Jingle Bells
Christmas is a big thing in Bangalore and the festivities are much more apparent here than they are in Delhi. Of late, the malls in the metropolitan cities have taken it on themselves to celebrate each festival. As a result, the malls are all decked up for Christmas and the New Year. But those festivities cannot match the joyousness which is palpable in Bangalore.
Last weekend, we went to the Forum Mall, and every shop had a Christmas tree, and that attracted Ananya so much so that she couldn't keep her hands off them. Last year, when we were in Dubai, she was very keen on the ornaments, that I had to actually buy a set of hanging bells for her so that she keep off the trees in the shops.
Today was also Ananya's last day in school this year. She now has a 2 week break, and will go back to school only in the New Year. They also celebrated Christmas in her school today, but only a few parents were invited.
Prior to this, Ananya was down with viral for one whole week, and when she went back to school, a lot had changed. Apparently her class had been decorated for Christmas, which delighted her. But another development had happened. They had picked out students to participate in the Christmas day celebrations and she was not a part of them as she had been absent from school.
She came back home the second day, a little morose, and told me that some of the girls were going to be Angels and they got to wear wings and dance, while she had to sit it out in the side. She was almost in tears when she told me this, and asked me, 'Mummy, Am I not an Angel, aren't all girls Angels ?'. I was a little disturbed and decided to talk to her teacher about it.
I called up her beloved teacher next day and told her that I was concerned that Annaya had taken this incident to heart and she did not want to go to school,as she was not an Angel. Her teacher told me that five girls were picked, but as Ananya was absent that day, she couldn't be picked for the same. I told her that perhaps they should try to involve all kids when they have such functions, so that no one feels left out. She told me the Principal had decided the scale of the celebrations, and she will try to see what she can do.
Later in the day, the teacher called me back and said that she too had realized that Ananya was a little morose, but now she knew why. She promised me that she would involve Ananya in something, even if meant doing something on her own for her. I was very grateful to her and very happy that she had responded in the positive regarding the same. The next day she called and told me that she included Ananya in the Angels too and that I should get a White Dress for her for the celebrations.
I am not sure if this was the solution, as there will still be kids in the class who will be left out and who are perhaps quiet about it, but deep down feel it. I plan to bring this up in the open house tomorrow. Ananya was more than happy to be an Angel and today she wore her new white dress to school, performed as an Angel and came back skipping and dancing. My husband believes we should prepare her for future occurrences of such incidents. Maybe we should, as life is not always fair and she needs to learn to take disappointment in her stride too.
Last weekend, we went to the Forum Mall, and every shop had a Christmas tree, and that attracted Ananya so much so that she couldn't keep her hands off them. Last year, when we were in Dubai, she was very keen on the ornaments, that I had to actually buy a set of hanging bells for her so that she keep off the trees in the shops.
Today was also Ananya's last day in school this year. She now has a 2 week break, and will go back to school only in the New Year. They also celebrated Christmas in her school today, but only a few parents were invited.
Prior to this, Ananya was down with viral for one whole week, and when she went back to school, a lot had changed. Apparently her class had been decorated for Christmas, which delighted her. But another development had happened. They had picked out students to participate in the Christmas day celebrations and she was not a part of them as she had been absent from school.
She came back home the second day, a little morose, and told me that some of the girls were going to be Angels and they got to wear wings and dance, while she had to sit it out in the side. She was almost in tears when she told me this, and asked me, 'Mummy, Am I not an Angel, aren't all girls Angels ?'. I was a little disturbed and decided to talk to her teacher about it.
I called up her beloved teacher next day and told her that I was concerned that Annaya had taken this incident to heart and she did not want to go to school,as she was not an Angel. Her teacher told me that five girls were picked, but as Ananya was absent that day, she couldn't be picked for the same. I told her that perhaps they should try to involve all kids when they have such functions, so that no one feels left out. She told me the Principal had decided the scale of the celebrations, and she will try to see what she can do.
Later in the day, the teacher called me back and said that she too had realized that Ananya was a little morose, but now she knew why. She promised me that she would involve Ananya in something, even if meant doing something on her own for her. I was very grateful to her and very happy that she had responded in the positive regarding the same. The next day she called and told me that she included Ananya in the Angels too and that I should get a White Dress for her for the celebrations.
I am not sure if this was the solution, as there will still be kids in the class who will be left out and who are perhaps quiet about it, but deep down feel it. I plan to bring this up in the open house tomorrow. Ananya was more than happy to be an Angel and today she wore her new white dress to school, performed as an Angel and came back skipping and dancing. My husband believes we should prepare her for future occurrences of such incidents. Maybe we should, as life is not always fair and she needs to learn to take disappointment in her stride too.
Comments