Kids say the strangest things!

Some of the best moments of our life are auto-saved into our memory. When we recall those moments, they appear like this picture (a favourite for both Ditu and me): blurred, out of focus but unmistakably happy.

I am constantly amazed at the things my four-year-old notices, observes and says. While I could live without some of the gyan that comes from that precocious mouth (especially anything that involves boyfriends, clothes or toys), her words sometimes take me by surprise. I always think then that I hope those moments have been burned into my heart 'cos then when she's thirteen and horrible (I believe in karma, so there's no way she can be 13 and sweet), I can play it all back and smile at her tantrums.

One evening I am making chapatis for dinner and Ditu materialises at my elbow. I instinctively move the atta out of reach (she thinks she makes better chapatis and insists that we eat her creations). But all she does is smile angelically and say, "You know, Amma, you are a supermom." By now my mom radar is on full alert. I am sure she has scribbled all over my pristine white living room walls or torn my library book or.... well, you get the drift. "Why is that," I ask her, half ready to pounce on her when she confesses. "Because you do office [sic], talk on phone, then make food and take care of me!"

Believe me guys, I am not one of those supermoms, by any stretch of the imagination. You just need to take a look at my basket-loads of unfolded clean laundry to know that; in fact I keep buying baskets to accommodate the growing pile (sheepish grin). Oh, and you must have seen my hair, na.... so no way am I supermom!

I was just touched that Ditu had noticed that I was doing all these things at all! I mean, how many of us have ever noticed that in our own moms... Yes, as adults, especially on entering motherhood, we have started worshiping at our moms' feet but I am talking of the time before that. As kids or teenagers or even as young adults, there is such a tendency to take mothers for granted. I mean, I scarcely registered the fact that my mom worked until maybe my ninth class or something when I was 'forced' to do regular household chores. This, despite the fact that she worked full-time! I mean, I knew she was working but did it really register... no!!

How does Ditu understand so much? This is a question that always plagues me. I hear stories from other parents and I realise kids today are way smarter than we ever were at their age. Is that good or bad? I don't know. Here's what I do know: they never cease to awe you! What was all that about child being the father of man? I am beginning to read new meanings into that.

The other day, Ditu was looking particularly cute (or she said something particularly cute) and I went, "Awwww, my ichkoo!" She smiled sagely and said, "Do you know, Amma, even if I grow this big [raising her hands high in the air], I'll always be a little ichkoo for you?" Did you go OMG! See what I mean: kids understand ideas, concepts, relationships in a far more involved way than we did at the time. I now think half my childhood was wasted in some sort of spaced-out time-frame. Which brings me to the next question: are we doing enough to fire our children's curiosity, enhance their imagination, mould them into better human beings (I say better 'cos obviously they are good enough as a base model)... as parents, are we evolved enough?

Butterflies in the stomach, and other stories

It's like a dream unfolding in slow motion: this very unreal feeling of finally embarking on a project that you have long thought of, slept on, discussed to bits and generally analysed until you were quite sure that it would not happen anyway. But it's happening, and all it took was one small step. Oh yes, and my favourite Matrix notebook and my current favourite Stabilo pen. (I love making notes!)

DropCap was born in a rather unceremonious manner on a bright Sunday morning when I should still have been poring over my vast spread of Sunday supplements. Something in me propelled me to pop the question to Abhi, who has heard me come up with a million business plans when I am feeling particularly down and out. He listened carefully (for a change), was pleased this was not one of my depression-busters (I had been in a reasonably good mood all week) and best of all, did not involve the spending of copious amounts of money while "leveraging my core competence".

That little action has spurred a series of events and I am surprised, humbled, awed and filled with gratitude at the reactions from various quarters. One of my friends, who received an announcement email from me, called from Bangalore! She couldn't believe the motor-mouth had kept such a grand plan to herself! (I am known to call up friends with half-formed ideas which I am greatly enthusiastic about.)

I was just explaining to my little one about my expansion plans and that soon, I'll have young, college grads coming in to work for me. Until June or so, I'll mostly be operating from home. She was thrilled at the idea but I think she conjured up the wrong image of a college 'kid'! "Amma," she said. "After your work is over, will they stay and play with me?"