She's old enough! http://blogs.jambav.com/raghu She's old enough! en-US http://backend.userland.com/rss 60 No problem Wed, 06 Sep 2006 04:46:09 +0000 Homepage Parenting 3353@http://blogs.jambav.com English is not Netra's mother tongue and my wife has of late taken the responsibility of talking to her in English so that Netra can gradually learn the language. Of late, she tries hard to impress us with the little English that she has learnt and even displayed her prowess by exhibiting how "angry" and "hungry" meant two completely different things, even thought they sounded remarkably similar. A few days back we went to Netra's school for a parent teacher meeting. The teacher mentioned that the previous day she had asked Netra to wait for a few minutes so that she can finish what she was doing and then attend to her. Netra had responded with a "No problem". Raghu Of late, she tries hard to impress us with the little English that she has learnt and even displayed her prowess by exhibiting how "angry" and "hungry" meant two completely different things, even thought they sounded remarkably similar.

A few days back we went to Netra's school for a parent teacher meeting. The teacher mentioned that the previous day she had asked Netra to wait for a few minutes so that she can finish what she was doing and then attend to her. Netra had responded with a "No problem".

Raghu

Written by a Jambav Parenting Blogger. For more, visit http://blogs.jambav.com]]> http://blogs.jambav.com/raghu?p=3353&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#comments Bedtime story Mon, 07 Aug 2006 07:58:12 +0000 Parenting 3249@http://blogs.jambav.com Telling a bedtime story to Netra is not easy. She can hijack a story towards unintended areas as it happened last night, like so: Netra: Tell me a story Me: OK. There was a lion in a forest Netra: Tell me a monkey story Me: OK. There was a monkey and 2 cats in the forest. The cats' mother gave them a cake.......... Netra: What was the name of the cat? Me: Soman (from the last Sunday movie Tenali) Netra: And the other cat? Me: Raman (names HAVE to rhyme in bed time stories) Netra: What about the monkey? Me: Krishnan (I apoligise to all Krishnans here...I had a pick a name and Krishnan was picked for no specific reason) Netra: Is the monkey a boy? Me: Yes Netra: Why dont we make it a girl? Me: OK. We can make it a girl Netra: What shall we name the monkey then? Me: You decide (better way) Netra: We'll name her Keerthana. (On behalf of her I apoligise to all Keerthanas here {and also to any Keethana that you might know}. Keerthana is a girl in her class) Me: OK. We'll name her Keerthana Netra: Today Vishnu pushed Keerthana in school. Me: Thats bad Netra: The "miss" gave Vishnu a "time out" and made him stand in the corner. Me: OK Netra: The other day Vishnu pushed Mobika........... I had just started to snore. Somehow, Im starting to feel that she asks me for a story so that she can get me to sleep and then go out and play hijack a story towards unintended areas as it happened
last night, like so:

Netra: Tell me a story
Me: OK. There was a lion in a forest
Netra: Tell me a monkey story
Me: OK. There was a monkey and 2 cats in the forest.
The cats' mother gave them a cake..........
Netra: What was the name of the cat?
Me: Soman (from the last Sunday movie Tenali)
Netra: And the other cat?
Me: Raman (names HAVE to rhyme in bed time stories)
Netra: What about the monkey?
Me: Krishnan (I apoligise to all Krishnans here...I
had a pick a name and Krishnan was picked for no
specific reason)
Netra: Is the monkey a boy?
Me: Yes
Netra: Why dont we make it a girl?
Me: OK. We can make it a girl
Netra: What shall we name the monkey then?
Me: You decide (better way)
Netra: We'll name her Keerthana. (On behalf of her I
apoligise to all Keerthanas here {and also to any
Keethana that you might know}. Keerthana is a girl in
her class)
Me: OK. We'll name her Keerthana
Netra: Today Vishnu pushed Keerthana in school.
Me: Thats bad
Netra: The "miss" gave Vishnu a "time out" and made
him stand in the corner.
Me: OK
Netra: The other day Vishnu pushed Mobika...........

I had just started to snore.

Somehow, Im starting to feel that she asks me for a
story so that she can get me to sleep and then go out
and play

Written by a Jambav Parenting Blogger. For more, visit http://blogs.jambav.com]]> http://blogs.jambav.com/raghu?p=3249&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#comments Growing pains Wed, 07 Jun 2006 08:34:42 +0000 Parenting 204@http://blogs.jambav.com Netra complains of pain in the leg one or two days a week and we intially took her to her Pediatrcian who assured us that it was Growing pains, quite common in the age group of 3 to 6. She (the Pediatrcian I mean) assured us that this is nothing to worry about. Our search in the web too confims that this is harmless, based on the symptoms that Netra shows. Enquiries by my wife among the others in her Mother's Group confirms that quite a few kids have it. This usually occurs in the evening or night, and is more pronounced on days when she has been running and jumping around a lot. There is no swelling or tenderness and she responds well to massages and a bit of cuddling. The pain never persists the next morning. Any other kids here with something similar? Raghu http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/aches/growing_pains.html is a good link Netra complains of pain in the leg one or two days a week and we intially took her to her Pediatrcian who assured us that it was Growing pains, quite common in the age group of 3 to 6. She (the Pediatrcian I mean) assured us that this is nothing to worry about. Our search in the web too confims that this is harmless, based on the symptoms that Netra shows. Enquiries by my wife among the others in her Mother's Group confirms that quite a few kids have it.
This usually occurs in the evening or night, and is more pronounced on days when she has been running and jumping around a lot. There is no swelling or tenderness and she responds well to massages and a bit of cuddling. The pain never persists the next morning.
Any other kids here with something similar?

Raghu

http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/aches/growing_pains.html is a good link



Written by a Jambav Parenting Blogger. For more, visit http://blogs.jambav.com]]> http://blogs.jambav.com/raghu?p=204&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#comments Koottu Sat, 06 May 2006 14:40:18 +0000 Parenting 95@http://blogs.jambav.com Foreword: This blog contains the Tamil word "Koottu". I thought I should explain what Koottu is for the benefit of readers who dont know what it is. If you already know what it is, then you can skip this foreword and go right to the main content, thereby saving you precious time. If you feel that your time is not THAT precious, you can continue to read and Ill not scold you. Koottu is a south Indian dish made with vegetables, lentils and some seasoning. It makes a good combination with rice and its versatility comes from the fact that it can be used both as a side dish and as something that you can mix with rice. It is pretty light (needs very little oil and therefore preferred at night) and provides a good combination of proteins and whatever goodies the vegetables in it have. Main content: Netra's favorite bedtime game with me these days is to take turns naming 5 vegetables, then 5 animals, then 5 fruits, then 5 colors, then 5 birds and then whatever comes to her mind. A game that is unlikely to excite grown ups, but one that she looks forward to with anticipation each day. She'll very often greet me when I return from work with, "Lets play 5 animals" and I explain that its a bedtime game and I still need to finish dinner and stuff before we can engage in it. A couple of days back, during one of her turns, she had to name 5 vegetables. Shes usually very fast with the first few, naming the ones that she had for dinner that day. Its like the first 3 take 4 seconds and the last 2 take about a minute, sometime with a few clues... "The red one". As usual she rattled off the first 3 fast and thought about the next for a while and suddenly said, "koottu". Foreword:
This blog contains the Tamil word "Koottu". I thought I should explain what Koottu is for the benefit of readers who dont know what it is. If you already know what it is, then you can skip this foreword and go right to the main content, thereby saving you precious time. If you feel that your time is not THAT precious, you can continue to read and Ill not scold you.
Koottu is a south Indian dish made with vegetables, lentils and some seasoning. It makes a good combination with rice and its versatility comes from the fact that it can be used both as a side dish and as something that you can mix with rice. It is pretty light (needs very little oil and therefore preferred at night) and provides a good combination of proteins and whatever goodies the vegetables in it have.

Main content:
Netra's favorite bedtime game with me these days is to take turns naming 5 vegetables, then 5 animals, then 5 fruits, then 5 colors, then 5 birds and then whatever comes to her mind. A game that is unlikely to excite grown ups, but one that she looks forward to with anticipation each day. She'll very often greet me when I return from work with, "Lets play 5 animals" and I explain that its a bedtime game and I still need to finish dinner and stuff before we can engage in it.

A couple of days back, during one of her turns, she had to name 5 vegetables. Shes usually very fast with the first few, naming the ones that she had for dinner that day. Its like the first 3 take 4 seconds and the last 2 take about a minute, sometime with a few clues... "The red one".
As usual she rattled off the first 3 fast and thought about the next for a while and suddenly said, "koottu".



Written by a Jambav Parenting Blogger. For more, visit http://blogs.jambav.com]]> http://blogs.jambav.com/raghu?p=95&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#comments Chicken soup for the Mother's Soul Sun, 23 Apr 2006 17:32:12 +0000 Parenting 84@http://blogs.jambav.com My wife is reading this book and thinks very highly of it. The mothers among the readers might want to check it out. As Netra's father, I dont have any "motherly" feelings and cant seem to appreciate the book Raghu My wife is reading this book and thinks very highly of it. The mothers among the readers might want to check it out.
As Netra's father, I dont have any "motherly" feelings and cant seem to appreciate the book

Raghu



Written by a Jambav Parenting Blogger. For more, visit http://blogs.jambav.com]]> http://blogs.jambav.com/raghu?p=84&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#comments The importance of social conscience Sun, 09 Apr 2006 04:44:51 +0000 Parenting 72@http://blogs.jambav.com I think it is importance to teach children to have a social conscience right from a very young age. To teach them that not all people as fortunate as we are and that we need to do what little we can for the less fortunate. That some people do not have most things that we normally take for granted. When Padmaja and Netra were out shopping to the Foodworld nearby, Padmaja stopped to buy a snack for a very old, frail lady who seeks alms around the Foodworld car park area. From then, every time they go to Foodworld, even if Padmaja forgets the old lady, Netra doesnt - "Ma, we dint get anything for her". Raghu I think it is importance to teach children to have a social conscience right from a very young age. To teach them that not all people as fortunate as we are and that we need to do what little we can for the less fortunate. That some people do not have most things that we normally take for granted.
When Padmaja and Netra were out shopping to the Foodworld nearby, Padmaja stopped to buy a snack for a very old, frail lady who seeks alms around the Foodworld car park area.
From then, every time they go to Foodworld, even if Padmaja forgets the old lady, Netra doesnt - "Ma, we dint get anything for her".

Raghu



Written by a Jambav Parenting Blogger. For more, visit http://blogs.jambav.com]]> http://blogs.jambav.com/raghu?p=72&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#comments Managers as cooks Sat, 08 Apr 2006 18:14:14 +0000 Parenting 71@http://blogs.jambav.com Wouldnt that be cool. Just imagine. Your manager actually cooks for you. Instead of asking for a weekly update your boss comes over to you, finds out what you want to eat and goes back and prepares it for you. This is what Netra thinks.... or at least I think she thinks. Ok... Now let me explain what the above part is all about. A few days back by the time I got home, Netra had finished her dinner and was getting ready for bed. She asked me, "Have you eaten anything?". I said, "I had not....Id just got back from work" and pat she asked, "Dint your manager prepare anything for you?". Interesting Raghu Wouldnt that be cool. Just imagine. Your manager actually cooks for you. Instead of asking for a weekly update your boss comes over to you, finds out what you want to eat and goes back and prepares it for you.
This is what Netra thinks.... or at least I think she thinks.
Ok... Now let me explain what the above part is all about.
A few days back by the time I got home, Netra had finished her dinner and was getting ready for bed. She asked me, "Have you eaten anything?". I said, "I had not....Id just got back from work" and pat she asked, "Dint your manager prepare anything for you?".
Interesting

Raghu



Written by a Jambav Parenting Blogger. For more, visit http://blogs.jambav.com]]> http://blogs.jambav.com/raghu?p=71&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#comments Swimming and Baywatch Fri, 24 Mar 2006 08:54:56 +0000 Parenting 60@http://blogs.jambav.com Just put in an old blog (written when Netra was 2 1/2) of mine: Last weekend, my wife and I decided to take my 2 1/2 year old daughter, Netra for a swim. The idea was to show her a good time and parallely introduce her to the crutial life-saving skill of swimming which is also a great exercise. If you watch Baywatch ("watch baywatch", interesting pun that, eh?) as often as I do, you will realize that the people in baywatch have 2 things in common. 1. They have terrific bodies and 2. They are excellent swimmers (the third thing is that they all seem to have remarkably low level of IQ). I agree that very few people watch baywatch for the swimming part, but thats beside the point. Now I am not going to mislead you by saying that point 2 caused point 1. The people in baywatch have terrific bodies because the director of baywatch hired such people to play the roles, though I suspect David Hasselhoff is old enough to be Pam's great grand father. This way, David is very similar to our local heroes who get paired with heroines less than half their age. Coming back, Netra was initially very excited about splashing around in a huge pool (about 3 feet deep), but her initial euphoria soon evaporate when she realized that her foot wouldnt even touch the floor and she had to hang around my neck to stay clear. However, she soon recovered and had a "whale of a time" splashing water on my face while clinging on to my neck with one hand (kids have strange ways of displaying gratitude) and doubled up with joy when I pretended to cringe and get hassled. Just put in an old blog (written when Netra was 2 1/2) of mine:

Last weekend, my wife and I decided to take my 2 1/2 year old daughter, Netra for a swim. The idea was to show her a good time and parallely introduce her to the crutial life-saving skill of swimming which is also a great exercise.
If you watch Baywatch ("watch baywatch", interesting pun that, eh?) as often as I do, you will realize that the people in baywatch have 2 things in common. 1. They have terrific bodies and 2. They are excellent swimmers (the third thing is that they all seem to have remarkably low level of IQ). I agree that very few people watch baywatch for the swimming part, but thats beside the point.
Now I am not going to mislead you by saying that point 2 caused point 1. The people in baywatch have terrific bodies because the director of baywatch hired such people to play the roles, though I suspect David Hasselhoff is old enough to be Pam's great grand father. This way, David is very similar to our local heroes who get paired with heroines less than half their age.
Coming back, Netra was initially very excited about splashing around in a huge pool (about 3 feet deep), but her initial euphoria soon evaporate when she realized that her foot wouldnt even touch the floor and she had to hang around my neck to stay clear. However, she soon recovered and had a "whale of a time" splashing water on my face while clinging on to my neck with one hand (kids have strange ways of displaying gratitude) and doubled up with joy when I pretended to cringe and get hassled.



Written by a Jambav Parenting Blogger. For more, visit http://blogs.jambav.com]]> http://blogs.jambav.com/raghu?p=60&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#comments NEtwork TRaffic Analysis Mon, 20 Mar 2006 16:42:34 +0000 Parenting 54@http://blogs.jambav.com NEtwork TRaffic Analysis. Thats what the software product that I work on does. When the team was trying to name the product we did a brain storming with several names..... many of them starting with NET and the name NETRA popped up .... and was dropped. Imagine a customer support mail which says, "We are evaluating NETRA and are honestly very disappointed. It promised so much but when we put it on production, it routinely crashes and we have decided to throw it out of our enterprise". We do get such mails once in a while. Only the product is called NetFlow Analyzer Raghu NEtwork TRaffic Analysis. Thats what the software product that I work on does. When the team was trying to name the product we did a brain storming with several names..... many of them starting with NET and the name NETRA popped up .... and was dropped.
Imagine a customer support mail which says, "We are evaluating NETRA and are honestly very disappointed. It promised so much but when we put it on production, it routinely crashes and we have decided to throw it out of our enterprise".
We do get such mails once in a while. Only the product is called NetFlow Analyzer

Raghu



Written by a Jambav Parenting Blogger. For more, visit http://blogs.jambav.com]]> http://blogs.jambav.com/raghu?p=54&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#comments She's old enough??? Fri, 17 Mar 2006 17:23:37 +0000 Parenting 39@http://blogs.jambav.com Just wanted to mention why this blog is call what it is - She's old enough. I like to think of Netra as an independent girl with her own mind. Smart, successful and above all confident. Those 3 dont always go together. You might be thinking, "you are crazy. shes just 3". You are perfectly right. Let me rephrase it. Thats what I want Netra to grow up to be. I first made this statement about Netra when she was 4 hours old and my mother reproached me for lifting her from the cradle in what she thought was not-delicate-enough manner. She's old enough Raghu Just wanted to mention why this blog is call what it is - She's old enough. I like to think of Netra as an independent girl with her own mind. Smart, successful and above all confident. Those 3 dont always go together. You might be thinking, "you are crazy. shes just 3". You are perfectly right.
Let me rephrase it. Thats what I want Netra to grow up to be. I first made this statement about Netra when she was 4 hours old and my mother reproached me for lifting her from the cradle in what she thought was not-delicate-enough manner.
She's old enough

Raghu



Written by a Jambav Parenting Blogger. For more, visit http://blogs.jambav.com]]> http://blogs.jambav.com/raghu?p=39&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#comments