look. I ask why she is upset. She says, "I was waiting for you to come to my room, cuddle me and wake me up"(That's how I always wake her). She continued, "I am going back to my room now. Come and wake me up that way". Which I did... :)

Eager to 'cut' my hair, Gy wanted to drape a large sheet over me. Since I was working at the time, I told her to go and cut her doll's hair. She looked at me and said, "Amma, that doll has no hair". She was right. It doesn't :)

SV likes Gy's simple solutions to issues.

G: Why did you let Appa go to Ohio? I miss him so much.
Me: What should I do?
G: Next time he tries to go, hold his t-shirt. Then, he can't go!

Tonight on KBC, Gy was tickled by the way one contestant kept saying "Jee, Sir" in response to Amitabh's queries. Once she left and another took her place, Gy turned to me and said, "Amma, I think she is going to say "F, Sir".:D

Me: so what did they give you for lunch today at school?
Gy: Chappati with Baby's finger : -D

05 January

Me: When i say it's time to go I don't want you begging for 5 more mins.

Gy: Ok, can i ask for 1,2,3,4 or 6 min? :-D

Gy: u know y we live on 4th floor?
Me: Why?
Gy: Because I am 4 yrs old. Next yr we will live on 5th floor :-D

Gy playing with bottles in kitchen.
Me- are u talking to them?
Gy (amused face)- no silly. They are talking to each other!

Gy: today we learnt ' Aparnacase' in school.
Me: what's that?
Gy: it's another name for capital letters: -D

February 22, 2011

Birth of a drama queen

noreply@blogger.com (Shyvee) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:33:00 +0000

Maybe it's a built-in response; maybe it's a learnt skill. Either way, it manages to grab attention.

I'm talking about how cleverly children weave a tantrum or tear-streaked response into any situation. Somehow, they know that it is guaranteed to elicit that desired response.

Of late, Gy has been cleverly using this tactic, but we are nipping it in the bud ( successfully, I hope:)

She knows now that crying loudly and crying for a long time will have one of the following effects:

We ignore her and continue doing what we do
We tell her to leave the room, cry it out and come back when she is calm
We distract her with something else

We never EVER give in to demands, as that is likely to set a precedent for more tantrums.

Any comments anyone? :)

Baby steps...on the big stage!

noreply@blogger.com (Shyvee) — Sun, 24 May 2009 16:01:00 +0000

Over and over again, I am reminded of how fantastic it is to be a parent and more so, a mother.

In the 5 months that Gy has been at PHK (Podar Happy Kids), she :

has expanded her vocabulary to an amazing extent, speaking sentences nowm instead of words
has started interacting more freely with kids her age
looks forward to school with an eagerness she displays only when she meets her grandparents
has had two performances on stage

Yes, you read that last part right! The school organised its first annual day in February this year and Gy took part in two dances. One was the Jungle themed "Monkey with a coconut" and the other was the all-time classic "Li'l white duck".

The costumes, the setting, the children and the teachers were highly appealing. And I must give it to the teachers. In order to make the children feel comfortable, they let go of their own inhibitions, singing, dancing and gesticulating like children themselves. Heartwarming sight indeed!

Then in May, I sent her to the summer camp organised by the school and it was again a pleasure to watch the kids take the stage on the last day of the camp. This time around, they performed to Hindi film and pop music, which added a distinctly Indian flavour to the day:)

Gy was in the song "Main Aisa Kyun Hoon" and "Lakdi ki Kaati".

The cream on the cake was delivered by Ms.B, the centre head who announced that PHK on Sarjapur road had been chosen as the best centre in India by the Podar Education Network this past year! Oh how proud that made us all.

Keep it up,PHK!

A month passes and the verdict is...

noreply@blogger.com (Shyvee) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:24:00 +0000

Normal!

Yes, Gy has successfully completed her first month at playschool and I must say that it has been a bit rough this past month. Now that the tears are in the past, I can look forward to a better routine as far as school is concerned:)

In this past month I picked up a few pointers on how to deal with the tears and the tantrums of the preschool stage. Here they are in 'Do's and Don'ts' format.

DO:

Decide clearly when you want to enrol the child. If the child stays in a nuclear family with both parents working, it probably makes sense to enrol the child early as a school setting is more healthy for the interactive learning process. If the nuclear family has one parent working, then you can start the child at school a bit later.
Once decided, stick to the resolve. It can be really tempting to stop sending the child to school at the sight of a tear-streaked face. Try not to interrupt the process as this is a natural part of the separation anxiety.However,if the tears persist beyond three weeks with no sign of abating, then it may mean that the child is not ready for school. You could try again a bit later. But discuss with the teacher first.Maybe the tears only last as long as you are around. Many kids settle down by the time the parent has left.
Do ask the child about school everyday. It really helps the transition process and makes the child realise that school can be a fun place away from the comfort of home.
Do praise the child when she/he goes to school without crying. That reward pumps the self esteem and makes the child ready to go back to school the next day.

DON'T:

Never threaten the child with school as punishment. That will only reinforce the idea that being bad means going to school, and is a very negative situation to get into.
Never downplay the importance of school. Only positive ideas will foster the child's eagerness to attend school.
Never take the teacher's name in vain. Using the teacher's name to make the child do something, will only make the child resent him/her.

Most important, parents MUST let go. All said and done, it is difficult to admit that someone other than you or your spouse can take care of your child the way you do. But, believe me, you just might be surprised how well a child listens and learns when it is from a third person:)

Happy school time , everyone!

Playschool-the first week

noreply@blogger.com (Shyvee) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 06:40:00 +0000

Monday -

The morning dawned and it was no different from any other weekday.But, this day was a milestone in Gy's life-her first day at school.Technically, it is playgroup,but it still marked a significant departure for her- from her routine, her comfort zone and her parents.

Having spoken to a few friends and family, I was prepared for bouts of crying, clinging and morose expressions. Gy was all excited that morning.She woke up early, had a bath, wore her school clothes and even slung her school kit over her shoulder in readiness for the day ahead.

If it had not been for the scores of other new kids crying at the school doorstep, I think she would have waltzed into the playgroup without a backward glance at me. However, the loud cries of the others unnerved her and she did what any other child her age would do-joined in the chorus. It was tough for me to watch her bawl but I steeled myself, gave her a warm hug and kiss and told her to enjoy herself. She looked none too happy and whimpered as the teacher carried her indoors.

The first day I waited outside the school along with 6 other anxious parents. Fortunately I had carried a book along and could tear myself away from the constant nail-biting and frantic glances that the other moms were throwing in the direction of the closed doors.
In fact, I did not even speak to the other moms much that first day, most of whom were too worried to socialize in any case.

In about half-hour the kids were brought down for outdoor play and I peeked around the corner to see if I could spot Gy. To my delight, she was enjoying herself-no tears, a determined look on her face and a sand bucket clutched in one hand. The thrill I felt at her independence was simply overwhelming.

At the end of an hour, the lot of us were summoned by the teacher to take our babies home, this being their very first day. When I saw Gy, she was again in tears and my heart sank. So the sand-pit episode was a fluke, was it? The teacher consoled us and said that it would take the children a week or 10 days to settle in.

Tuesday-

Gy began the day with the chant "Kool---Kool---go kool", which roughly translates to "let's go to school". Given her crying bout the previous day I was pleasantly surprised. But who am I to argue with willingness to attend school?

So, the morning routine done, I bundled her into the car and off we went to start the next day at the playhome. This time, I dropped her off at the door and despite her cries, I decided to wait out the hour at a shopping mall next door. My trusty book as my companion and the empty Cafe Coffee Day outlet only served to improve my mood. A Choco-latte by my side almost made me forget about poor Gy's cries as I had left her at school.

I say 'almost', but I did not forget. At exactly 5 minutes to 11am, I walked back to the school to be greeted by the teacher and the tear-streaked face of lil Gy. My heart sank lower than it had the previous day. Looks like she was not going to settle in anytime soon. Sighing, I bid goodbye to the teacher and took Gy home.

Wednesday-

The morning began differently. First Gy refused to get ready as she seemed to sense that it was going to be another day at 'school'. A bit of cajoling got her into the bathtub and she enjoyed splashing around.

The dressing-up routine brought her around to the idea of 'school' again and she cheerfully suggested we get ready fast. My hopes rising, I brushed her hair and locked up the house.Once in the car,however, the cheer on her face gave way to a droopy expression and she began saying 'kool,no...home go'.

I valiantly resisted the urge to turn back home and continued on to school. Then, at the school door, she clung to me and cried loudly for the first time in three days.Heartbreaking as it was, I let go and turned away. There are other kids who are louder than Gy,I consoled myself.

Today, I had company.One of the other moms who had seen me there on Tuesday struck up a conversation and we decided to go to the coffee shop together.Anything was better than standing outside the school and trying to figure out if our child's cry could be distinguished from the various others'. This other mom (G) had enrolled her son(Ak) on Tuesday.

There we were, two moms, each secretly wondering how her child was coping without her and each outwardly talking about everything else but the school. In retrospect, it was a good move, as it diverted us from the tension and anxiety that the other new parents must have been facing while still standing outside the school.

At 11.15, we braced ourselves for a fresh bout of crying as we walked in to school to pick up our kids. And, right on schedule, there they both were.Gy and Ak each ran to us ,clinging,crying and whimpering. But I did notice that Gy's tears had reduced in quantity and her sobs in volume. Well, a better day lay ahead,I surmised.

Thursday-

"No Kool"! Gy was very firm this time. But I gently kept asking her about the toys, the nice ladies and the other fun kids at school and she warmed to the concept of meeting them all again.

So, dropped her off.She cried a bit.I met G again. We went back to the coffee place.Sat there and jabbered for an hour-and-a -half this time.Since the mall also had a supermarket, we picked up some groceries while we were there.

When we went back at 11.30, the tacher summoned us to see the kids in action. Not directly,but via the CCTV installed in each of the rooms. As I watched, I found Gy happily playing in one corner of her room, blocks of all shapes in front of her. There were no tears, no looking towards the door for her mom and no sulking. My spirits rose. Ten minutes later, the teacher went in to bring her out.As the teacher called to her and picked up her bag, she set up a howl saying, "Want amma" (I want my mom)!

Walking out with a teary-faced Gy, the teacher handed her over and smiled at me. I smiled back.So, Gy cried only when I dropped her off and picked her up?Interesting!!

Friday-

It was the last day of the first week and I was tired already. Is this what it's going to be like?

The same routine got covered and in G's company, I downed a Hot Chocolate. We suddenly decided that we would bring the kids out to the mall's food court for lunch. After all, they had survived the week at school:)

Close to noon, when we picked them up, they were still a bit teary-eyed but definitely fitting in, at last. The teacher told me that Gy had for the first time that week, eaten a bit of the daily snack that I had sent from home. My heart sent up a prayer of gratitude to God.

So, after all the tears and the clinging , the sobs and the denials, my baby was actually getting into the school routine.

Not bad for a 2 and a half year old,eh?

Vaccines and their 'side-effect'

noreply@blogger.com (Shyvee) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 08:56:00 +0000

If you are wondering about the possible side-effects of a vaccine being fever,swelling, chills and loss of appetite, you aren't too far off the mark.

However, this post talks about the "other side-effect", namely, the kid's reaction when she realises that she is going to be subjected to a painful prick on her tender thigh/arm from a wicked-looking needle and syringe.

For nearly 2 years, it was sheer torture for hubby and me to take Gy for her regular vaccinations. Reason being the second she saw the doctor, she would howl pitifully, remembering how the injection hurt her the last time.

Time and again, we would cajole her into sitting still, hold her down firmly and shut our ears to the screams that she emitted while the poor chap did his duty.

Till recently, that is!

On one visit about 2 months ago, Gy grabbed hold of her favourite doll and insisted on taking it with her to the doctor's office. I relented and prayed that this would act as a diversion.

Once at the doctor's, she carried her doll into the consulting room and told the doctor that the baby was sick. The doctor asked her what he needed to do. She solemnly asked him to give the baby an injection. The doctor seriously nodded his head and glanced at us with a light smile.Hubby and I tried our hardest not to laugh.

Doc then told Gy that he would first give Gy an injection and then give the doll one. To our surprise, she readily agreed.She did wriggle a bit and also emitted a whimpering cry when the needle went into her thigh.But, on the whole, her behaviour was so different from the previous visits, that it was astonishing! Her round done, she waited while the doctor injected the syringe into the doll and she then picked up the doll and consoled it.

Finally, with a smile and a cheery wave, she bid the doctor 'good-bye'.

We were taken aback, to say the least, at this total turnaround of events.Now, the doll is a necessary part of our trips to the doctor;)

Photo courtesy: Wikipedia

Diwali-how it isn't fun for babies

noreply@blogger.com (Shyvee) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 04:36:00 +0000

Yes, you know what I mean. The biggest threat during Diwali is the noise pollution generated.

And the smallest victims are children and animals. These creatures don't understand why someone goes out of their way to create noise and strike fear into the little bodies that stand around.

When Gy first saw a fireworks display, it was with her hands pressed firmly over her eyes. While the bright colours and sparkling lights elicited "oohs" and "Wows" from everyone else at a public show, she adamantly refused to see anything that followed the sound of a loud "boom".

The next evening, as hubby and I tried to interest her in the merry dance of a few "floral" lights (unaccompanied by bursts and bangs), she clung to me as if her life depended on it.The memory of those lights preceded by loud noise had sealed the image in her mind.

Perhaps, all things considered (pollution, noise levels, increased rates of crackers, floundering economy) it may make sense to go in for a clean, eco-friendly Diwali next year onwards.

After all, Diwali needs to light up our lives-it can do so in the warm, glowing diyas in the four corners of our homes. Happy Diwali everyone!

Image courtesy: Wikipedia

And the madness begins...-The hunt for the preschool

noreply@blogger.com (Shyvee) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 06:31:00 +0000

So, you have a young child, the apple of your eye, the core of your existence, the light in your life.Chances are you haven't even begun to think of the "S" word yet. I am talking about "school".

Most parents are thinking, "School? My baby?Too young,I say! I mean she has just started crawling after all-well, maybe she walks a bit too- but the point is, she is still a little person. School is for big kids, right?"

I say, "think again".

My lil one ,Gy, just completed two years this July and I was sitting back, saying to myself, 'Hmm, another year and she can go to preschool".

Then, a casual remark from a friend triggered the hunt. She said, ' Have you thought about which school your daughter will be attending from grade 1'? I was a bit amused and pointed out that Gy was only 2 and grade 1 was 4 years away. She looked at me wryly and said, "Trust me, the hunt starts early. Where they do their pre-schooling determines which school will admit them into first grade".

I sat up and looked her in the eye. She was serious.The scouring had to begin, and soon!

So, armed with the easiest weapon at my disposal, the Internet, I commenced the search. My detailed post on the list of preschools/daycare/montessori schools is now available for reading.

There were a few things to consider:

Pre-school vs Montessori:

In the preschool idea, it is pretty straightforward. The child is usually admitted around 3 years of age, to the nursery or pre-kg stage.Then she graduates to kg-1 and then kg-2. Most often, kids who attend preschool can exit at any stage, post a year or two, and get into other schools for their 'higher studies'. However, in the montessori method, the program is designed for a full 3 -year schedule. The idea behind this is that each kid learns at her pace and is not pushed to conform to the syllabus as set forth by a school. Here, kids have more interactive activity and learning is on a 'no-pressure' basis. Most montessori trainers recommend that the child completes the entire 3-year programme,as then she will get the maximum benefit from the methodology. This means that the child is eligible for grade 1 from the age of 6, having completed 3 years of montessori. Something to think about!

Also, many schools slap on the label "montessori" irrespective of whether they actually follow the method.

A certified list of montessori schools in Bangalore by the Indian Montessori Centre is viewable at this link. They give a list of the schools, some have a small write-up and all have full contact details such as phone number,address and website.

Proximity:

This may seem like a negligible factor, but in reality, it isn't. We don't want our young kids to be travelling for 2 hours one-way on a bus to spend 3 hours in a playschool.That kind of defeats the entire purpose.
So you may want a school that is, ideally, walking distance from your home/place of work.

If there isn't one that close by, look for a good school within a 3 or 4 km radius.Schools are everywhere these days. Make sure that you can either pick-up and drop the child yourself (by pvt vehicle) or ensure that the school has transport facility.Check with other parents as to how reliable and safe the transport option provided by the school has been so far.

Fees/Facilities:

"Schools in my day never charged this much", is a common refrain you are likely to hear from your peers and your parents. The era has changed. More and more schools are now charging a minimum fee of 25k per year for a 3-hour stint at the preschool stage. The higher end schools can range from 75k to 1.5 lakhs per year. (Yes, we are talking about preschools, not IIT admissions;)

My advice is have a budget which commences at 25k per year. Then,you can modify that according to your personal income/expense capability.

Check to see what are the facilities that come within the fee structure.
If the following are included/not:

Snacks/lunch/milk
Transport
Books/other supplies
Field trip charges/celebrations of festivals
Medical aid/first aid on campus

Curriculum:

Although this depends largely on whether you go the preschool way or choose the montessori method, do demand to see the curriculum that your child will be following.
When the child is close to 5.5 years of age, a certain degree of writing must be incorporated into their daily routine, as the Grade 1 demands are higher than the KG/M-3 stages. So ensure that it is part of the curriculum at that level.

However, one criticism I have heard from teachers and other academicians is that parents these days try to pressure the teachers into giving pre-schoolers 'homework' so that they are ready for the rigours of school.

Parents, please note; teachers know what they are doing. And yes, you do have a say in what you want your child to do, but don't tell the teacher how to do his/her job. Also, do not impose homework on a child when the situation does not demand it. It will only encourage rote learning and kill creative thinking.

Feedback from other parents:

Whichever school you decide upon, ensure that you get the feedback about the facilities, the teachers, the support staff,the school environs,the transport system, the food quality (if lunch/snacks are offered by the school), the policies that the school follows regarding taking snapshots at school events (I am not kidding-check it out! ).

And make sure that this feedback comes from parents of kids who are already in the school.

That about sums it up for the first part of the hunt;) More on the names of the schools, the reviews is already up on my blog , and will be updated regularly.

Happy hunting!

Preschools,Montessoris and Daycares-Sarjapur ORR/HSR layout/Koramangla

noreply@blogger.com (Shyvee) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:57:00 +0000

Here is a list of preschools,montessori schools and daycare centres I managed to find in the following areas:

Sarjapur road/ORR/HSR layout/Koramangala

Kara 4 kids (HSR Layout)
VIBGYOR Kids (Marathahalli/Bannerghatta road)
LYL genesis(near Staar/Spatica Hospital HSR layout)
Sparrows(opp HSR BDA Complex)
Podar happy kids(Sarjapur road -near Total mall)
Vidyarambh(Sarjapur road near bellandur junction)
ViVaa international(jakkasandra junction)
India International daycare(outer ring road near Sarjapur road junction )
Shemrock Tinkerbells(inside Suncity apartments, outer ring road)
Your Kids R Our Kids(near jayadeva flyover, bannerghatta road)-new centre open now on Inner ring road,Koramangala
DRS kids (Sobha Quartz,ORR,Bellandur)
Srishti Montessori House of Children (Sarjapur road,near Wipro corporate office)
Prakriya school (Sarjapur road, near Wipro office)
Euro Kids (Sarjapur road)
Gear International (Sarjapur road)
Headstart Montessori (Koramangala)
Little Feat Montessori (Koramangala)
Cherubs Montessori (HSR layout-behind Mantri Sarovar)

A mini-coverage of the above is available in the form of an excel sheet.

Another list of schools in the Marathahalli area is available here.

It is not exhaustive, but I hope it will be useful.

The list is in random order with the reviews attached giving a clearer picture. Most of the reviews below are either my personal opinion or what I found online at other blogs/discussion forums and may be a bit biased(either for/against the school).So please make any decision only on the following criteria and in the given order of preference:

Personal visit to the school/meeting the school authorities
Comparing schools based on: facilities/fees/proximity to home or work/curriculum/ if daycare is attached (only applicable for working parents)
Getting feedback from other parents who send their kids to the same school

I have only visited four of them so far, but have done reading-up on most of the others.

*Fees and facilities mentioned here are as of October 2008.For updated info, please contact the schools directly.

Kara 4 kids: (HSR layout) -Review by self

I went on a visit to the school with a friend of mine who sends her son there.

Thumbs-up points:

By and large I have heard good things about Kara. They have a separate section for toddlers and another one for the preschoolers. They also have a separate section for daycare.
They are pretty much the only ones in this area who use the montessori method as well as provide daycare. The others are the preschool-cum-daycare variety.
Good variety of activities inside the facility
Provision of food(snack is free-lunch costs extra(quite a bit too)
Transport van available-again costs extra
Separate room for naptime-(best one of all the four schools I saw)

Thumbs-down points:

Expensive! They are really only able to cater to the higher-end families, because the tuition fee alone costs 65k(INR) plus a one-time non-refundable deposit of 15k.
Transport costs 47k extra p/a
Lunch costs 12k extra p/a
Their outside play area is limited-they do have a large basement for outdoor activity, but to me, that is still indoors;)

For more details on Kara(the locations/phone numbers/detailed structure), visit their website

(* The school has very good features and since it was the first one I saw, I could gauge and compare the other schools based on these standards. Two reasons I rejected it were fees and location)

Vidyarambh Preschool and Daycare centre- (Sarjapur road,Opposite Purva Sunshine)-Review by self

Been here on a personal visit with my mother and my daughter, after locating the school online and talking to the lady-in-charge over the telephone. Overall, a good experience.

Thumbs-up points:

Location-very convenient-close to hubby's office
Transport available-nominal charge of Rs.700 per month for pick up + drop (can opt for one-way transport too)
They have differential pricing for admission-depending on which month you enroll the child.Very cost-effective model-reasonable fees(2500 to 2800 per month)
Tie-up with Wipro-so they charge a reduced rate for the daycare facility if the child's parent is a Wipro-ite.
Decent variety of activities inside the complex
Teacher-student ratio is 1:5
Minimal furniture to encourage free movement
Toilet training done for toddlers(big thumbs-up!)
First-aid available onsite;doctor available on call
Reasonable fees: 28k for the year(preschool)

Thumbs-down points:

Rooms for activity are a bit small,compared to Kara; and with 20 energetic kids, one needs room to move about.
Outside play area is almost the same size as Kara-rather limited
Washrooms were so-so; not as clean as I would have liked, considering Gy is in the middle of potty training.
Daycare being across the road and not in the same facility.

For more on Vidyarambh, their curriculum,their methods,visit them on the web.

(* Was almost decided on this place before we saw Podar Happy Kids. On the whole, a good place to consider)

EuroKids (Kasavanahalli,Off Sarjapur road)-Review by self

This was the third on the list of schools that we saw. Not for nothing are they popular.The environs,the school's interiors, the person-in-charge were all very positive.Hubby and I liked the place as did Gy.

Thumbs-up points:

Established school with positive reviews from all over
Location close to hubby's office
Transport available-500/= for drop/pickup
Largest variety of activity rooms we saw(includes Euro gym/Euro library)
Large rooms(twice as big as Vidyarambh)
Teacher-student ratio is 1:8
Minimal furniture
Toilet training is done
First-aid available
Reasonable fees: 29k(preschool/nursery)

Thumbs-down points:

No daycare facility(school only from 8.45 to 11.15 OR 11.15 to 1.45)
Rather interior location-a km from the main road

Deatils on locations, their online tour of a school are all available at their site.

(*A very good experience, but had to shelve it because they do not have daycare.)

Podar Happy kids (Sarjapur road,next to TOTAL mall)- Review by self

Hubby and I visited the place with Gy in tow. Pretty much the best one we saw.The lady-in-charge (Ms.B) was extremely helpful, patient in answering queries, showing us the entire facility and clarifying all our doubts.

The school is a part of the Podar education trust which is headquartered in Mumbai and has franchisees across four states in India. Their preschool chain is called Podar Jumbo kids. The Happy Kids is a combo of the preschool and daycare facility.

Thumbs-up points:

Location convenient-midway between home and hubby's office
Large facility, with garden area,play area (slides/swings/splash pool etc)
Rooms inside are pretty big( 3 times bigger than Vidyarambh's rooms)
The curriculum sounds innovative and different from other schools (New Zealand's Te-Whariki)
Teacher-student ratio is 1:5(there is also an assistant to the teacher for the 5 kids)
Transport available (for 2 to 3 km radius, the charge is 300 p/m for both pick-up & drop)
Minimal furniture-foldaway tables for meals
Home-cooked meals available in facility (only for daycare students;preschoolers carry their own snack/water)-The Centre Head is a dietician/nutritonist by profession and supervises the menu for the children personally.Menu changes every day.
First-aid available onsite;doctor available on call
Toilet training done for toddlers(big thumbs-up!)-Washrooms rather clean

Reasonably priced fee structure:

Preschool- 28k for the year (9.30am to 12 pm)
Preschool +Daycare -around 55k for the year(8.30 am to 7 pm)

(The only school we saw that did not charge a fee for taking an application form)

Thumbs-down points:

Classrooms double up as naptime rooms-usually not a problem, since preschoolers are gone by 12pm and naptime starts after 1.30; may be a problem for younger kids who stay the whole day

(* Hubby and I decided that this was the best place of the four we had seen and will start sending Gy here from January 2009.)

VIBGYOR Kids: (Bannerghatta road & Marathahalli)- Review by another blogger

A very good review of the school can be found on this blog. The school's website is listed here.

Eurokids (not the one on Sarjapur road)- Review by other blogger

The feedback in detail is rather good, but check if you can get a review of the branch that you are looking at.

LYL genesis
Sparrows
Podar happy kids
Vidyarambh
Vivaa international
India International daycare
Shemrock Tinkerbells
Your Kids are our Kids

Reviews for the above 8 schools are available at this other blog.

Little Feat Montessori (Koramangala) -Review by parent on www.mouthshut.com

Seems to have a good opinion rating on the whole.Detailed feedback on mouthshut.

Have been unable to find reviews/feedback for the other schools I have listed above.If anyone has any feedback on those, please post them here via comments, so that more parents can benefit.

*DISCLAIMER: Please note.The reviews and opinions expressed here are purely those of the author. They do not represent any of the schools or other bloggers mentioned herein.Kindly make a personal visit to the schools to draw your own judgements, and do not rely solely on the views given here.

Vocabulary time

noreply@blogger.com (Shyvee) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 10:34:00 +0000

At 23 months of age, Gy can say almost 30 words.I don't know where that stands in the milestone stage, but I don't really worry about it.

Right now, just enjoying the way she says a word or the eagerness with which she grasps a new one is enough for me.

A list of words she says:

Amma
Appa
Thatha
Paati
Ammamma
Appu
Chitthi
Thathi
Dabba
Onnu
Mammam
Thinni--for thanni (water)
Paalu--- for paal (milk)
Jilla-- for anything cold/cool
Bow bow...for dog:)
Tom...for the cat in the famous cartoon
Polaan.... for "let's go"
Dabala...for drums
Poon...for spoon
Ukkle...for uncle
Aathi...for Aunty/or Atthai
Aachu...for "all gone"
Come
Go
No
Abba...for the sound "rabba" in the song "JhoomBarabar Jhoom"!
Baa baa boo boo...for the first line of the nursery rhyme.

Hope to add more words to the list soon. And soon hope to hear too many words to worry about filling in the list!

The tonsured head!

noreply@blogger.com (Shyvee) — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 07:00:00 +0000

This was long overdue and we finally got to do it in the last weekend of November,November 25th.

Holding the girl down is a tough task as the baby thinks she is going to be seriously tortured:)

The good thing about the task...the child is hair free for a few weeks or months and that saves bath time for the mom;)

The really sad consequence, at least in Gy's case, is her overwhelming fear of any person holding her down, for any activity ever since.

But, I am hoping this is just a temporary phase and will pass soon.After all, kids have notoriously short memories for everything.Just this is taking a while longer than I expect.

Gift of the gab....or should I say babble?

noreply@blogger.com (Shyvee) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 16:16:00 +0000

Babies and baby talk---two awesome things!

My daughter tries her hardest to communicate her ideas,likes,dislikes, worries...all in her gibberish.

On the one hand, it is frustrating to see her struggle and yet, in its own quaint way, the effort she makes is heart-warming and remarkable to observe:)

Her first word was "Bye-Bye" and she loves to go out for walks, drives, play or just to watch the birds.

She tries to mimic the elevator's recorded message, "Please close the door" and the result is hilarious, where she rounds her lips to make a similar sound!

Antics and mischief

noreply@blogger.com (Shyvee) — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 05:23:00 +0000

Which kid is silent and well-behaved 24x7? Not mine and I don't mind it either:)

As long as the boundary lines are drawn between mischief and danger, and you can ensure she stays within those lines, you are doing fine.
`

My little one loves music and dance... and this from the tender age of 2 months or so. She loves to climb up on soafas/beds/tables and try the "jump sequence" from varying heights.

Although we need to exercise caution when kids try out new behaviour, it is best to encourage them to be fearless.That is the way that kids can learn-to be cautious on their own, without admonition.

Pulling out kitchen drawers,exciting cupboards, dad's laptop case,mom's books are all things that Gy enjoys doing...and yes, it can be annoying at times.But the key thing may be to just let go and watch the child-it can be a very enriching experience.The thrill they express when they see a key for the very first time or the triumph on their little faces when they successfully jump off a sofaset.

Children were meant to be naughty-let's just enjoy this phase while it lasts...

Diaper tales

noreply@blogger.com (Shyvee) — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 06:16:00 +0000

One of a mom's worst nightmares is nappy rash and skin reddening due to frequent wetting.

I have managed to stick to cloth nappies during the day for Gy and a diaper or two at night to help her sleep right through.

Early on, the diaper changes would be every 30 minutes or so. Then that became every hour or two.

For her, I have hardly had nappy rash trouble except for once when there was a bad fungal infection.For that the doctor recommended the cream candide. That worked wonders and the problem was gone within 4 days.

The cloth nappy I use comes with its own velcro. I place a cloth pad inside and line the pad with a disposable liner which has a tissue feel to it. The tissue keeps the baby's skin dry while pulling the wetness into the cloth nappy. Great stuff! Topped it off with a pair of underpants to keep the nappy in place. Sounds a bit tedious and heavy for the baby, but given the coldness of Bangalore, it is worth it and not uncomfortable.

Another preventive home remedy is to apply coconut oil before putting on the nappy. Keeps rashes at bay.

Sleep patterns I faced

noreply@blogger.com (Shyvee) — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 07:16:00 +0000

With babies, it is very difficult to generalise a pattern of consistent sleep.

My daughter was not a good night-time sleeper the first 10 months of her life. Yes, that's a long time of insomniac nights I went through!

People blame inadequate feeding, incorrect sleeping postures,colic pain in the first 4 to 6 months of life, too much lighting in the bedroom, too much swaddling or very little swaddling as reasons. In my case, it was a bit of everything and yet nothing worked as a complete cure to her insomnia.

I exclusively breastfed Gy (my code for my daughter) for 4 months. Due to inadequate weight gain, I started her on semi solids,but continued to breasfeed for 12 months. For the last 5 months in that period, she would suckle just to fall asleep. As a result I would wake up every night at least 3 to 5 times to suckle her to sleep.

Then in the 12th month, I tried not to feed her one night as she had started to clamp down hard on my breast with her little teeth(have bled from this issue at least 4 times). That night she cried herself to sleep. From the next night onwards, she slept through the night, and got up once or twice to have a sip of water.
Since her turning a year old, she sleeps comfortably and does not wake in the night.

Been a tough year but is great once you get through it:)

Breastfeeding -the 2 sides of the story!

noreply@blogger.com (Shyvee) — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 06:55:00 +0000

Mild pun intended in the above title:)

The one thing that completely and singularly binds mother to child is the wonderful world of breastfeeding. I am so glad that God gave me the opportunity and the capacity to experience this wonderful blessing.

Most mothers think that new moms have an inbuilt idea on how to breastfeed. Sadly, that is not true. I learnt that with a little difficulty.

My daughter took to breastfeeding rather well, in the initial days. But later, she began to do all the things that made it difficult to feed her. She would nibble, play with the breast, fall asleep without feeding or worse, bite hard with her little jaws

(to be continued...)

When we visited the doctor

noreply@blogger.com (Shyvee) — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 06:48:00 +0000

Since day 1, we have pretty much made those mandatory vaccination visits to the doctor at the scheduled times.

Apart from that, there were a few check ups which we had to do for her weight gain.
She did not seem to be gaining at the required rate and I had to start solids for her from month 4. She started on 2 scoops of cerelac and took to it well.

Then came the fever visits. Once we had to go for a diarrhoea complaint accompanied by vomitting and mild fever. Fortunately, it was a passing virus attack. She recovered fairly well, all things considered.

Why I am writing this blog

noreply@blogger.com (Shyvee) — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 17:01:00 +0000

Ok, so I know I am not the first or the last to write another 'Mom' blog. But you have to admit it is a strong temptation to catalogue everything that your little one does:)

Primarily, I am trying to keep track of everything that I found useful in the last 13 months of my life with Gy*(code for my daughter)-the angel that became a part of my life in July last year.In the process, if what I write is useful or helpful to other moms and would-be parents, I consider that a true bonus!

Keep watching this space for more

Why Oil is good for baby

noreply@blogger.com (Shyvee) — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 16:54:00 +0000

Very early on, we discovered that oil when massaged on the baby is healthy and nourishing. Part of a very ancient Indian tradition, oil massage is beneficial in building bones,strengthening the muscles and relaxing the child into peaceful slumber.

Just prior to bath time, an oil massage is wonderful. A good, 20 minute massage can prepare the baby for the warm bath that follows.Any vegetable oil (gingelly,almond, olive,coconut and other ayurvedic oils) are ideal for this process.

For correct massage techniques consult a professional masseur/masseuse. Once learnt, the mother or father can do the massage on their own. The greatest benefit is the bonding that it promotes between parent and child.

Mustard oil is another very good oil and is especially good to use in winter. It warms the body.

Neem oil can be used as an insect/mosquito repellent. Safe on babies younger than a year old.

Food chart for baby

noreply@blogger.com (Shyvee) — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 16:45:00 +0000

Maybe the most interesting thing to see is the way a child takes or rejects anything new offered to her. In this journey with my only child, I have tried to make a list of her diet through the first year.

In general, she never rejected anything new.Though she does have the habit of taking a first bite, spitting it out and then proceeding to finish the meal! Talk about a juvenile wine taster.

I managed to compile a Google doc of her diet which can be traced here. This is probably most useful for vegetarians as our family does not partake of anything non-veg.

Diet chart for baby (ages 0 to 10 months)

Things to remember:

Never force a child to eat anything. Not worth it and more importantly you don't want a fussy eater on your hands later in life.
If the child cries the first time you give solid food, it may not mean she dislikes it. My baby wanted me to feed her faster and it is a good thing I found out fast:)
Food intake should be increased gradually.
New foods are best tried with a 3 to 4 day gap.
Try new foods during the day so any allergic reactions can be detected early.

Diary of a mom

Night-time toilet training

Kids say and do the darndest things!

SV likes Gy's simple solutions to issues.

G: Why did you let Appa go to Ohio? I miss him so much. Me: What should I do? G: Next time he tries to go, hold his t-shirt. Then, he can't go!

Tonight on KBC, Gy was tickled by the way one contestant kept saying "Jee, Sir" in response to Amitabh's queries. Once she left and another took her place, Gy turned to me and said, "Amma, I think she is going to say "F, Sir".:D

Me: so what did they give you for lunch today at school? Gy: Chappati with Baby's finger : -D

Me: When i say it's time to go I don't want you begging for 5 more mins.

Gy: Ok, can i ask for 1,2,3,4 or 6 min? :-D

Gy: u know y we live on 4th floor? Me: Why? Gy: Because I am 4 yrs old. Next yr we will live on 5th floor :-D

Gy playing with bottles in kitchen. Me- are u talking to them? Gy (amused face)- no silly. They are talking to each other!

Gy: today we learnt ' Aparnacase' in school. Me: what's that? Gy: it's another name for capital letters: -D

February 22, 2011

Birth of a drama queen

Baby steps...on the big stage!

A month passes and the verdict is...

Playschool-the first week

Vaccines and their 'side-effect'

Diwali-how it isn't fun for babies

And the madness begins...-The hunt for the preschool

Preschools,Montessoris and Daycares-Sarjapur ORR/HSR layout/Koramangla

Vocabulary time

The tonsured head!

Gift of the gab....or should I say babble?

Antics and mischief

Diaper tales

Sleep patterns I faced

Breastfeeding -the 2 sides of the story!

When we visited the doctor

Why I am writing this blog

Why Oil is good for baby

Food chart for baby

G: Why did you let Appa go to Ohio? I miss him so much.
Me: What should I do?
G: Next time he tries to go, hold his t-shirt. Then, he can't go!

Me: so what did they give you for lunch today at school?
Gy: Chappati with Baby's finger : -D

Gy: u know y we live on 4th floor?
Me: Why?
Gy: Because I am 4 yrs old. Next yr we will live on 5th floor :-D

Gy playing with bottles in kitchen.
Me- are u talking to them?
Gy (amused face)- no silly. They are talking to each other!

Gy: today we learnt ' Aparnacase' in school.
Me: what's that?
Gy: it's another name for capital letters: -D