Well it is exam time. And I knew things were not going to be smooth sailing when on the first day of his study leave son declares, " You have wasted half my day in making me study." Considering it was 12 a.m and he had been up since 6.30 a.m. it was half a day indeed and what a day!
2 break fast breaks, 2 snack breaks one toilet paper rolled all over the house and one green clay looking suspiciously fungusy(eeks) all over his room disaster and just half a day. And of course we managed some 20 minute of studying in between all the excitement.
Anyway, in my new age parenting wisdom I decided to have a free and frank talk with him. Here it is verbatim with no artistic licenses, just some grammar changes.
Me: I think it is time you improved your handwriting.
Son: No need. I am anyway smarter than the teacher. Also now she is able to understand what I am written.
Me: Maybe she has given up and does not care. But do it for yourself.
Son: No need. All the teachers finally start understanding my handwriting. Anyway its your fault, you gave me birth.
Me: Well, that is pushing it a bit too far. I did give you birth but I did not insist you write untidily.
Son: No its a DNA defect you did. You made me smarter than all the other kids with bad handwriting.
Me: How do you know you are smarter than other kids?
Son: I know stuff they don't. For instance they don't know that there are people smarter than Einstein and the name of the first submarine.
Me: I am sure many kids know that. Have you come up with something original?
Son: Yeah I invented a new type of snack. I actually made holes in a Khakhra (a Gujarati snack for the uninitiated) and added cashew nuts to it. So I have invented a new snack.
While I sat thinking of this significant achievement which my engineered DNA defect had led to, son decided to get the last word in." Do you think you need to be boring to get things done?" While I sat wondering where did that come from he tells me, "I was reading one of your books, 'Steal like an artist' (he reads some of the books I do, especially graphic novels) and it says you need to be boring to get things done. But Mummy, I don't think its right. I get so much done and I am not boring." :)
2 break fast breaks, 2 snack breaks one toilet paper rolled all over the house and one green clay looking suspiciously fungusy(eeks) all over his room disaster and just half a day. And of course we managed some 20 minute of studying in between all the excitement.
Anyway, in my new age parenting wisdom I decided to have a free and frank talk with him. Here it is verbatim with no artistic licenses, just some grammar changes.
Me: I think it is time you improved your handwriting.
Son: No need. I am anyway smarter than the teacher. Also now she is able to understand what I am written.
Me: Maybe she has given up and does not care. But do it for yourself.
Son: No need. All the teachers finally start understanding my handwriting. Anyway its your fault, you gave me birth.
Me: Well, that is pushing it a bit too far. I did give you birth but I did not insist you write untidily.
Son: No its a DNA defect you did. You made me smarter than all the other kids with bad handwriting.
Me: How do you know you are smarter than other kids?
Son: I know stuff they don't. For instance they don't know that there are people smarter than Einstein and the name of the first submarine.
Me: I am sure many kids know that. Have you come up with something original?
Son: Yeah I invented a new type of snack. I actually made holes in a Khakhra (a Gujarati snack for the uninitiated) and added cashew nuts to it. So I have invented a new snack.
While I sat thinking of this significant achievement which my engineered DNA defect had led to, son decided to get the last word in." Do you think you need to be boring to get things done?" While I sat wondering where did that come from he tells me, "I was reading one of your books, 'Steal like an artist' (he reads some of the books I do, especially graphic novels) and it says you need to be boring to get things done. But Mummy, I don't think its right. I get so much done and I am not boring." :)
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