My dear teen, You know you are so terribly annoying That you are dragging me into a phase where I’ve never been. I am recording, registering and downloading every episode, In my drive, iCloud and memory with code. I will take full revenge in this life-time B’coz, you know Karma will come up sometime. I will come to your house with a grumpy face I will not talk or smile and will sit in one place. I will throw my footwear and clothes everywhere And mind if you ask me to keep in place I will scream, roll my eyes, bang the door, and make a disgusting face. I will leave the bathroom wet and towel on the bed Dare you question me Coz I’ll hiss without a miss. I’ll put all types of demands And maa Kasam if you deny I’ll create such a ruckus That I’ll drive you mad Once the dinner is cooked I’ll ask you to order food Food that I like Be it pizza or jalebi with malai You are testing my limits and patience But god forbid if it crosses my tolerance. Then it’ll be only Tsunami and earthquake So behave yourself for heaven’s sake. No, I don’t want to say,” I love you, darling.” C’coz currently you are terribly annoying Karma, my dear boy, Karma Wait and watch Wait and watch For your mom will turn into a witch I’ll wail and grin as I grow old And poor boy-your teen will come forth multifold Revenge…I smell revenge…. Hu..hu..ha..ha..he..he.
Ignorance is bliss when we are into unwanted arguments, but definitely doesn’t hold good when it comes to our health.
With few triathlons and marathons lined up all through 2019, I was in my all-time high of ignoring the pain, swelling and persistently strained IT band . When I enrolled for triathlon, I was in full enthusiasm and awe of that finish line, but I never knew what’s in store. Relentless practice, the guilt of missing out on any workout, conscious eating, backbreaking work, and discipline was the training part, but the significant component to take care was – time management.
With boys grades declining in each term, teenage catching up, workload increasing bringing in not-so-much needed stress and anxiety, I was in a zombie zone. Ice packs, signoflam was the love of my life.
I kept ignoring everything.
Standard Charted Singapore Marathon 2019
I understood the gravity of the situation when I finished my Standard Charted Singapore Marathon on 30th November 2019. After the mandatory posing with the finishers medal, it was time to walk to the metro station to board a train for my hotel. It was the longest and most painful walk of about a kilometer after finishing the half marathon. I was in a hurry to reach the hotel as Sid was attempting his first 10K the next morning, and he was waiting for me in the hotel. I was sore, limping, and had a swollen knee when I reached the hotel. As ever, my lover came to my rescue, and I can’t thank her enough, my dear Ibrufen Sid triumphantly finished his 10K, and we flew back. I was in so much pain that I had to ask for wheelchair assistance at the airport.
SCSM was the last race of 2019, and the final phase of my ignorance as well. I started with my physiotherapy regularly. I slowed down majorly. Listened to the advice given by my coach, followed the prescription, obeyed every instruction like a good student.
Came 2020 and the first race of the year also the most awaited one which was happening in my city, TMM(Tata Mumbai Marathon). I did not run. I collected the bib, didn’t calibrate it.
I saw the finishers pic of my fellow runners. I went through all the zeal and happy faces on social media. But, I did not run
I am often questioned on why I am walking and not running? Why am I not doing deadlifts in the gym? Why am I not lifting heavier weights? I always get a lump in my throat to reply- I can’t.
I cried out of my misery, my pain, my inability, and above all, my ignorance. But, I did not run.
I am still on rehab, signoflam, cold compressions, guided exercises, posture correction is a part of the routine. It hurts, it pains, it’s frustrating, it’s killing, but I am not running.
Injuries are a part of the life of an athlete, but listening to your body comes first.
My coach said,
“if you have to run fast, go slow”
It is said that God resides in each body, then the body is our temple, worship with all your devotion.
Hold, wait, breathe. P.A.T.I.E.N.C.E
My recovery may take months, or I don’t even know how long but the journey right from the injury to ignorance till recovery is teaching me lessons of life which no textbook ever taught me. Patience Hold on Breathe in And Rise like a phoenix
Love yourself and your body the most, this is the only thing that will stay with you forever.
Whosoever said that having one child makes you a parent and having two you are a referee, was so correct.
Mommy, he is staring at me Mommy, he is saying bad words to me Mommy, he has taken my pen Mommy, he is very selfish Mommy, he is a dumbhead Mommy, he thinks he knows everything And it goes on!
The house is no more a lovely and peaceful place: fistfights, power play, teasing, bullying, nasty words, provoking, and then the blame game. No matter how hard I try, I am always bad. The comments, “you favor big bro more than me,” or “he is young so no one will say anything to him” come dashing each time. I am the youngest sibling of two elder brothers, and I’ve been tried and tested of all WWF moves, so it’s fun to watch a bit of my childhood but, it isn’t delightful, especially when heavens break loose at bedtime. I completely disown them and even their sight is a sore to the eyes. At times I wonder that I gave birth to two enemies who have come to this world to fight their animosity with each other than two loving siblings.
Abhi trying to push away Sid
Sibling rivalry is a natural behavior, and we, as parents, have to bear the brunt of it regularly. One child will always blame for favoring the other one. Can we say that our right arm is better than the left or vice versa? But children don’t understand this, and at times more than anyone else, people around make us feel guilty. Every child is different, and every family is different. Parents know the best how to handle their children. We may be wrong at times, but we are also graduating as parents and have our own set of learnings. Sibling rivalry at one point is healthy, but when not appropriately addressed can lead to extreme results like hatred or jealously.
Sharing a few tactics which I adopt and keep tweaking them constantly, see what suits you the best:
Praise tactfully The child who is doing well, be it in academics or extra curriculum, will surely crave praising be it in the social circle or from the family. It is also advisable to appreciate to build up the confidence and trust in your child. But you have to define your limits here. Like, “darling, your paintings are commendable, and we are very proud of you, but I was also wondering that why don’t we start with our evenings walks regularly?” (or any new habit which you think will benefit your child) you are also allowed to ignore the accomplishments once in a while. When the child points out that, “mom, you don’t even appreciate my work.” You have to reply with a smile and hug, “dear, I definitely do, but if you are seeking appreciation each time, then I am not game. I want you to do stuff for your happiness and not to gain recognition. You are my child; I believe in your capabilities.”
Here it is crucial to involve the other sibling in all these conversations and give him/her constant attention.
Set boundaries (I fail here -majorly)
My boys get too much into a fist fight, throw, drag, punch mode. Many times it takes a nasty turn. They also get into the teasing-to-a-limit phase, where the other one gets wild and then becomes uncontrollable. Here I have to set boundaries not to use hands and legs to talk, or if the other person is not liking, then the tussle has to stop or total ban on the usage of few words. Children need to be reminded continuously that one has to respect other persons tolerance limits. They forget it, miss it, do not register it, but they’ll remember it subconsciously(I can only remain hopeful-pun intended)
Do not get involved When children fight, let them. Like I always tell me, boys, fight until the blood oozes, or if they start any argument in a public place, I suggest to “fight like hooligans, roll on the floor and get into a punch-me-hard game it’s much fun to watch then.” If they come to you to sort the issue, then you must have a simple answer, “I didn’t ask you to start the fight, then why should I resolve”. Be ready to hear harsh things after this.
Expectations vs reality everyone loves a high performing, well mannered and above all a pleasing child. But each child is different, so if the other child doesn’t fit into what-the-society-demands, then be it. We expect both children to be cordial and work in unison, but the reality is different, accept it, and respect your child’s individuality. It would help if you corrected him/her subtly for the unruly behavior in the best possible way your child will understand.
respect your child’s individuality
Doing crazy things together is important
Lets-be-together-time Involve children into a common activity which they like or as a family. Here I do not mean watching a movie or a seven-star holiday. An activity that involves conversation motivates each other and has lots of laughter. Go for short walks, cycle ride, play a game, go hiking on trails, do wall painting, activities that involve body movement.
There are several sub-tactics as well, which we keep trying and testing. We all want to raise happy children, and if we have to do that, then the base criterion is that we as parents should be happy first and emote that joy and happiness on our children.
लड़ते झगड़ते कब यूँ ही बड़े हो गये
पता ही नहीं कब बड़े हो गये
अब लगता है वो झगड़ना ही अच्छा था
रो लेते ,मार पीट कर लेते
फिर भी कोइ बुरा नहीं मानता था
भाई चिड़ाहकर और माँ प्यार से मना ही लेती थी
बचपन के वो झगड़ते ही अच्छे थे
रूठना मनाना हंसना रोना बस चलता रहता था
Happy parenting and chin up referees . Boom bang…there is a battle on yet again.
Recent Comments