The minute we become parents, we start training and teaching our children. We will now be parents for life. But if we step out of our roles for some time, we can learn so many things from children. Sunandaji experiences beautiful nuances of life in her play school every day.
The new academic year had begun a week back. But I was still getting new admissions. From experience, I knew it would take time for the children to settle down. So as usual, I created a friendly and comfortable ambience for all the children.
It was the first day of school for a few children. I could sense their fear. They were surrounded by new children and adults. I knew they would cry for some time. I did my best to attract their attention with the colourful toys and building blocks that were placed on the small tables in their classrooms.
One particular boy slowly stopped crying the minute he saw the colourful building blocks and stuffed toys. He picked up the blocks tentatively. His crying changed to quiet sobs now. After a while, he allowed me to clean his nose with his hanky. I then moved away from him quickly.
A few minutes later, I was in for an extremely beautiful surprise. The child had created a fence with the building blocks and had placed a horse in the middle of it. I was awestruck by the imagination of this child. Why? I am always touched by the imagination of all my children.
They have no barriers in their mind. In their world, anything and everything can happen and is possible. I wondered if I too had been like that as a child. When and how are these barriers created in our hearts and minds? When and why do we lose the innocence of our childhood? Such thoughts keep occurring to me every now and then. But I know that I may never get the answers for such questions. At such times, I wish God had allowed us all to remain children. It is by far the best phase of anyone’s life.
I could not dwell on such thoughts for long. Half an hour later, it was time to take a snack break. All the children loved the break. They all sit down together, open their new colourful snack boxes and eat what their mothers have packed for them with so much love. They clap their hands with delight if they find a treat in their snack box. They share what they have with others willingly. But sometimes, they will give their friends only a small bite of their favourite snack. But they do share and in different ways too. That much I have observed.
But today, I was in for another pleasant surprise. A senior KG student had been observing this new child since morning. During the break, he took his snack box and went and sat down next to the new child. He helped him open his snack box. The new boy was not familiar with the routine of the school as yet.
This senior KG boy looked at the new boy and said, “Chalo Chalo. Aaaaaa karo. Shabash. Ab khana khao. Acha hai na?” The boy looked at him with hesitation and nodded his head. He was feeling hungry. But he was scared too. The senior boy, hardly 3 years old, patiently waited for him to eat what he had in his mouth. He then literally put the snacks, in small bites, in the new child’s mouth gently. He then shared his snacks too with him. Within a few minutes, both of them were smiling happily. They finished eating their snacks, wiped their hands with their napkins, drank water from their water bottles and went out to the garden to play till the bell rang.
I was busy for the next two periods. So I could not pay much attention to this child alone. But I did see him leaving the school happily. He had made a couple of friends on the first day itself. I knew he would look forward to coming to school the next day.
It is these small experiences that linger in my heart. At such times, I realize that I learn a lot from my children. They bring out the child within me. They make me smile. They make me think like a child. They make me run. They make me play. They surprise me with their beautiful gestures. I may be a grandmother now. But when I am in my play school, I always feel like a child.
I spend but three hours at the most in my small play school. But I keep thinking about new activities. I like to think of new ways of teaching basic concepts to my children. I have to plan things well in advance, regularly. I have to make all the arrangements and take care of several small details. But I feel good when they grasp the concepts in a friendly homely atmosphere. I get immense satisfaction from what I do. At such times, I know all my efforts are worth it. I know I am blessed to get this kind of love from my children every day.