I seem to find a problem with everything! Having said that aloud I look around and feel relieved that my husband is not at earshot. I know what would have been his quick repartee. " Because you don't do anything". Not that my condition is so dire that I take anything that comes from him seriously, still it stings to hear the truth. whether married couples understand each other better with passing years is debatable, but they surely become deft at hitting each other where it hurts. Talk of conjugal bliss!!
Coming back to the main "mudda" I find fault with everything. Well in most things.....Ok, in many things. I must have rejected a dozen play schools before coming across the one that claimed "for the discerning parents". I almost cried on my serendipity and things were fine for a year. on the second year I found the school timing too much for a four year old. six hours a day in school? I marched to the principal's room to mouth my concern and to revolutionize the system hitherto practiced. All I got is a look that said " Are you an alien? We are hearing this for the first time in twenty years." Apparently, all other parents were happy with the arrangement.
When daughter came back waving a tricolour, all excited over the independence day celebration I calmed her down saying "No darling, not today, its tomorrow, 15th of August. let's get your things ready for the flag hoisting tomorrow". When the bus did not turn up the next day and I called the school, I got no response, I had the good sense of checking her diary. It was clearly mentioned how elaborately they had celebrated independence day at school on the previous day and 15th August was indeed a holiday. Disappointed with the school run by a famous psychologist, I made my way to her office the next day. "How could you? You made our children celebrate the independence day of a neighbouring country and did nothing for our own?"
The psychologist turned principal has a way of appeasing parents with her noddings and she sent me back with the promise to see into the matter next year. Next year they celebrated independence day two days ahead as 15th was a Sunday. By that time I had understood my complaints had gone to deaf ears and as a show of protest I did not send my daughter to school. When I called up a parent to get updates on notes she casually asked why was my daughter absent that day and I told her the reason, her expression was like "Oh, I never looked at it this way?" IT professional- educated, highly paid, the creme de la creme of society!
There are have been several incidents like this and every time I march off to do my duty as a responsible citizen and mother, my husband tries to caution me. " You still haven't learnt? Some people learn the hard way and you are one of them. nothing's going to change, I can give you in writing." I still proceed with my mission only to realize how right he is.
My current concern is "notes" given by teachers of different subjects. I was aghast to see photocopied pages from a Hindi guide which the teacher has circulated in the name of notes. My first question was "then why do we send you to school? We might as well keep you home and buy guide books from market. We will be saving Rs. 5000 every month that way". It seems most of the teachers need a guide to guide them in writing answers. To make it simpler they just take photo copies from guide books and circulate them among the students for a fee. I was about to protest and take the matter to the principal when I noticed my husband looking askance. I got the hint.
On a serious note, what have we come to be? As my husband says its not fair to expect anything great from teachers. After all who becomes a teacher in schools these days? Teaching is the last resort for many. The most brilliant ones go for engineering and medicine and civil services, the next lot look for clerical jobs in govt. the still lesser ones go for private jobs and the least lot, those who can not get anywhere look for teaching options in schools. In our country, the good for nothings, go for teaching.
Coming back to the main "mudda" I find fault with everything. Well in most things.....Ok, in many things. I must have rejected a dozen play schools before coming across the one that claimed "for the discerning parents". I almost cried on my serendipity and things were fine for a year. on the second year I found the school timing too much for a four year old. six hours a day in school? I marched to the principal's room to mouth my concern and to revolutionize the system hitherto practiced. All I got is a look that said " Are you an alien? We are hearing this for the first time in twenty years." Apparently, all other parents were happy with the arrangement.
When daughter came back waving a tricolour, all excited over the independence day celebration I calmed her down saying "No darling, not today, its tomorrow, 15th of August. let's get your things ready for the flag hoisting tomorrow". When the bus did not turn up the next day and I called the school, I got no response, I had the good sense of checking her diary. It was clearly mentioned how elaborately they had celebrated independence day at school on the previous day and 15th August was indeed a holiday. Disappointed with the school run by a famous psychologist, I made my way to her office the next day. "How could you? You made our children celebrate the independence day of a neighbouring country and did nothing for our own?"
The psychologist turned principal has a way of appeasing parents with her noddings and she sent me back with the promise to see into the matter next year. Next year they celebrated independence day two days ahead as 15th was a Sunday. By that time I had understood my complaints had gone to deaf ears and as a show of protest I did not send my daughter to school. When I called up a parent to get updates on notes she casually asked why was my daughter absent that day and I told her the reason, her expression was like "Oh, I never looked at it this way?" IT professional- educated, highly paid, the creme de la creme of society!
There are have been several incidents like this and every time I march off to do my duty as a responsible citizen and mother, my husband tries to caution me. " You still haven't learnt? Some people learn the hard way and you are one of them. nothing's going to change, I can give you in writing." I still proceed with my mission only to realize how right he is.
My current concern is "notes" given by teachers of different subjects. I was aghast to see photocopied pages from a Hindi guide which the teacher has circulated in the name of notes. My first question was "then why do we send you to school? We might as well keep you home and buy guide books from market. We will be saving Rs. 5000 every month that way". It seems most of the teachers need a guide to guide them in writing answers. To make it simpler they just take photo copies from guide books and circulate them among the students for a fee. I was about to protest and take the matter to the principal when I noticed my husband looking askance. I got the hint.
On a serious note, what have we come to be? As my husband says its not fair to expect anything great from teachers. After all who becomes a teacher in schools these days? Teaching is the last resort for many. The most brilliant ones go for engineering and medicine and civil services, the next lot look for clerical jobs in govt. the still lesser ones go for private jobs and the least lot, those who can not get anywhere look for teaching options in schools. In our country, the good for nothings, go for teaching.
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