And so it’s Day 2, a Sunday, and it started with a scary bang, but little afterwards.
The day was spent in keeping up with the (official channels) news, declaring remote work for staff (the government recommended this later in the afternoon) and reconciling with the fact that schools will go online (oh no) for three days.
The online school experience for kindergarten kids is the worst, to be fair. Not good for students, even worse for parents. Kids have to log in via Teams and well, in their school uniforms, and carry on through the morning as if it’s business as usual. Me, consultant and all, gets fidgety 20 minutes into a Google Meet, and here you expect 5 year olds to perform activities guided by a teacher on a 10 inch screen. Oddly enough, these teachers have a tough time controlling kids in person, so I wonder how this would be achieved via WiFi. Maybe I should just grab the popcorn and have a dekko!
I did observe Keshav today – he went through most of the day in his room, reading, playing, and generally being occupied with a few trips to the living room as and when he needed a break (and to see if we were still around). Which means, left to themselves, kids are able to keep themselves occupied, engage in play, and if nothing, maybe just sit around. Which is OK. Why do their lives have to be a schedule of so called ‘play-based activities’ all the time? Maybe he isn’t that interested in coloring the book when you ask him to, but he would do the same an hour later when he feels like it…
And so, in my opinion, kindergarten kids should be spared this silliness of online classes. No one saw this coming, and it’s ok. Let them be for three days – nothing gained maybe, but surely nothing lost either?
His dad, on the other hand, started to enjoy the spoils of his Big Bad Wolf shopping spree by diving into three books, all at the same time. The first is about the best 100 books for children, arranged chronologically from the 17th century, all the way to Harry Potter. The second is about the best 1,000 books to read before you die, and the third is about 100 photos that changed the world, with the first image being that of Sharbat Gula, whose name you may not remember, but whose photo you would not have forgotten.
I didn’t plan to start with three compilations, but then…I didn’t plan for what happened in the last two days either.
Life happens, in between your best laid plans:)
On an ending note, we continue to remain cautious and alert, but can reassure you that we are safe and sound. The authorities are doing all they can, and we support them 100%.
May these times pass, and soon!