Believe it or not, this girl got home from school with chicken pox! This was during her last week in school. She coped quite well and got healed fast. By the time school was closing she was completely healed. Then my turn came , apparently I did not catch chicken pox as a kid, so I got my portion. ( It was cruel to me, I’d rather give birth daily for a week). I still wonder why my mother being a teacher, did not make me hug kids with chicken pox when I was five! Its okay though, am well now. In sickness and in health, she remains my child, I have to be there for her. But I realized in my sickness, she prefers going to stay with her aunt, and comes back when am healthy! Life is unfair! I did not laugh at her when she was sick, and avoided any comment that would kill her spirit, her pretty face was not looking so pretty, and I kept reminding her how ‘not so bad’ she was. But when my turn came, she laughed at me and called me a reptile! Yes, that’s how the holidays began…

She is 10 now! My baby is ten! I know it feels odd calling a ten-year old ‘baby’, I used to be bothered by parents who call older children ‘babies’. But now I know, it only makes sense to the parent. It’s been a whole ten years. Years of learning and growing. I remember when she couldn’t even speak, I wished she spoke, and finally she did, then I started hoping she walks soon, and runs, she did. There’s a time all I wished for was that she could take care of herself, that I dint have to worry where she is and what she is doing, yet we are in the same house. Well the time came! And now, at ten, I am wishing she could come play on my laps. Just after her birthday, she started giving me this ‘I’m ten’ look. If you challenge her or tell her anything that according to her is for babies, she reminds you ‘I am ten’. But it’s also working for me, I am adding her responsibilities, with my ‘you are ten’ look. They grow up so fast, and once you miss a season, it never comes back.

I have never known that my child is scared of animals. Wait, I have to give you some background, going to the museum was her idea. And I was forced to make a promise, then reminded day and night. Finally I decided to take here there. The lady was so scared! Scared of all animals, dead and alive.  She didn’t even look at some. Even statues! She said the monkeys look so bad, the snakes are scary, the fish are too many, the giraffe is too tall, the warthog ugly, the elephant looks like it can talk. Hey, young girl, what did you expect? Cartoons? Anyway, I know she is not going to forget that trip anytime soon, and the next time she hears about an ‘animal orphanage’ she should not think of ‘zootopia’

Then there was a whole week of camp. I missed her so much. But the feeling was not mutual, she never called. She was so excited about it. So when she came back i asked, ‘What have you learnt?’

1. I can survive without juice for a week! But it was a miracle.
2. Cabbage can be sweet when you are really hungry.
3. Many children talk in their sleep.
4. I can spread my bed for a whole week without help.
5. It is not funny bathing with people, even if it’s  hot shower, it doesn’t feel nice. People should just shower alone!

I was also expecting Bible stories and the lessons I saw in her notebook. But that’s all I got. You are welcome parents!

I know you are wondering, where is homework in all this! Homework is there, on a table. Too much of it. I have good news and bad news, the bad news is that most questions are not answered. The good news is that by tomorrow when school reopens, homework will be done, and done well.

As she begins her 10th year, I am ready to grow with her. So help us God.