Chhote Muh..Badi baat

Teaching Neil is not an easy task. It takes about 1 hr to make him sit steady and complete his Home Work with his pencil (which gradually goes into his mouth, and every time I have to take it out). And if my luck is strong, he lifts his pencil and keeps on his copy (I thank god…for the first step of my kid towards completing his work). Now suppose he has to write ‘A’. He makes one slanting line, and looks at me, with a smile (as if he has won some battle). Then I again have to push him sometimes with love, sometimes with bribe, sometimes by telling him stories, sometimes acting like joker and at the end if nothing works, I use my ‘Brahmastra’ i.e. my ANGER. And my kid mellows down before my third eye gets opened. Time files in all this process.

To make him study voluntarily, I have to do various tricks. The best one is my Story Trick.

Episode ONE - The story of ‘Ek Bhikari” – A Beggar. Few months before I was purchasing mangoes from the shop. There came one lean, little boy with dirty and torn clothes. He begged money from me. Neil sitting in the car was watching the whole event. Soon as I sat inside, he asked me the question, “Aai, Who was he? What was he asking for?” I told him he was beggar. Next question that popped up was – “what is a beggar, aai?” I replied, “Beggar is a person who doesn’t study. And he finds no work to earn for his food. Hence he has to beg for money from others.” I also added, “jo koi padhai nahi karta wooh bhikari banta hai, isilye tumhe padhna chahiye.”(Those who don’t study become a bhikari hence you should study). He nodded his head quiet positively confirming that he will never cry while studying.

Episode TWO – Yesterday I again sat with him for his studies. But as expected he was reluctant. I again started my above story. And asked him the moral of the story. (Now read carefully) “ Aai, jo koi padhta hai wooh bhikari ho jata hai”(one who studies becomes a beggar). I could only laugh at this statement of his. One missing word changed the whole meaning of the story.

The realistic punch – the Moral which I got was - Expenditure on education, today, is so high that one turns into a beggar.

(One step ahead - He wants to drive every vehicle he sees on the road, including the JCB. Roght now he has to convince himself with an auto-rickshaw)