Children's World

Maybe it’s my age, I find myself thinking more about the childhood of the people around me than my own childhood these days. Alright! Age has robbed me of memories of my own childhood; it was way too long ago (I admit!). But seriously, isn’t childhood the cutest phase in a human’s life?

Forget my childhood, it was spent wallowing in the dirty lane of my hometown, nothing grand about it!

I was thinking about the little ones whose childhood phase I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of and save it in my memory file. Since I became a Teenager, I’ve taken care of my little cousins (who hasn’t done that in Bhutan?) and today I can’t help reminiscing and living my life backwards (Yea, yea…I know, Time travel is dangerous!!)

I’m reliving some of the funny things I’ve been hurled at by the little ones:

This particular incident is one of my favorites and come what may, I can never forget this incident and I never forget to narrate this repeatedly.

My cousin was a toddler whose tiny lips were yet to be able to form words that would match up with the adult world around him. We used to live in Samdrup Jongkhar then. My aunty always used to stock up all necessary items in the house from her shopping trip to the Dantak canteen. My toddler cousin and I used to spend a lot of time together and when you stick together, you tend to irritate each other. I don’t remember exactly what I had done to irk him, but the firing I got from him is worth remembering. I still have a good laugh thinking of what he said in (cute little) Angry tone: “Chalambo, nan ji gi yekpa nalu mala may. Ji ni nan, apa ga yekni, apa yanan epped ga phani, nan peth than, shen than, chat ni, chat ni, tanteen nangka jan than, tshong thalay!!” (Was that a difficult dialogue? Let me give few clues: ‘Chalambo’ was his version of my full name. ‘Apa yanan’ is his apa’s car. Epped- speed. Tanteen- canteen. Now, read again! ;) )

Another time, I was on a holiday after completing my class twelve. There was a talk about enrolling my other little cousin in school that year. I guess I was trying to do my bit by preparing him for school mood. So, it was one evening, I had the little ones gathered around me and I was singing, “A..B…C…D” (yes, the alphabet song that we all know). I made them repeat after me for like, three times after which my smart little cousin quips, “oww ana, Boring showa, om ‘dari ngima’ jak khey lay!” Did we sing dari ngima after that, oh yes!!! And more than thrice!

Then they started school and knew their ABC’s well enough. I had just reached my uncle’s place in Phuentsholing and my little cousin who had returned from her kindergarten school eyed me, seeking attention. I just sat looking at her, wondering what she was up to. She then fetched her book and started reading, “A..P..P…L…E…Apple.” Pleased to hear her read so perfectly, I turned my whole attention to her. “C..U…P…kup,” she reads proudly. “Thawk” a knock lands on her tiny head and that’s enough of the showing off game.

My friends and family say that I live frozen in my past, and I have set up my permanent dwelling place in my past, well, they don’t say that for nothing.

I have many such anecdotes about my cousins but before they see this (but actually, none of my cousins follow my blog! So, no worries) and kill me, let me share an anecdote or two about my own children.

My eldest daughter was four years old when the Earthquake that wrecked havoc in Mongar happened. Both I and my husband were in our respective workplaces and my daughter was at home with the babysitter. When I came running home after the massive Earthquake, My daughter runs to me and says, “Mama, earthquake level two ga ofa na!” She was a huge game monster and all her talks revolved around the games she played. She had even measured the level of the Earthquake!!!

Another time, the whole bunch of our family were travelling together in a queue. My Apa’s car overtook our car and my daughter shouted, “Papa, increase your speed or we’ll be gameover!” So much of this Game Monster!

Let me narrate an anecdote of my other daughter too while I’m on that spree. My daughter had gone to play with her new friend. We had just moved to Bumthang then. Her friend, seeing her Ama coming home for lunch had screamed, “Ama ofa, Ama Ofa!” My little darling, thinking that her friend was telling her that her Mama is home, looks out of the window and religiously tells her new friend, “That’s not my Mama! My Mama is fat like a drum!” Oh my! Children! Save us from their words!!!

Coming to my son now, he just turned three yesterday. He pulls out his book and forcing himself on my lap, asks me to read it. That day, he had brought out his wordbook. So, we were flipping through the pages, he would point out to the pictures on the page and I would say the work aloud to him. We reached the page on ‘Food’. We began from pizza and fruits and then reached the picture of a fish. I pointed my finger at the fish and brought it to his mouth saying, “Fish…yum…yum…yum.” He grudgingly took my finger out of his face and yelled, “We don’t eat Fish. Fish pani ma tshorak..” He makes his ‘tshorak’ sound land in the imaginary water in front of us.

So many memories! So many children! So many cute things said………

Cooking up stories

Some nights I feel like the Seherzadi of the Arabian Nights. My little boy is a stickler for his favorite things and he has to cling on it, come what may.

The other night, he wanted a bed time story. "sto-ey, Mama sto-ey!" He insisted. I was tired to my bones having had rimdro at home but I knew better than to fight with him. So, in a tired tone, I began his all time favorite "Elephant and Moo-Cow" story (if I'm not mistaken, I did post this story not very long ago).

But a child will challenge you when you least have the strength to pull on. "No, arko sto-ey!" He jabs at my chest. I'm in no mood to conjure up a story yet I play on and ask him, "what story?"

"Ol Mac Domal" he giggles in glee. Gawd! Of all the rhymes in the world! But do I have a choice? So I start braying," Old McDonald had a farm e-I-e-I-o".

"NO! Not song! Sto-ey!" He knows what he wants. But I'm lost. Where do I get an Old MaDonald Story from? (Have you ever read one? Have you heard one?)

Lifting all my creativity from my sleep-ridden brain I start the story:

Long time ago, there was a man called Old McDonald. (Yea! My boy claps his tiny hands. I smile at him). Old McDonald had a farm. (He looks excited)
"Did he have animals?" He asks me.
An involuntary yawn escapes from my tired soul.

"Yes, he had lots of animals in his farm," I tell him. He is looking at me expectantly. He wants a story. Right! A proper story with a good plot I presume! Ush!

One day, as he went around his farm, he heard Baa-Baa-Black Sheep crying. My son jolts up and donning a sad face, asks me, " why was bac-sue crying?"

"Because.... Ummm... Because..." I am lost for want of the next event in the story while my son gives me his expectant smiles.

" because his little lamb was lost," I tell him, happy for finding my wit.

"Who took the little lamb?" He is about to cry. He is such a softie.

I continue the story in a solemn tone.

Old McDonald told Baa-baa-black sheep," please don't cry. I'll help you look for your little lamb."

So he went around his farm and met Moo-Cow sitting in the grass. "Moo-Cow, did you see Black Sheep's little lamb?" The cow shook her head.

He went further ahead and met a Horsey, pulling a cart. He asked, "Mr. Horsey, did you see the little lamb? The Horsey said he didn't.

He went on asking the pig, dog,cat and conjure up as many animals as you can to get your little one tired.

My boy is tired of all these charade but he is bent on finding the little lamb.

"Then..." He prods me to continue. He is almost crying. He is sad that nobody has seen the little lamb.

I know I have drawn enough straws to test his patience, so I twist the tale to give it a happy ending.

Finally, he met the Red Hen. When he asked her about the little lamb, the Hen asked him,"what does the little lamb look like?"

"Oh! Its fleece is white as snow," replied Old McDonald.

"Oh yes, I saw the Little white lamb following Mary to school," the Red Hen told him.

My son has a broad smile on his face. He already knows where we would find the lost lamb.

I continue the story, my tiredness already melted in my son's happy smile.

So Old McDonald and Baa-baa-black sheep went to Mary's school and found the little lamb there.

We sing the 'Mary had a little lamb' song together.

So, Black Sheep brought her little Lamb back to the farm. The little Lamb was tired from following Mary, so as soon as they reached Old McDonald's farm, she slid into her Mama's arms and feel asleep.

My son smugly slides into my arms and smilingly goes to sleep.

I am left staring at my little one with my eyes filled with love.

Winter Vacation

It was almost end of the school term. ONe lazy sunday afternoon as I was putting my son for his nap, the two girls busied themselves in their laptop games. After putting the boy down, I told the girls that I too am taking a nap. Sometime passed and the girls, except for the tussle for their turns didn't make much conversation. I had almost drifted into light sleep when I heard my little girl exclaim, "You know Angie, my friends are saying they are going to Bangkok during the vacation."
Without opening my eyes,I continue listening to their conversation. Angie replies, "Yea sii, even my friends. Some are going to Australia. Some are going to Singapore!" I hear her moan with regret, almost!

For an instance, I am raided by the urge to pop open my eyes and explain why can't we go for vacation to these places but I choose to play 'I'm sleeping' for some time, just to know where the conversation heads to.

"Owww, Mama and Papa can think of Samtse and Gelephu only for our break, right Angie??" The little one seeks support of disapproval of our family getaway destination. I feel sorry for these little girls who are in a race with their peers. I don't know how to tackle the case so I continue to pretend until I actually fall asleep.

It's been a month since their winter break started and I've brought them to Gelephu. Atleast we have escaped the cold winter of Thimphu. The following are some of the activities we have been carrying out this winter:

Ninda walking in the woods with my father.

Wanted to give Ninda an Elephant ride but my aunty says, "we don't ride on Memey Sangay." So this fake Elephant is all he got to ride on in Manas.

Reading, Reading and more Reading. We have finished the pile we brought from home. Have ordered some more books, Their papa is sending it this weekend. :)

I bought them Drawing books, paints and brushes. This is my Samdrup's favorite piece.

We never run out of ideas. Memey was making us roti for dinner, Angie asked a lump of dough and this is what she created. Ain't it beautiful?

Angie has discovered her green thumbs. Growing garlic, tomato and I don't know what else in her garden.

Can Angie getaway with something without Samdrup asking for it? Nah! So, Ta-dah! Samdrup has her own garden.

His sisters have it and he doesn't, that isn't fair! So, the little guy too gets his own tiny garden. Mind you, this little guy is so protective about his garden, he doesn't even allow birds to land on his garden. "Nana ko garden," he says beaming with happiness.

Their favorite activity. Laptop games and watching movies.

Well,there are many other things the four of us have been upto this winter. Gelephu is not Bangkok but we are happy to have eachother. But yes, these guys miss their Papa a lot. :(