Friday, June 18, 2010

Story and theory!!

Hi All, 

Very interesting but confusing title right??? This thought came in my mind, when I read the story which was for my elder daughter in her Kannada book. 

The title of the story was "ಒಂದಾಗಿ ಬಾಳೋಣ" ("Let's live together")

The story goes like this : (it is in Kannada, I am trying to translate it into (my!!)English : 

There were many animals in a thick forest.  And there was a boy who lived with his parents near that forest. All the animals were his friends.
There was a fox who was planning to hunt for 2 little birds. And one day it was successful to catch the birds. The birds started crying and they called all the animals to help but no one helped the birds!!! 
The boy who was playing with his elephant friend heard the crying and came running to help the birds. He scolded the fox for such a shameful act!!! The birds were saved and flied away happily.

The elephant called all the animals for a meeting and he discussed with all the animals. And they came to a conclusion and took an oath that " we will not hurt any one. LET'S LIVE TOGETHER"!!! 

This story is told to 4 to 6 years children. The child grows up with these things in his/her mind. But when the same child goes to 4th or 5th standard, he is introduced to  "Survival of the fittest" theory which explains that it is very  natural for any animal to kill the other animal for its survival!!!!

How are you going to explain the child about which one is true!!!

Please keep in mind that, I am not against Panchtantra stories or any thing similar to that! and I have not studied the theory in deep. 

This was just a thought came in my mind, when I read the story for my daughter!!!

Any suggestions are welcome!!! 
Keep Smiling,

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Mafia world of Maids!!!

Hi All,
Good points and bad points about maids!
Being a working mother, my mother always managed to have maids to take care of us. Till I went to  UAE after marriage, I never did daily house work(mopping,sweeping, washing vessels, washing clothes) until it was an emergency! and it was rare that condition occurred. Only thing I used to do was cooking. Those days, the maids were very sincere and hard working than now a days. But then also I had problem with one of our maid. She used to black mail me!!! If I wish to miss my tuitions she used to make me sweep the house threatening  me that she will tell my mom that I missed the tuitions that day!!!! 
There were different types of maids who used to do different work. The maid who did only mopping and sweeping, the maid who did only cooking, the maid who only took care of us, the maid who used to come to clean toilets(that time, we used to have common toilets for 2 to 3 families!!!) There was a maid who used to come during summer to make paapads and red chilly powder!!! There was a maid who used to come to make Jowar rottis.
And during festivals, mom used to give everyone extra money as a tip(khushi). 
But there were good maids also, who really took care of me and my brother. There was one Muslim family, which had more than 14 children in their house. Mother and elder daughters used to do other house hold works and baby sitting. They were also very good. 
Then we had a Brahmin lady, we used to call her maami. She and her husband were so loving and caring. 
We had one old lady called Basamma. She was my mom's pet. She also was with us for many many years. She was more attached to my brother. She used to carry him always. She used to take us to her house. In their house, they used to prepare food in earthen  pots, and the food used to be so tasty.
One more old lady was there, whose son has 9 children. Till today, those girls come to our house for special occasions. They only took care of mom, when she was alone before I joined her now. But mom helped them to get good education. All the girls finished their graduation. One girl did MA and now thinking of doing CA!!
Till I was in UAE for these 11 years, I never hired any servant other than only one month! That was when I was carrying my second baby and I had lot of vomiting and tiredness.
After coming back to India, I realized how the people over here are so much addicted to the maids.
The need of maids is so bad, even they know that we can not survive without them! The growing number of working wives, working mothers(hey I am not against them!) the need of maids is growing everyday! If one day the maid will not show her face, the whole day will be spoiled. That too without informing us they miss the work.
Our maid who is working now, has 12 children. 11 girls and one boy!! Two girls come to do the work. One does cleaning and other does washing vessels. Having many people at home also, they take chutti at least 4 days in a month. If I ask the reason, they will tell that they were not in a mood to come!! or a simple lie which I know it is a lie but helpless. I tell mom that we will manage without them. But mom is used to maids all these years so much!! She can not live without them. And here it is a prestige issue! do you believe??
Yes! if you do not have maids! people will see you like you are an alien!!!
Now again coming to our maid!, Two months back, we thought of changing the maid. Mom asked few people near our area. One lady came one day and told that she will start working from next week. But that next week never came, she never showed her face! Again we searched for another lady, even she did not turn up!! Then one more lady came but when she came to know that our current maid works here, she ran from our home!!! Can you guess why??? Our maid has her mafia gang, She won't allow any other person to work in my house as she thinks she owns our house!!!! She gives them dhamki!!! or threatens them that they dare entering our house!!! So we are stuck with her gang. But now a days we make it sure to cut her salary of those days when she wont come!!! For that also she had a fight with us. 
My brother in Pune stays in apartment. There also this Mafia rules apply. Each apartment or society has a group of maids. They won't allow others to enter that building. What ever problem is there you have to adjust with that group only.
But one good thing in Pune is you get good and sincere maids. You can really trust them and handover your house keys to finish their work while you are in the office.
I hope this is enough about our maids!!

Keep smiling,

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Sunday, January 24, 2010

JAB LIFE HO OUT OF CONTROL!!!

Hi All,
Reading the title, I hope you all will not think that I am writing any review about the movie "3 idiots". No. Already many have done the good job about that. I have watched the movie three times and every time, I have fallen in love with the whole team of the movie and of course the writer Chetan Bhagat of "FIVE POINT SOMEONE" 
From past one week, I was in tension for my daughter's study. Her unit tests are starting from tomorrow and she was not studying at all. I am not a mother who is behind marks or rank. But I want her to study regularly for some time and I want her to understand what ever she is studying. I do not want her to by heart everything and get full marks. Her problem is concentration. She won't sit in one place for more than 10 minutes. This time it was out of control as she was not understanding few lessons in Maths and Kannada. So I was in tension and was shouting at her. Three days back, when I was scolding her, she told " Mamma, do not take tension, I will do well in the exam" I asked her how is she going to do, without studying at all. Can you guess her answer?? She told in a cool voice " mamma, I will just keep my hand on my heart and tell   'all iz well, all is well, all is well' !!!!!!

Yes!! sometimes, life is not in our control. If she is not understanding anything, I cannot do any thing. It is in her hand to sit and learn. And I just let it go for 2 days. I stopped shouting and started giving her only instructions about what to do when. It helped me to keep my self cool and more than anything she was happy and studied on her own. Let me see how her unit tests go! After studying also, if she can not get good marks also, it is fine. I am sure she will do well in the next year.
And when you have babies, the life is really out of control. You do not understand what the baby wants, why is he/she crying. We feel so helpless. 
Then comes toddlers, Neither they can speak nor they will understand our instructions! I am going through this situation now. My 2 yr 4 months daughter can not speak clearly. And she won't listen to me also some times.
She wants to eat the noodles her self! even though all noodles will be falling on the floor. At this moment, I feel nothing is in my control. So I just let it go! and enjoy watching her eating. 
She wants to use her sister's book, pencil and everything. If I try to tell her not to touch didi's things, purposely she will do it.
So, now I learnt that, some times, we should let the life go as it is going and enjoy it as it comes. 


But!!!!!
Is it possible for any one to say the same for Haiti earthquake and it's victims???? It was not under anyone's control.
We can pray for them with our whole heart and one can help them directly if it is possible.
MAY GOD GIVE ALL THE STRENGTH TO HAITI VICTIMS TO FACE THE SITUATION WITH COURAGE. 


True!!! saying "all iz well", or being optimistic will really help to have more courage to face the life with smile!
Keep smiling,