It was all fun and games at Ready Set Go, the venue for Keshav’s birthday party. It was the first time we attempted celebrating in such a manner, given that Keshav was not very aware of what a birthday actually is earlier. Being the shy kid that he is, it was a task for him to be in the spotlight today, and so we tried our best not to push him to do anything that he didn’t feel comfortable doing. As a result, I guess he more or less enjoyed the celebrations, and settled in after a while.
The magic show by his favorite magician, the cate cutting ceremony, the meet and greet with Tinky and Tonky (not their actual names, but I really forgot who they were) all went well, but one of the highlights of the evening was the zipline that Keshav not only attempted for the first time, but also went through like a seasoned pro. I for one didn’t think he would be up for it, but its good to be proved wrong in such matters, isn’t it?
A lot of gifts, cake and smiles later, we are back home, preparing for a working day tomorrow, and for his Monday school. A majority of the gifts remain unopened, and they will be unraveled in the days to come, and we will have to drip-feed him these over a period of time, lest it becomes routine to have a “surprise” every other day:)
On a side note, I do wonder why we cannot make our children approach every single day with the same excitement and wonder that comes with a celebration of birthdays. Well, maybe not in the same degree, but at least half of it? We as adults have conditioned ourselves to separate celebration and the mundane (I don’t quite agree to this btw), but surely children can be given their fair share of discovery before falling prey to the malady that plagues the rest of us?
I had a conversation with a friend on this subject as we drove back home. Many parents decline invites to such parties stating that their children have “pressure” at school the next day – pressure in the 6th grade? Some even go on to say that such pressure starts building as early as Grades 1 and 2…Is this true? Is this what we as a society are giving our kids? The pressure to excel at academics, not the wonder of discovery of what life has to offer? The argument goes that life is not all roses and it’s better to condition the kid early on, to prep him for the realities of what lies ahead…well I beg to disagree here. I can understand tension in the 10th grade, and not bad tension, maybe I used the wrong word – strong motivation to perform may be better – but if a child is pressured to perform at the tender ages of 6 and 7, something is truly wrong with the system. And it is up to us, me and you, to help correct this in our own small ways.
You may feel powerless at first, but change has always started with a minority of one.
Possibly a topic for another day. For now, Keshav sleeps soundly, and I have his back. I wish to see him discover the world and all the wonders that lie within, and I will try my best to keep it that way.
Wish me luck!