Category: Parenting
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Discordant Time
“We made a TikTok on my friends account but don’t worry we didn’t show our faces” I am walking around my home sipping on coffee when I see the text. My youngest also sends the said video. I watch it not quite sure what to expect. It is cute. The music is preppy and the…
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Yin And Yang
“Ooh! I forgot to give mom kisses…” Ammu runs to me and smothers me with kisses all over my face. When I pause to catch my breath, she removes my glasses and attacks me again until I am bent over, wheezing with laughter and desperately trying not to pee. “Screw off” Ammu grumbles when I…
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Unplugged Parenting: Walking, Conversations, and Embracing Moments of Joy
“Can we go on a walk?” My middle child pops into the living room where I am prone on the sofa, the lazy ceiling fan lulling me into sleep. Amma is seated across the room. I squint at the window. The sun is still pretty bright for 6:00 pm. “How about after dinner?” I suggest.…
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Embracing Teenage Years: A Parent’s Perspective
It’s 8:45 pm, typical bedtime in our home. One of my older girls pauses to fill her water bottle. She is giggly. I look askance and she spills the tea. First loves, crushes, kisses. It all comes pouring forth. I smile along with her and as we walk upstairs remind her that actions have consequences.…
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Heartbreak Central
I queue up Taylor Swift to start as I enter the car and connect the phone. Say Don’t Go fills the enclosed space. The ride to the bus stop is less than a minute. I park and sing along as loudly as I dare. Pattu joins me. When the lyrics pause and the music takes…
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A Good Word
Jimin’s Like Crazy crooned in my ear as I walked this morning. My youngest sat on the sofa earnestly playing some game on her phone. Her hair was tousled, her complexion smooth. “You are beautiful!” I mouthed as I walked past. Over the course of the morning, I tried to recall the number of times…
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Something In The Rain
My middle daughter and I stood by the entrance of the studio where we were for her voice lessons, looking out into the pouring rain. Our car was a short walk away. Mulling over whether to wait for the rain to stop or get wet, I asked her if we should do it kdrama style…
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End Of Summer
Today has been a day lived in full cognizance of the passing of time. Each moment together, sweeter because of the change that sets in tomorrow with the beginning of the school year. I put in the effort to make a meal that could be savored as a family. We went out for dinner and…
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Falling Leaves, Change In Pace
Under the glare of lamps in an almost deserted parking lot, our family of five stood in the night breeze, savoring the chill and, watching a beautiful fireworks show. The fireworks capped a lovely day spent shopping for back to school clothes, bags and supplies. As our older children picked out outfits, Saathi and I…
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Parenting From The Sidelines
For a brief few hours last evening, I sat on the porch of a friend’s home chatting, ordering pizzas and watching a group of over ten kids walk to the park, chat and interact with each other. My gangly twins and the stocky youngest fit in seamlessly. They made their own sub groups, congregating and…