While browsing through some old files I
came across is incomplete/ unpublished blog …. I was fairly confused why this
sat forgotten. Decided to publish it now with some reflection on what might
have stopped me from completing this before …
Notes from sometime in 2012 when Aadi
was 3yrs old ……
Aadi planned a picnic for his friends.
He arranged plastic-ware in the basement. “Plastic-ware” in this case was all
inclusive – there were plastic plates, cups, spoons etc and also plastic
banana, pineapple, burgers, French fries and even a plastic bottle with plastic
root beer in it.
I looked up from the book I was reading
and asked him – “Are you having a party Aadi?”
“I have a picnic” – he answered, still
intently arranging the settings and making sure the food was distributed evenly
on all the plates.
“Who is coming for your party?”
“My friends.”
“Which friends?” – I was expecting the
hear the names of kids from his day-care, the usual suspects….. Sahil, Pranshu,
Sanghvi, Madhav.
“Orno & Shamina” he informed me.
“Who?????” – I never heard these names
before so I was intrigued.
“They are my friends …..” he said
without turning towards me.
(My mind started buzzing right away …..
he is playing with imaginary friends …. He is having identity crisis….. maybe
he is feeling lonely …. maybe I should
spend some more time with him … do some more activities …. maybe I should start
sending him to preschool ….. )
Meanwhile Diya joined the party……I immediately roped her in
….maybe she can help him get back to reality
“Diya, Aadi is having a picnic. His
friends Orno & Shamina are coming over” I looked at her conspiratorially.
“Oh …. Can I join too Aadi?” – she said
without missing a beat and completely missing my gesture, maybe intentionally.
“I am not Aadi …. I am Indonama” – was
his response.
Back to the future … April 2016
So, what stopped me from completing
this before? What was it that I could not process at that time? Was I worried about my kids concocting imaginary friends, pointing
towards lack of adequate social exposure / incompetent parenting / identity
crisis … ???
Did I allow myself to get tripped by
some imaginary anxiety over imaginary friends vs revel in the real happiness of
my very real kids ...??
4 yrs later it makes no sense to me.
May be I am growing up as a parent .. J
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