Let's share our feeling: Season 3

Originally Posted by Nitha J

I am so afraid lately that whenever some guests come I run to change to churidar. In case of such mishappenings, atleast the top will cover me partially.
-Nitha

No answers but thanks for making me laugh.

Originally Posted by Traveller

my classes... i have a qi-gong session next sat, a chocolate-making course one sunday, an advent-wreath class end of nov and 2 sessions of cookie class for A in december. this week-end there are nice markets.. one for sewing, crochet stuff and then one that sells hand-made things. the latter always tempts me to buy the entire place:(
Latha

That sounds like you will be very very busy. Forgive my ignorance but what is qi gong? Martial art? I'm doing muesli too - this past week and I love it!

Originally Posted by arthidiva

Vanathi - Congrats on the new schol admission. Here in chennai it is a rat's race. Have got application forms in 2 schools (as of now) after standing in queue overnight. Lets see if we get the 'Selected' card.
.

Lots and lots of good luck with that. Whcih schools have you applied to? My friend in Chennai woke up at 4 am last year to go stand in a queue for her DD. Thats one nice thing about living in a small town and knowing everyone. I got a call asking if it was convenient for DH and me to attend an "interview" - actually we asked more questions than the Principal

Originally Posted by sumanr

Thanks Latha, AD, Nitha and all ..... Yes, I need to get a good maid. Should I grow through some organization or just some one through word of mouth is enough?

Word of mouth I think. So amny people have told me that the agencies are hopeless.

Originally Posted by Vinu4me

Totally down - waiting for both the weather and my mood to lift :(

Regards,
P

Cheer up! How did the mottai go? Did she cry?

Hi staarbearer!

Had a really smart kid (patient) today - at 4 years old he told me all about hexagons/octagons/pentagons and what not...I love it when kids are so excited about the world like that!

V.

Ohh dear.. I wish I was as determined as you, L and V. For me the excitement wears pretty soon. Never could make health foods my life style. I have flax seeds,protein powder,wheat germs, plus boxes of oats stored in pantry. One week and I am out of it. I need a strong coffee for a good start. A Junkie always a Junkie.
Poornima; Get well soon. I haven't done mottai for chinnu yet. Can't bear to see her with all her hair gone. J's m and my m is pressuring us a lot. So far not succumbed to it.
Star bearer; Hope all the clouds will move from your life. Some days are like that, I guess.
Anitha; I quite persuasive when it comes about eating out. B/w, I am past NO's and last day I gave her a smack too(which made me guilty). I don't laugh at all, when she is around. I don't know what to do.
Suman, I wish I could help you. But my contacts in these areas are poor, almost nil. Hope you will find solution soon.
Seriously Arthi, Queues for admission. I am shocked to hear it. When we return I plan to put chinnu in Chinmaya, just 10 mts from our house. B/w how is madipakkam area? Any good schools there?
Vanathi, I very much agree with you, small towns have this big advantage. I'd rather put her in the school I studied. But I don't think J will even consider me moving back to Kerala. Well, three more years to go!!
Latha; just out of curiosity, do Payyan A has to study German?

-Nitha

Hello all,

Lots of activity here yesterday!

Nitha, P sometimes used to try and pull my pajamas down (but not when he was so young). So I put on my sternest face and said that it is a NO. Seemed to work. Maybe you can try that. Or just distract her when that happens? What tough situations we have to encounter

Latha, you sound like you have a full schedule with activities and classes! Muesli -good for you. Always wanted to buy it, but did not since I don't have any confidence I will finish it. Even a sit down breakfast is rare for me it is usually a carton of milk and oatmeal/cereal at my desk

AD - wow, that is scary. Hope LO gets selected. Isn't it crazy how competitive it is? Far cry from the world we (at least I) grew up...

Poornima, how did the mottai go? Hope Vinu gets well soon.

Well I finally managed to finish all the laundry folding but the next load is in the dryer so its waiting for me

Latha, I was thinking of you today. Chennai is going to have an English German Biling
ual school with Bavarian school curriculum and an international baccalaureate something. If that means not drilling the silliness out of K, I might want to do it.
Arthi, that cannot have been fun. That is one aspect of Chennai I really do not like.
Nitha, I cant bother to remember the number of times I've flashed "helpful salesmen" because DS was yanking something or the other. The only time he lets me be is when I am in Sarees. For whatever reason he is in total awe when I wear them, keeps fingering my pallu to ask "what is this called" "why are you wearing this." And count me in the coffee brigade. I can't move a limb without some coffee in my belly.
Ladies, my suggestion for a good maid is looking at places that organise women into domestic workers' groups, NGOs like Arunodhaya in Royapuram that have been unionising and organising them. They are totally anti-agencies, because agencies swindle the domestic workers too. In my opinion though a day care that is licensed and follows a
good hygiene routine is a good idea - it is not impersonal as one believes it to be. There are good ones where the children will be stimulated, handled and looked after how it would be done in an extended family (No one can replace mommy, of course.)
AD, dont they do that. Completely flabbergasts me as to why the first reaction is always "I know better". I think it comes from a feeling of not know where what the mommy does comes from, but somehow being empathic to the person who is the DIL is considered a weakness. I may be miles off, but I cant seem to get to the bottom of why everything I do is questioned when all of it comes from the place that I want to keep DS healthy. I have a feeling if I understand her reactions at least, I might know how to handle her negativity.
Where is Raj when one needs her!?! I know I need a dose of positivity now. Hope you are having a good time Raj.
Staarbearer, honesty works. Sometimes telling off the older generation and fixing whatever rift you have between you and your wife works. You're a grown man, for heaven sake. Love your parents/in-laws by all means, why let them intimidate you! Do tell a little more about yourself. We are mostly moms of infants and toddlers (some of us have preschoolers, but we like hanging out here with other moms). So wondering if you have posted in the wrong forum?
P, Hugs mommy. when the child falls ill, it takes the worst toll on the parents.

Nitha - U problem makes me laugh, but I remember my cousin had a similar issue and she put up a stern face and used to stare at the kid. The kid used to imme withdraw.
V, AD - THe thought of school admission scares me. I have seen a lot of friends/relatives go through it and though it is too early for me to think about it, I am worried.
Hi P - How are things with Vinu? Do let us know about the mottai, functions etc.

Tikka - 100% with you on day-cares. I am more for it, than maids. My MIL may be out of town for some days and then I will not be able to trust my LO alone with the maid. Also, a day-care lets children mingle with each other. They will also have a regular sleep, play. potty time etc. but Alas, daycare is not an option because both MIL and mom will not allow it !! Will check out the organization u mentioned, thanks.
With DD not well for 2 days now, I have nothing planned for today. I am just going to take it as it comes.
Good day, ladies !

Dear All,

The mottai actually went off much much better than I thought. Not a single drop of tears!!! We just gave her a bell (the one we use in pujas) and a glass of water. Madam was playing with this totally oblivious to the shaving of her head. It was like as though someone else's head was being shaved. Saved me a big hassle and I was so relieved. I had heard stories of mottai's lasting longer than 45 mins, because of all the tantrums. This was done in 10 mins flat. Phew! It was such a relief. The ear-piercing was teary though.

Nitha - Mine was just the opposite, I had to fight my waythrough to get her mottai done now. But, hubby and me both loved her pre-mottai locks. Don't know if the new hair that comes out will look the same. But, can't help it. Its got to be taken out. And in Chennai summers it really hard to manage her hair with all the sweating. Chinmaya is pretty close to my place as well. But, I heard its a tough thing to get an admission there.

Krithika- Nice to know that there are organisations that provide maids without behaviung the way agencies do. When I delivered V, my mom got someone from an agency and they did swindle us despite all the precautions that we take. Any idea how this functions? I mean the charges and all.

Regards,
P

Originally Posted by tikka

Latha, I was thinking of you today. Chennai is going to have an English German Biling
ual school with Bavarian school curriculum and an international baccalaureate something. If that means not drilling the silliness out of K, I might want to do it.

REALLY??? I'll not show this post to DH and not even mention this. he'd pack his bags quick to chennai LOL. But i don't know how well they can convince parents to a bavarian curriculum which believes in not so much homework and stuff for kids! and how will they do outdoor activities? well interesting nevertheless...

Raj is busy at FB. haven't seen you there lately:) it's the flu doing rounds there (i mean at Raj's) as well...

Nitha... right now A isn't learning German. his kindergarden is an english-only thing. but he learnt german at the day care and his friends at the KG are germans so he's fluent. the other day he even told me the english meaning for a word in German:) when he joins the international school 2 years later he'll have german language as well.

V... i'm not clear about Qi-qong either . i understand it's kind of a martial art exercise.. may be a part of the whole package. this particular course aims at teaching simple movements to relieve hormone related issues in women. actually it was titled 'for women 50 and above' but they took me in anyways:)

i'm couging my throat out. DH is sick but had to go to work poor thing. he'll take off tomorrow else i'm calling his boss. one he's sick most important he's contagious. A is refusing to come with me to doc.. he wants appa... how clever! he heard couple of children cry after a shot at the paeds and now scared he'll get one too. so he thinks appa is like some divine creature who could stop that! y'day his eyes had a discharge, he was shivering... but no fever. today he seems better. well i'm taking him anyway this evening.

Sindhu: you can pack muesli to work. this is what the recipe in my muesli pack said: 100gms of muesli in a bowl and soak in 150ml milk and 100 ml yogurt (fruit yogurt tastes better) and a dash of orange/lemon juice (or both). i like to leave mine in fridge overnight. it becomes creamy like a dessert. before you eat, grate roughly 1/2 apple and add seasonal fruits. do this, pack it and relish at your desk:). it's yummy and filling.

Latha

Sindhu; I guess you have fallen for the muesili recipe latha has given. I am already in, particularly after reading the line "creamy like a dessert".
Latha; hope A will be back to health soon. Its very hard.
Poornima; How clever of you. Both things you have given really distracts kids. I think Chinmaya has two branches. The one near our place (harrington road) has only classes till 5th it seems. I haven't put much research on it. There is time.
Krithika; That's a nice piece of info. Is there a wage slab and all? My mil was searching for one maid. And most of the maids who came had many conditions. They need to have vaccuum cleaner, plus washing maching preferably with dryer and the wages they asked for was 3500/-. Mil was shocked. Is it a normal rate?
Suman, ystrday a friend of mine was telling me about the daycare she was putting her 14 month son (here in US). They have just 7 kids. It seems every kid has seperate crib,sheets. They wash the sheets daily. Sterilize their utensils. And moreover no TV. They very actively interact to the kids and within 3 days their son was showing very pleasing manners. Maybe you can find such daycares in chennai.
-Nitha

K, I will check out Arunodhaya too. Like the others asked, any pointers? And the bilingual school sounds good.

Latha, the way you've described muesli has got me hooked too! Should try it soon.....

Poornima, good to hear about the mottai. Hope Nilu's mottai goes well too.....its 3 months away but it still gives me the jitters.

Like Nitha and Krithika say, I too sometimes feel a good day care might be better than a maid but it is so difficult to find a good one here. DH asked around (if I was going to work full time) and we never got a good response, especially with respect to hygiene!

And I do need some advice - what do I do with a 7 month old who wants to chew on her plastic/rubber sheets instead of the toys and teethers we give her? It is either the plastic sheet or the bed sheet. A stern "NO" works for a couple of minutes and then when I turn my back, Nilu is at it again.

Anitha..NO..No..NO song though it makes you crazy should be repeated. Sheets are ok, but rubber sheets are defenitely not a good teether:) But believe me, they will get past it soon.

Chinnu had lost lot of weight during our India trip. When we went to ped. two days after I reached here; her growth curve was dropped from 50% to a little lesser than 25%. I was so worried ..as usual. I did little reading on daily calorie break up etc. I was surprised to know that I was giving just 50% of what I am supposed to give, particularly since she is non-diary, no egg girl. I took a print out and pasted it on fridge. Now after a month, she gained a few pounds is back to her 50%. I don't want her to be tubby, but boy, she needs to be healthy. A reason to be happy today. It feels so good. Maybe I should post calorie break up in toddler section, so that it will be beneficial. Hmm
-Nitha