Tuesday, November 4, 2008

New Skills

Last one month has been hectic learning period for kids.

First was an attempt to learn swimming. The pool finally opened in our apartment complex and kids were over the moon when they learnt that there'll be a trainer to help them learn. the curve was usual. kids were excited the first couple of days and happy beating their legs in the water holding onto the railing. Third day, the fear set in when the trainer took them to the deeper end and later asked them to jump into the water and he'd hold them. Kids started crying and begged for freedom from this torture. Neha & Nidhi weren't unique cos kids of all ages were in similar mode then. I could re-visit my own fears when learning swimming at 32. The fear doesn't change, the expression of it does. Neha & Nidhi got fed up with us coaxing them to learn and they not able to deal with the fear of deep end of the pool. I had promised them to buy "island princess barbie" dolls if they learnt swimming. They decided it is easier to forgo that desire.

The second more successful venture is drawing. There is a very good artiste who is our neighbour. She is a pleasing lady who loves teaching kids and had been an art teacher earlier. Check her oil paintings exhibited last year. kids have started off well and seem to like drawing and the teacher.

The third exercise was picked up pretty fast. It was to use touch pad on the laptop and learn to color a picture. It is their new hobby to go and color at this link.

The fourth skill is brewing in school. They have enrolled for a group dance for their school day celebrations. A teacher with an unusual name - Harret is their dance teacher. Kids are shy to show me what they have learnt so far. I'll have to wait for the school day which is 2 weeks away.

Switching topics, I've been living in the comfy zone since August and been in the trap of nice food and no exercise. I was a regular to the gym in the first half of the year and the practice snapped around the time the festivals started in August. I needed a kick on the backside to start again and Nidhi provided me exactly that. She saw my growing paunch and asked "appa, ninna hotte yaake doddadhaagtha idhe, magu beli tha idhiya?"

1 comment:

Unknown said...

ROFL at Nidhi's question regarding your stomach!!!! :)