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We’re all going on a Summer Holiday…

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by Padmasrinivas, Mar 25, 2010.

  1. Padmasrinivas

    Padmasrinivas Silver IL'ite

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    We’re all going on a Summer Holiday…

    <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:eek:ffice:smarttags" /><st1:time Hour="2" Minute="0">Two o’clock</st1:time>, the doorbell rings and my neighbour’s children Sushil and Sunil are back from school.

    5 year-old Sushil is happy that the exams will get over soon.
    Sunil, a naughty 8-going-on-9, has made plans for the long summer vacation. Most of the young 6 to 8 year-olds in the block spend the afternoons at our place till their parents get back from work. My husband and I enjoy this fun time, they are a well-behaved bunch though I hear it is a different story at home. So what’s new, children love to try their parents’ patience anyway…

    Working mothers of young kids between the ages of 5 and 9 air their issues and try to find a feasible solution.

    ‘How am I going to manage two months of vacation with the kids at home all the time when I am away at work? I don’t want to send them to the day-care centre’

    ‘The swimming coach will come between 10 and <st1:time Hour="12" Minute="0">noon</st1:time>, that takes care of half a day at least’

    ‘Summer camps offer expensive package deals for 4 or 6 weeks but we will be away for 3 weeks and there are no flexi-timings’

    Well, eavesdropping never did anyone any good and we should have known what was coming! Actually we only heard some snatches of conversation as we senior citizens sat chatting in the clubhouse.

    ‘Hey, why don’t we ask all the aunties…’

    (Yeah, call us the original soft-touch or should that be soft-touches?)

    ‘Meena aunty, Padma aunty, Renu aunty, all of you, please, please, we need all of you to help us out. We feel really bad to impose on you all but if you can take turns keeping our children occupied for a couple of hours in the afternoons, we’d be so relieved…’

    And that was how the idea was born…

    Meena, the Origami expert soon held the kids’ interest by guiding them to fold square sheets of paper to create lovely intricate designs. Renu, a Cordon Bleu from London, shared easy baking recipes and the boys and girls turned out amazingly light cakes and yummy crisp cookies. She also taught them to make tortillas and salsa sauce and other Mexican delights. Shalu was the Vedic Mathematics whiz, and Ranji held quiz sessions with a lot of animated discussions. No prizes for guessing what fell to my lot! Creative writing and basic conversational French (but naturellement!)

    It all started in the summer of 2006… amd we never looked back since then, this is something we all look forward to,
    so we can do our bit by contributing our mite to our community…


    Padma Srinivas

     
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  2. ganges

    ganges Gold IL'ite

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    Dear Padma,

    Hats off to you and your friends. That is a nice service. that is the advantage of living in apartment system. We have to use our oppurtunities. At 2006 summer hos, the younger ladies came to you and asked for help. You and your friends had the mentality to accept it and it seems finally you too enjoyed doing it. thats great. Nowa days in big cities the culture in apartments are like they dont even know who is living in next door. Very close people in a society is very few. So friendship makes things easier.

    Very nice posting dear. It has to be followed by all the young mothers as well as the senior citizens.

    ganges
     
  3. radsahana

    radsahana Silver IL'ite

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    Dear Padma mam

    Wow so much talents was hidden in all of you and your friends. And now in a wonderful way, you all are utilising it.

    So lucky young womens in your apartments :). Even you all are enjoying, and i know time spent with kids are really wonderful, joyful and fun filled.

    Ok give me your address, even i will send my kids to yur summer classes!!!! :) (Even though i am not working,i am also getting paranoid, now, in summer break, here jun-july, how to keep them occupied:bowdown
     
  4. Padmini

    Padmini IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Padma,
    A very useful and informative post !!! As a senior citizen, I become green with envy, on reading your activities !! In an useful and brilliant way all of you are mentally occupied and at the same time killing your loneliness.
    If you are lonely, do with eagerness whatever is in front of you to do: write letters, visit people, fix something that needs to be fixed, take up a hobby, start collecting something of value, become amazed and fascinated by everything around you. Keep busily involved in everything that gets your attention--every little thing and every middle-sized thing can soon grow into big significant project. This should be our motto and you are observing it.You're sharing the knowledge you've gained and the experience you've earned with those who appreciate your special skills. In pursuing this type of activities and knowledge, you can build a social life simply by sharing your new found zest for life. I pray to God that this sort of bond should grow longer !!!!
    with love
    pad

     
  5. Sriniketan

    Sriniketan IL Hall of Fame

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    A very nice summer vacation Padma ma'am to you and all other 'aunties' and the kids in your block.
    Very happy to see that all of the kids learn new things...and you all help them and they spend their vacation in a constructive manner..
    Hats off to the idea and its participants..:thumbsup

    sriniketan
     
  6. Mindian

    Mindian IL Hall of Fame

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    hi paddu,

    hope you can hear me humming Cliff richard's...fun and laughter on a summer holiday :) it was one of my favourites.

    yes, heard from my mom too. today she will be free as she gives hindi tuitions and the exams are over.that is a lovely society you are living in paddu ( i just read about the paavadai episode ..you seem to be having fun :thumbsup)

    lovely way to keep the children occupied and kudos to you and all those enterprising aunties.:)
     
  7. iyerviji

    iyerviji Finest Post Winner

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    Dear Padma

    You and your friends are doing a great job in summer holidays. As others have said so much talents in all of you and you are using it in a nice way. You all must be a good group. Must appreciate your husbands also because without their support you cant do such a wonderful job. Hats of to you and others:thumbsup

    love
    viji
     
  8. Deaf woman

    Deaf woman Senior IL'ite

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    Hi Padmasrinivas,
    A big :wowto your summer vacation plans.Now that i am fast approaching my golden years ,i think a lot of how to spend them peacefully and happily .Yours is the best way anyone can aspire for.What a wonderful way to spend the time that too with teaching kids!!
     
  9. Padmasrinivas

    Padmasrinivas Silver IL'ite

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    Dear Ganga,

    Yes indeed, we all decided that the kids needed to enjoy themselves and learn different and new things during the holidays. As you have said, we had a whale of a time together.

    Thanks so much for the appreciation, Ganga dear

    Love,
    Padma


     
  10. Padmasrinivas

    Padmasrinivas Silver IL'ite

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    Dear Radhika,

    Your warm words put me on cloud nine!

    Oh yes, come to the next IL meet when you are in India, Lalitha Shivaguru is sure to plan one, we can exchange addresses ...

    Thanks for the lovely fb,

    Love,
    Padma


     
    Last edited: Mar 26, 2010

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