Some of us had got so comfortable with the late nights and late mornings during the remote learning that we have forgotten what it was like to wake up at 4 am or 5 am to get ready for school. Now some youngsters have to be prodded and shouted at to arise and shine just as the teacher begins roll call – not everyone is like that, mind you. It is just that I have a classic case at home who wakes up bleary-eyed 5 minutes before school begins and finishes brushing just as the teacher calls out his name. Thankfully, the school doesn’t insist on being in the school uniform unlike some others where children sit in front of laptops suited and booted – rather “tied and belted”.
Like a typical Indian mother pampering the son and making him incompetent in taking care of himself, I switch on his laptop and “join” the team with the camera and mike off. The daughter is punctual, meticulous and self-reliant as daughters are expected to be.
-- A unedited paragraph from my column some time back. The last para here was removed since it was meant for public viewing.
But that is the truth. Ash wakes up just as the teacher wishes him good morning and then he quickly jumps to his seat and switches on the mike for a Good morning sir/maam.
And I often return to find him making music behind closed doors or checking his phone - which he collects from me saying he has to send scanned files in certain periods. Or he says he is discussing psychology assignments with his chum Ibraheem who he meets in that period. Ibraheem could get into the science stream in DPS after briefly shifting to another school far away. With more expats returning to India this year, schools are struggling to maintain numbers. Even hard-to-get schools like DPS are forced to relax rules to attract more students.
Ash badly wanted to do science though the only subject he fancied was Biology and doctoral research in future. Instead, the school gave him Humanities - Pol Science, Economics, Psychology and Informatics Practices. Of them, he dislikes Politics and pays scant attention to the teacher's right wing praises regarding India. But he is able to answer her questions as I ensure he reads the paper every night. How much he understands or remembers is questionable. Psychology was his favorite subject when he joined the stream but now it is Statistics and to an extent Economics. I hope he follows his uncle's path.
Mira on the other hand is a very anxious and tense person when it comes to school matters. She turns the house upside down on days she has a test; in the end, she fails to submit the paper in time or some ill luck prevents it from getting accepted.
Her present dilemma is what stream to choose in Grade 11. She has no interest in mugging up historical events or comprehending scientific theories. Vinod has advised her to take up Commerce and I have now suggested that she take Home Science as optional subject. That could help her do Fashion Design or Interior Design later as she has a creative bent of mind. DPS doesnt offer Home Science, so she may have to shift school. Shifting schools and emirates are cumbersome, and Vinod is not keen on the prospect. I hope she is able to make up her mind soon.
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