What’s Right Age for Admission in Nursery and First Standard, Pune Schools, India? « MADHURIE SINGH . COM: http://bit.ly/8Ji88q vi @addthis************20 hours ago
” Well, it’s the name of the mother of Jesus Christ.
Do you know about him?”
” No”.
“Hmm”.
” Ok what is our surname?”
“Singh”
“You have 48 kids in your class, and each has a different surname, right? “
” No, mom, there are three singhs”
“Ok, so you have 45 other surnames and 3 singhs” ” Now do they all live in one house?”
“No”
” Ok now where do you and all your friends live”
” In houses in Pune.”
“Right. And where do dada dadi, nana nani live”
“Delhi”
“Right. We who live in Pune are called Puneites, those who live in Delhi are called Delhites. But is there any difference in any one living in Pune or in Delhi?”
“No”
” Now when we all, Nana, Nani, Mumma, Papa go to Mama’s house in US, we are all called Indians. But Mamas, Mamies, Kriti, Siya and Sanaa are called Americans, because they live in America.”
” Yes”
“Is there any difference in any one who lives in India or America?”
“No”
“Do you know we are Hindus?”
“No”
“Hmm, tell me whose pooja do we do?”
“My friend Ganesha, bal Hanuman, Ghatotkach, Krishna and Ram.”
” And have you seen whose pooja Janak does?”
“Sardar uncle’s.”
” Ok yes, he is Guru Gobind Singh, and so Janak is a Sikh.”
” Whose pooja Aimaan does?”
” I dunno”
” He does pooja of Allah and is a Muslim.”
” Who is Irene aunty’s God ?”
“I don’t know”
“Her god is Jesus Christ, and she is a Christian.”
“Ok!”
“Is there any difference you see in Aimaan, Janak, Irene aunty, and yourself?”
“No and Yes !”
“Is it? Tell me how?”
” No because they all are living things and look same. Yes because we all do pooja of different God’s”.
“So, does that make anything different in any way?”
“No, then what is the use of different religion and god?”
“Like you ask mumma and papa for everything and do what we tell you mostly, same way different gods and religion tell what to do and how to do. Nothing much.”
“Ok”
” Now do you know what is Jesus Christ’s mumma’s name?”
“No”
” Her name is Mary. And because her son is a God to all Christians, she is called St Mary. And your school is
named after her as St Mary’s School. Got it?”
“Yes got it.” But what is Alien’s god called and what are they, hindu or christian? And mumma are Transformers god?”
But what do you do when you are blessed with another one a bit too early than expected/planned.
Well, life became a bit too tricky to handle, without help. So I had to look for any external help I could get and would accept for my darling 1.5 year old!
Calling any relative was out of question as I am totally against the thought of turning any of the older relatives in the pretext of emotional bonding with the grandparents, into unpaid baby sitters!
Well if it’s volunteered, then that’s a different question after all.
Now handling two babies with my kind of mother was not easy on poor me .
My kind means over protective, net browsing, growing babies via wikipedia and online information, ignoring all advise from oldies unless presented with logic of whys, washing toys with dettol, making guest sanitize their hands before picking kids, making maids bathe before cooking etc. etc. etc…..
I look back now and wonder how on earth and why on earth was I so finicky? Was it all my maternal instinct. Or was it my desire to be the best mom? Or was that all my hormones making me go into an invisible/visible supermom.
So when Nov 2007 arrived, I was all geared to get my kid admitted into Delhi Public School, Pune. Its a Co-ed school and CBSE board is followed there. Having done the same board made sense.
The website dpspune.com did not display any information till the first week of November 2007. Then the website mentioned that admissions for all classes except above 1st STD were open.
The forms were available in the office of DPS School, in NIBM road. When I went there sharp at 10:00 am, there was chaos and crowd. I was handed a token numbered 125. The attendant at the gate added to the confusion by telling us that those who have not got the birth certificate will not be given forms. I was furious as it was not mentioned in their site. SO I made my way upto the lady giving away the admission forms. She clarified the confusion and said that only for parents who were submitting the form right there, had to produce all required documents.
Having visited it two weeks back, I finally get time to write about this school.
Earlier I have mentioned about this school based on a friend’s views as her daughter has been studying in that school since last two years. She is currently in 1st Std and is in same class as my older son who goes to St Mary’s Boys.
I could gather from her some good and some ok and some not so good views about the school.
So I thought of verifying it myself.
When I reached the school, I was impressed by the structure itself. It’s a huge school as comparable as ST Mary’s or Bishops.
The area where it’s located is also quite central, right opposite Magarpatta city, in another very beautiful township called Amanora Park, Hadapsar. It’s close to both Koregaon Park and Wanowarie.
I must tell you the place is a class and living there will automatically bring class. But … click here to read more
Finally I have managed to organize Online Workshop for all those who are keen on Admission Procedures for various good schools in Pune.
The workshop will be on 19th Oct 2009, IST 11:00 PM, online on my site www.madhuriesingh.com forum.
It’s online, cause, there are many who cannot physically attend the workshop.
It’s also my way of minimizing resources, when something can be organized making best use of Internet and Technology, which I love and prefer always. .
There are a few parents in US, UK and East Asia too and not to forget the one’s out of Pune who too wish to attend the workshop, which is feasible only with online workshop.
Also since the workshop is FREE, I would rather spend on purchasing products that need to be compared and make you parents aware of their false claims advertised or on travelling to various schools and collecting information for the benefit of those who cannot come to Pune and do it themselves.
What you need to do. Follow all three steps below. I will appreciate if you all are updated via all three mediums.
1. Register to my site on www.madhuriesingh.com/superindiankid . ( Click here to Register )
2. Subscribe to my site through email so that you do not miss out on new articles on school reviews. (Click Here to Subscribe)
3. Follow me on twitter to be able to receive all tweets on school admission. (My Follow me on Twitter @ madhuriesingh) or (Click on the blue birdy on article page)
4. Please be ready with your questions. Hope to answer all your queries.
It’s time to say goodbye. Goodbye to the good old wordpress.com.
With hundred’s of people like you who have trusted my reviews, encouraged me to take the next step. Yes! I have finally built my own website all by myself! Phew!
It’s been a mind boggling 45 days and lots of happy and not so happy moments towards this learning process. But, I have done it! I feel on top of the world, to own my own domain and website.
And the best part is now I can offer you lovely parents great deals and my trusted products right on my website. Well, I am still negotiating with a few companies, but it will not be long when in a click, you can also own the products that I adore and products that are best for our kids.
The first one is about the Logical Research and Honest Reviews for kids that you all are familiar with, and it will continue to deal with kids, schools, education and product reviews for SuperIndianKids.
The third site deals with all the other stuff that I have been doing over the past few years of my life! Yes, what makes me a SuperIndianMom.
I have a vast and enriching experience in topics which I believe is very interesting and exciting. I hope as many moms read my reviews on products, on day to day life handling stuff like relationships, love, marriage, infertiltiy, pregnancy, child birth, making money without stepping out of the home, fulfilling their creativity and desires through activities that can be pursued at home without neglecting kids and home :!
I will give a brief on the workshops that I have been conducting for corporates and individuals, for example Self Defense for Ladies ( no martial arts), Beauty and Age Defying therapies, Time Management to make the best use of time for working and non working moms and online Astrology consultation.
I am working on other good schools too on their admission details, which will be published on my site http://madhuriesingh.com.
I plan to hold a workshop for all parents interested in knowing the admission form details, filling up strategy, criteria for admission, interview strategy, written and oral test samples for kids, attitude and confidence of parents.
There are two steps that you can do right away to keep in touch with me:
Step 2: This is important.
Enter your query in the Contact Us Form ( powered by SAPHA). Please mention your query clearly and I will work on it to the best of my ability.
The comments will be disabled on this blog now and all new articles will be published on the new website http://www.MadhurieSingh.Com. You can post comments on the new website which I have tried to replicate in terms on the look and feel of this blog, and make it easy on you to navigate.
St Mary’s school pune classes for Pre Nursery, Nursery and Prep will reopen on 29th Sept 09.
The school had declared these classes to remain closed in view of the risk to the tiny tots against Swine Flu (H1N1 Virus).
The time table of the school will be as follows:
Girls Section:
Classes Timing
Pre-Nursery 9.30 a. m. to 12.15 p.m.
Nursery 8.30 a.m. to 12.20 p.m.
Prep Girls 8.30 a.m. to 12.20 p.m.
Prep Boys’ 8.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.
STD 1 to VI 8.30 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.
STD VII to X 8.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m.
Boys section :
Boys’ Section
STD 1 to VI 7.35 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.
STD VII to X 7.35 a.m. to 1.30 p.m.
School will be working on all Saturdays upto the Diwali vacation for Girls and Boys sections.
Half Yearly exam will commence on the 10th Oct 2009.
St Mary’s School will close on 14th October 2009 as scheduled, but will re-open on 29th October 2009 instead of 2nd November 2009.
For Christmas the school will close on 22nd December 2009 instead of 18th December 2009, and will re-open on 4th January 2010 as scheduled.
I am not going into the thesis of handling complaints as I believe it’s differently handled with different situations. What works for one school may not apply to another school. So the best way is to be open, be guided by the one’s own set of values and never attempt to please others or reprimand your kid in front of others to satisfy them.
I had a parent who came up with a silly complaint about my son telling her daughter, that he does not like to play with girls!
Now, what do I tell her? So I kept quiet and told her I will handle this later with my son who is only 4.5yr old. I did ask him the reason as to why he said so to her daughter. He answered ,” It’s because she not play what I want to play!”.
So, what goes in a child’s brain is something we will not know unless we discuss it with them. Hence no point reacting when someone comes with a complaint about my kid.
I am not one of those parents who do not think about the behaviour of the kids in public or private.
A few months back my elder son started crying whenever he had to get ready and go to the school! He is one child who loves to study. So when for a week he did not go happily to his school, I tried to find out his problem read more….
Have you wondered how kids mimic you and reproduce it when least expected!
But I am pleasantly surprised with the subtle learning that my kids have been absorbing from their parents. And tiny stuff that they say or do makes me a proud mom.
I am a conservationist at heart and do not believe in pomp and show to please others at all. I believe we all must live within our limits however we have defined to suit our budget not others!
And it’s not easy to pass it down to the kids.
Some of the things that I have been constantly doing are what I guess every parent must be doing even without realizing the importance of it with respect to the larger picture called our earth!
The most common instruction that was passed down to me was, to put off the lights and fans when we were kids. I realized the importance of it not in terms of only the monthly bill under control, but also about the way it helps in the reduction of the usage of the national electric energy, hence lesser coal needed to generate the power. Lesser coal used means, longer supply of coal in future.:)
Both my kids, today, have learnt it to such an extent that even when they are being carried at night in their sleep from one room to another, they do not forget to remind us that we need to switch off the lights and the fan.
One of the thing that I hate is anyone wasting water. The sound of water falling uselessly drives me mad and then whosoever is the culprit has to listen a sweet little lecture from an amateur environmentalist .
Now that’s one thing I am trying to teach but is not gone into the system of my kids or maids enough. My kids have learnt to turn off the tap but they somehow keep wasting water when they are taking bath. Bath tub was always something that I never approved of due to hygiene reasons, but also due to the huge amount of water that is wasted.
I tried to cut on the shower too but my kids still are too young to be so mature when it’s difficult to make the adults understand this concept. A lot of people I have talked to, just do not get the concept of conserving water. They ask ignorant questions like , ” if we are paying for it why should anyone bother ? or something like , ” there is free water so why should be bother?”
Such people are best to be left alone, because it’s not their fault, it’s the upbringing that never bothered about the environment. That’s one reason why I am determined to teach my kids early about water conservation.
Thankfully we have followed the dry and wet garbage segregation from the time we were in Sydney. So it was never difficult for me to teach my kids what is wet and what is dry garbage and where should they go. Infact they are now so much involved in keeping the city and home clean that at times we are proudly embarrassed! Ironic?
On my elder son’s birthday he made all the kids take back the gift wrappings of the return gift and prizes to their homes.
And recently my younger son was hunting for a bin to throw a chocolate wrapper in an already littered birthday party hall!
Yes, once a while reminders are needed, because after all they are kids.:)
These are some of the tiny contributions from my babies which I know is just a step but will transform into two responsible citizens who value the earth and all the richness of it in the most natural form !
ST Mary’s School Pune Classes Nursery to Preparatory will remain closed as precautionary measure against swine flu, H1N1 Virus.
Std 1 will reopen on the 14th Sep 2009. Classes will be from 7:35 am to 12:35pm instead of the 1:20pm.
I am all smiles and thankful to my gut feeling when I took the decision to not send my kids a week before their schools decided to close down in view of the Swine Flu spread.
There were some very prominent personalities who proclaimed that shutting down the school will not help in spread of the h1n1 virus. There were a few TV channels and a few Newspaper Editors singing the same tune that the Health Minister was singing. But something told me to stick to my decision and keep the kids away from the school, school bus and all such grouped activites. Later the schools also decided to close down, when one by one kids especially the younger ones started to fall victim of the swine flu.
I am thankful that our kids go to schools where the management uses their own head and thinks through before deciding on any directive for or against the notices from the state government.
Today the school administration should be proud that their decision has not only saved lives of tiny tots, but has taught the mighty WHO (World Health Organization) about the important steps to contain the spread of a virus.
Now the question in Pune again arises with respect to the schools. Exactly after a week, which is the incubation period of the H1N1 virus, there were reported 20 cases of deaths and hundreds of new positive cases. Should the schools thats have reopened again sit to think or should they close down again?
This experiment is my own brain child and has not been scientifically tested or proven. But since I value my logic and gut feeling a lot, I find it 100% safe and it’s efficacy too is excellent.
So what is the experiment?
Well, this was three months back when, the swine flu fear groped all of us. I do not much believe in the multivitamins available in the market, especially after a doctor friend explained to me about the negligent tiny quantity that is present in each tablet.
But being a mother, not boosting my kids with supplements was also not easy on me. So I kept thinking of how my kids can get unadulterated multivitamins. And when it’s anything to do with respect to my kids, all my six senses are at their peak alertness!:)
The first sure shot food that improves immunity is … read more…
I feel guilty and wish I had listened to my elder son’s plea that he did not like the taste of the milk. I would coax him with all kinds of stories. But even though he has stopped drinking milk since last one and half years now, my younger son loves to drink only milk !
I wish I had done this simple test easlier which I do now, then all my guilt would have gone.
I wanted to make paneer out of the excess milk I had at home. It was Amul toned milk. This is 4 days back story!
I first added half lemon juice, but there was no change in the milk. Then added one tablespoon of lemoneez. Still nothing happened. Another two table spoon of lemoneez and the milk refused to curdle!
I was very shocked. I called my husband from another room. Discussed with him and that took around 5 more minutes. When we reached back to the kitchen, the milk had changed its consistency only where lemoneez was added. It looked like a rubbery white lump. So I mixed the whole thing in the milk with a spoon and gave a vigourous stir. And guess what, there was no change in the rest of the milk!
Next I tried the same testing with Chitale milk. That too refused to curdle back !
The last brand I tested was Katraj. Thankfully, read more…
I wish anyone reading this page, tries it randomly if not everyday, to drink pure milk and not the poisioned, adultrated milk.
St Mary’s school pune has extended it’s decision to close the school upto class 1, till next sunday.
The school has not yet decided if it will open on the 14th sep 2009 yet.
Classes from 2nd std resumed on the 31st august 2009.
Looking at the weaker immunity of younger kids, the school will remain closed for classes nursery to 1std.
But looking at the media underplay, it’s a decision that parent’s should appreciate.
Better safe than sorry.
A few months back my school mate arrived home with her daughter from Bangalore.
It’s fun to see one’s school mate after a few years married, with changed views about the world, with profession that was never ever imagined and so on.
But obviously, the best is always to meet their kids.
My friend came to Pune with her daughter who is older to my sons. So she instantly became their didi.
My sons were enjoying making tea and pakoras with their new didi , which we had to sip, eat and also made sure that we praised their imaginary food. That’s time I realised, how I might be irritating my hubby by asking him, how was the food even before he swallowed the first bite .
With any extra kid in the house, even a normal day becomes very tiring, somehow. So we decided to go out in the evening to some place where the kids can play around freely, eat happily and also just be relaxed.
Whenever we go out, my first intention is to have a gala time. No hassling for food or toilet!
Since we had a good number of hours to spend, I decided upon Sanskruti. It’s my first choice whenever anyone comes to Pune from abroad.
Sanskruti is little away from Hadapsar with very spacious location, ethnically decorated and designed. The theme is Rajesthani folk look and feel. It’s a peaceful place to hang around with kids and friends.
Lovely parking space too so never go by an auto rickshaw as finding one back home will be a nightmare!
The moment you enter, there is a row of … read more….
All Schools in Pune will reopen on the 31st August, Monday. ( Symbiosis International, St Helena’s School, Hutchings High School and Primrose School, St Mary’s, Bishops.)
Nearly 50% of the schools opened last Monday on the 24th August 2009. DPS, Vibgyor were included in the list of the schools that hurried to open on the 24th August. School kids going to these schools are much protected as they have their own school buses. Hence it’s safer and also easier to track kids having any swine flu related symptoms. Also DPS and Vibgyor had made their students wear mask and carry liquid sanitizers compulsory.
Bishops (all three branches) will open on Monday the 31st Aug 2009. Nursery, LKg , UKg in Bishops will remain closed and will open on the 7th September 2009. All classes above UKg will open on the 31st August 2009.
St Mary’s will re open on the 31st August 2009. Pre-Nursery, Nursery, Prep, Std 1 (both Boys and Girls ) will remain closed till further notice and will not reopen on 31st August 2009.
The school timings will be as follows:
Girls:
CLASSES TIME
II to VI 8.30 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. (Half Day)
VII to X 8.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m.
Boys:
CLASSES TIME
II to VI 7.35 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.
VII to X 7.35 a.m. to 1.30 p.m.
Mon to Sat
Interesting common factor between these St Mary’s and Bishops schools is that they do not own any school buses. The kids depend on private buses and vans which pick kids going to different schools at the same time. In my opinion, these two schools and all others who postponed their school reopening, was a wise step, as their students have more chances of spreading the H1N1 virus infection.
I abhor whoever came up with this idea. It’s more like a bribe to make your kids’ friends come to the party !
We teach kids from the very tender age what is greediness, bribing and teach them how to spend money on what is not important at such an early age!
We teach kids how as parents we can be blackmailed into buying what is expensive and beyond our budget as return gifts.
Parents too get into the useless show off mentality, forcing themselves to keep up with the trends, lest they be labelled stingy.
In my opinion when giving a birthday party, if you do have loads of money to spare, do give something valuable and usable as a thank you gift. I am gonna do away with this word RETURN GIFT and make it Thank You gift. At least that way we teach our kids that they are lucky to have friends who share their happy moments and promise to share the sad moments too.
SO if it’s a Thank You gift, that your child must give, let it be so.
I have given my kids’ first birthday party at The Corinthian’s Club. This is an awsome place with mouth watering food. I still remember their ‘Stuffed Button Mushroom” . Located at the NIBM road, Pune, it’s a mini replica of a Roman Palace. There are humungus statues of romans, lovely pool side area. We chose the large banquet hall as the entire office people and friends were invited. That time I had arranged for a magician and a cartoon character with loads of ballons in the hall. Our friends still remember that birthday party.
The second time too we chose The Corianthian Club for my second son’s birthday party. Obviously it was again a big hit. The banquets are normally free if you place food order with them. It comes to Rs 500/- 700/- per head with drinks extra.
Now obviously every year its not possible to spend such huge amounts on a birthday party. Now I have come up with an alternate year celebration of birthday parties.
One year if the elder one’s birthday is celebrated outside, that year the younger one’s will be celebrated at home.
Though of late it’s more convenient to celebrate the birthday parties out side in a place that is equipped for the same.
We have had lovely times at Pizza Corner thrice. They used to have a kiddies room, full of small colourful balls. The kids would go there and spend hours leaving us adults to talk in peace . Pizza Corner closed down at Koregaon Park this year.
The other place where we have gone and celebrated birthday party is the Empress Garden. That was a major hit with kids and parents as the parents were happy to see their kids enjoying themselves on several swings, slides etc.
Some of the other places where we have been invited for the Birthday Party celebrations I am listing along with a short review.
McDonald : These joints are favourite of all kids if not mothers . Kids are in love with McDonald’s . Though the food is sub standard, still I find a big smile on any kid’s face with just the mention of the name. There’s McD joints now in any area of Pune you can think of. They have Rs99/- and Rs 120/- package with a Happy meal and a return gift (lousy ones at times ) included. Thankfully tha happy meal has a good toy. You must remember that they book only on the weekdays for Birthday Parties.
Pizza Hut : These are also cool places for celebrating Birthday Parties. But their package is rather unattractive. A 120/-per child package includes only a birthday cake and the venue with a dance. Food is not included in the package. Also the return gift is as bad as the McD’s . The Pizza hut at Kalyani Nagar, does not have the permission to host any Birthday Parties. So the closest Pizza Hut is at the Kakade Mall, Camp. But the space is small and can be suffocating.
Yo-China : This is a great place to celebrate Birthday Parties, even adult’s. They have a spacious area which they cordon off during birthday party, to avoid kids from getting out of the main door. They organize for their own magician, tatto, hair braiding and decorations. The package is Rs 99-/ head to Rs 120/- head. They have lovely chinese food and yummy starters with cold drinks too. I have always had lovely time there.
KFC : They suck ! Please avoid it for birthday parties. They have staff that keeps changing every week. They do not have any birthday pacakge. They made me cry when I hosted a birthday party there. They offered me a package of Rs 99/- which included a tiny burger, an icecream, french fries and cold drink. They promised to give ice cream, but the their softy machine broke down! They replaced it with a five star! . They had such a tiny burger that the kids were hungry. So I had to reorder burgers. They forgot to arrange for any decorations or a magician, even though they billed me for that. Well , apparently, I deducted for the icecream but was too bugged with them that didn’t want to see their face any longer. There was no music and the door to the hall was broken. I had tough time trying to keep the kids in the hall and not get wet in the rains. It was a nightmare for me. Thanks to my friends Ayesha and Sarika who along with my hubby jumped in to manage the scene.
I think the from next time will book my society club house at Lunkad Sky Lounge, which is a lovely place and arrange for a caterer.
Another good and economical way of celebrating Birthday Parties are by arranging at home terrace or balcony or the living room. I personally avoid this, as I don’t wish to see my living room getting messed up. But I have seen the kids enjoy it at home too. My friends call Pav Bhaaji wala, Dosa wala and Chaat wala who charge per 100 plate. You can order the burgers from the McD or Pizza’as with french fries and cold drinks. The cake also is better managed at home. Disposable plates and glasses are a boon for at home parties. I have a pool table at home, which the kids go crazy playing. But there are loads of other birthday party games that one can organize. You can call the magician and tatto guy at home too. You can have music as per your choice. In all if you have help to handle and manage the crowd of kids at home, this option of Birthday Party at home is the most inetresting celebration.
Some interesting return gifts for the birthday parties are set of paints, colour crayons, pencils box sets, piggy boxes, key chains, cartoon cups, books, cds, games and masks. I wish we could do away with the return gift idea completely. Sometimes the return gifts are such trash that I wonder what was the need of spending money on them! Big Bazaar, Lifestyle are great places to shop for return gifts if you do not have time. Else Camp area and Laksmi road is great for very economical return gifts.
Another great way of celebrating kids birthday party is by celebrating with the less fortunate kids in your local area. We have Preet Mandir, an orphanage. I donate there clothes or goodies there. My kids too love to spend time with them, learning to be sensitive and sharing their toys with them.
Thankfully all schools will remain closed till the 30th August 2009.
DPS School has decided to open on Monday 24th August, but has cancelled off the monday test.
The following guidelines to be followed by students risking to go to school on 24th august to DPS .
•
The school will now reopen on Monday, 24th August, 2009.
•
Second set of Practice Sheets for all classes are available on the school website under SCM Section.
•
There will be no Weekly Assessment on 24th August, 2009. New dates will be intimated later.
•
Students to wear masks and carry small bottles of hand sanitizer liquid for maintaining personal hygiene during school hours.
•
Students must carry clean handkerchiefs.
•
Students exhibiting flu like symptoms to avoid attending school.
•
Students to reach their designated bus stops ten minutes early.
Like I had mentioned in my last 2-3 posts, looks like better senses prevails our schools and the governing bodies.
Dear parents, it may seem that everything is cool and things have returned to normal in Pune, but it’s only because the media has been instructed not to continue focusing on the Swine Flu 24 by 7.
So just because you are now not bombarded with continuous updates on the H1N1 flu, do not start to relax. Continue avoiding crowded public places unless very important. Leave your kids in the house or with friend’s if you must visit the malls for grocery etc.
Again a reminder , Swine flu is dangerous to younger kids who have still not strong immunity, and dangerous to people who already have respiratory, pulmonary or any other problems.
You can definitely visit your friends if no one in their house has any kind of flu.
Similarly, your kid’s friends can also visit you.
Make sure the hands and face is washed with soap whenever the kids are back home or before they eat food.
Make them use sanitizers if washing of the hands is not possible. ( Sanitizers should not be overused!)
Those kids who have any kind of flu, must wear a mask and avoid going to their friends place. Call your friend’s before you send your kids to their homes.
Eat healthy nutritious food and drink lots of water.
My kids are freaking out on chicken and chicken soup. Another very healthy complete food is Palak / Spinach soup for vegetarians. Make your kids drink lots of drinks like tang / rasna ( I have not researched them yet ). Make them drink tender coconut if they like it. Do not try to make fruit juice at home or buy juice. Give fresh raw fruits, if you want your kids to get all the nutritions in a fruit.
Be happy and keep your kids happy. I have still not started to send them to any of their extra curricular activities yet. I will start only in the middle of the September month.
Since my intuitions are working in sink with the current situation is Pune with respect to the schools and kids, I will continue to follow it and keep you all updated.
As per my intuition only, I would say 31 August our kids should be ready to go to their schools in a safe and healthy Swine flu free environment. So till then take care and be happy.
In today’s modernization how many of us maintain our culture in whatever way possible, is a question to be pondered over. Last year when I was looking for a good school for my younger son, I was introduced to this name ” Aman Setu” by a friend. Her son used to be studying in a school run by MKF. Her son was dyslexic. Now 14 years back, the word dyslexic would have passed off as another laxative or some kind of digestive brand name by an enthusiastic brand manager .
She was disheartened when St Mary’s told her to take her son out of the school when he was only in 2nd std as he was not able to cope up with the class! She got him under the wings of Bhojwani School, Pune run at that time by Mrs Madhavi Kapur. Today the boy is one of the editors of his college magzine.
In India, schools are very partial and I hate to admit they will not take kids with any kind of learning disability, leave alone other physical disability. The so called normal schools do not like to see their results affected by any special child’s special abilities. I think schools have stopped thinking. They have a set pattern, a preset curriculum and a way to manage the school that does not encourage out of the box thinking. Neither the teachers nor the parents even try to think out of the normalcy. So what we see is a robot like teaching by robot like teachers producing hunderds of robots each year.
I am reminded of an advertisement of NIIT, where everyone is walking, talking and behaving the same way, untill the girl from NIIT arrives.
Aman Setu is a school in Pune that is attempting to be a bit difference amongst the crowd.
I always wanted to write a review on Aman Setu ever since I visited the school last year and spent and entire day in the school. Now, which school will allow a parent to experience a day in their school with the teachers and kids doing their far from traditional teaching and learning! It’s like the 30 day money back garauntee offers that come with online product, which are 100% sure of their quality.
The school is located near the airport, close to the Diamond water park, in a farm area! I must tell you …read more…
And within a fraction of a second they will tell you it’s their mom who is BAD !
Earlier I used to be hurt. I would get even mad at them and make them sit and understand how I am a good mom. Poor me.
As if they want to know that from ME ! Don’t they have their own judgement?
Now its been a couple of years now since I have given up on making them register that I am a good mom, like their good papa !
But occasionally I itch to find out if any small feeling towards me has changed. So, I asked my sons again the same question but in a different way. ( MBA degree has not gone waste ) And this was while watching the movie “Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic” just after the parents of the four kids pass away in the movie.
First I asked my elder son, making sure the younger one was not around.
I asked him ” What if something like this happened to me, would you like it?”
My elder one is very sensitive and hugged me instantly. Then without looking at me he , ” Thank God papa will be there. But mumma I will not like it without you!” Well I was sad and happy.
Then I called my younger son. I asked him the same question.
He said with a big smile, ” Bad mummas should !”.
I asked him why does he think that I am a bad mom.
“Because you scold me, you make me eat food, you put soap on my head, you make me sleep early, you shout when I shout and you love bhaiya more than me ” … Phew !!!
Well this was asking for more than I was prepared ! Meanwhile my elder son had entered into the room again. He said ” If mumma doesn’t scold us, we will become bad boys. And then other people will scold us and hit us when we are alone. And when we grow up like papa, no one will talk to us.” Now I bless my son for understanding my role so well.
I really do not know how much was my younger one satisfied by this answer, but he just left to play.
As usual I started looking for him after 8:00 pm in my society. All the watchmen I asked, said he was nowhere to be seen for quite some time! My heart sank !…read more …
I know, as a parent, its so much confusing. One day the school closes for quanrantine reasons, which is excellent. Then we get sms from the schools, that the school will reopen on the 20th Aug 2009, as the situation seems normal, but the next morning the Collector Mr Chandrakant Dalvi, announces public places to be closed till 23rd August 2009. Phew !!!!
Well I am too glad that all the schools will be closed till the 23rd Aug 2009.
It will eliminate the traces of that Swine Flu from the surface of Pune totally!
It will also force careless citizens who have to be made to understand that staying at home will save THEIR life.
I still hear people going to the malls! Well if its to purchase grocery, it’s ok. But why are people flocking even to the places like Lifestyle, Central and Big Bazaar !!!!!! Just because the malls have extended Sale period, does it make sense to put your life on sale too?
Common, people, use your head. All the malls will anyways keep another big sale the moment all restrictions due to the swine flu are lifted in Pune. Do you think they will not make use of the fact that people are itching to visit the malls, to empty their pockets and to make economists wonder does the word recession make any sense in this part of the world?
Anyways those who wish to gamble with their life go to the malls, but why are you gambling with your kid’s life?
I am not sending my kids till I hear no more swine flu testing case reaching my ears!
I must thank my dear friend Vinita Deshmukh, editor of the Intelligent Pune for updating me with important school related news. I also thank all the school office managers, especially DPS, Bishop, Vibgyor and ST Mary’s for very patiently always answering my questions and doubts. I appreciate Collector Dalvi for making my life easier by answering my query on schools reopening and the consequences of those not obeying his orders.
Parents are like Gods to their kids. Kids look up to parents as their superheroes and emulate every move they observe.
They will copy you when you are aware, but they will surprise or shock you when they mimic things that you wish you had never said or done!
They are innocent bunch of love filled souls who will make you cry with their selfless tiny deeds, bring tears in your eyes with their angelic talks, express unbounded love for you when you least expect ! :)
Well, there are also days when they will make you cry with their demonic deeds, brings tears in your eyes with their blunt statements or make you look like a fool in front of others especially !!!
We try so hard to provide the best for our kids all through the year 24X7. I read somewhere that Asians are the best researchers and spend their money very judiciously, but when it comes to their kids, they take decisions through their heart only . I loved it. But, let’s add to that research NOW a new result.
That ‘New Asian’ parents are very wise and research everything they provide to their kids, including food, medicine, schools, education, entertainment, sports, clothing and even pets. The research is not limited to the cost but goes into the ingredients, actions, side-effects, feel, future benefits and bonds offered by any product they buy.
This site is my way of doing so for my two beautiful kids. Since they were 5 yrs and 3.5 yrs old when I started posting here, all my posts will grow with them . I will be providing all the researched data on anything that worries me, along with my honest personal views.
By the good wishes of many parents, this blog has become quite popular and has created it’s own dedicated moms group. I wish the readership grows and provides me with the encouragement to research and write more.
So this is for those parents trying to get dates of the admission for each school. A lot of hardwork has gone into making this information available with surfing the sites to making calls to the school offices. But even after all that hardwork, there is still a chance of the admission dates being changed by the school authorities.
Delhi Public School(CBSE)
DPS is the first school in Pune to start its admission process. The non refundable fee being read more…
I WILL NOT BE ACCESSING THIS BlOG ANY LONGER. FOR FURTHER COMMUNICATIONS PLEASE VISIT WWW.MADHURIESINGH.COM
Kindly Subscribe so that you do not miss out on any new development on School Admissions.
All schools are closed till 20th August 2009. Including DPS Pune, Vibgyor, Bishops, Loyolla, Vidya Valley, International Schools, State Board schools, CBSE and ICSE board schools.
St Mary’s school will reopen on 24th August 2009 in view of the current status of Swine Flu in Pune.
All schools in Pune will be closed till 19th August 2009, in view of the current spread of the Swine Flu caused by H1N1 virus.
A lot of schools are fumigating their premises.
Both kids from St Mary’s Boys have recovered from the swine flu infection that they got in the last week of July 2009.
A request to all parents.
Keep your kids at home and do not send them to any coaching class, activity class or sports class.
I am allowing my kids to go to their friend’s place by making sure the family has no cold, cough or fever. Similarly my kids friends are also visiting my home. It’s important that kids are able to interact and play in safe environment. I plan activites for all the kids before they reach my home.
Scrabble, Word Ludo (my innovation), online games, good vcds, carrom, chess and story telling are a few good way I am keeping kids around me engaged. It’s still very difficult.
I draw pictures for them and they have to colour these pictures within a time span as neatly as possible.
Another messy activity that they love is cutting aphabets and pictures from old newspaper. Then they have to make a story out of these cut outs.
Another interesting activity that I am planning is mixing the three primary colours to make secondary and tertiary colour right on the paper!
I found a set of very very informative and interesting books which keeps my kids and their friends glued to me for hours. But the only trade off for that is my time.
I would recommend all parents to get this set of books. Its from Time-Life-Warner . I will be publishing a review on it shortly.
There is another fun and engaging game, where like dumb charade, an object is drawn on the back of a kid with only a finger. The kid has to imagine and say the name of the object drawn on his back.
There are many more such avtivites that we mothers can think of and keep the kids busy at home.
If there is any interesting suggestion, you can send it to me or write as a comment.
They are always fighting for the same stuff, be it the TV remote or the laptop, or their transformers or even the same set of crayons !!!
So my younger son suggested that we goto Mc Donald’s. Before I could answer, my older one told the younger one that because of swine flu its closed down. Then I found him showing the McDonald’s empty entrance from our window.
This is how their conversation went.
” There are swine flu’s there so we can not goto the Mc Donald’s today.”
“Bhaiya if we go there , swine flu will kill us?”
“yes”
“What if we wear our jacket and then go and kill the swine flu, then we can go to McD.”
“Yes we can try that. Mumma is superwoman, we will send her there at night. She will kill all the swine flu.”
“ok, come lets ask mom.”
“Mumma will you go tonight and kill the swine flu in the McDonald, you can wear your special dress.”
” Ok, I will have to first get one special injection, which will make me stronger, then I can go and fight all the swine flu virus.”
“Do you know what is a virus?”
“yes, friends of bacteria!”
“why should we be scared of virus?”
“Because they make us sick.”
“Where do they live?”
“They live in dirty places.”
“How do they come to us?”
“They come to us through cold water, nosey, cough, sneeze and dirty hands, mouth and legs.”
“And also if we do not brush our teeth.”
“What do the virus do in your body?”
“They kill our body parts.”
“How do we kill virus.”
“By injection and medicines.”
“Good”
“Do you know how that injection is made?”
“No”
“The doctor uncle takes out little blood from a person who has fever because of the swine flu virus.”
“One bucket?”
“No, one small syringe”
“Then that blood is mixed with lots of water”
“To bathe the virus”
“No, to make it weak”
“Then the doctor takes little virus-water that has some weak swine flu virus and puts it in your body through an injection.”
“Ok”
“When our body police sees one weak virus, they make more police who have to fight this weak swine flu virus. They wear caps too. And all cap has swine flu police written on them !”
“wow”
“Then whenever any strong swine flu virus comes inside your body, all the police with swine flu cap jump and kill the virus !”
All malls, schools, multiplexes will remain closed for three days as per the government orders. Phew !!! Finally . Bloodshed has to happen to even save our lives. Still there are a few thick-heads who are advising the schools to remain open. We must find out if their kids are in any of the affected city or have they packed off to their kids to a monsoon break to some hill station or abroad ! Don’t they understand simple logic of quarantine?
A minimum of 7 days of total shutting down of the city is all that is needed to eradicate this H1N1 virus. So is 7 days asking too much as compared to hundreds of lives that they are staking? How much sense is lacking in the people WE have chosen?
Ok now if the govt. authorities are like duh… People , use your common sense. Choose between a week of shopping at malls / movie halls /socializing OR be ready to get infected. Is this a rocket science?
Written on 10th august at 1:05am
All schools in Pune will be closed till 16th August 2009, by the order of the Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, if the school is willing.
Thank you dear authorities for better late than never sense which prevailed to save the kids from getting infected and saving the poor parents from the dilemma of whether to send their kids to the school or not !
I wish a month back this step was taken preemptively, but Pune people learn things the HARD way always!
Anyways since I have not been sending both my kids to the school even before the schools declared to close down, I am extremely pleased for the step I took.
Sadly there are two kids infected in St Mary’s 1D and one child from DPS. The kids who did go to the school last week have been exposed to the H1N1 virus. My advice to parents of these kids whose kids went to the school until last week, kindly check your kid’s throat every morning yourself. If there is even a slightest redness or soreness visible, get him tested. This you must do till the seven days from the day your child stopped going to the school.
*Keep other members in the house away from your kid to prevent any other member getting infected, cause you still do not know if your kid is infected or not.
*Make hot chicken soup with lots of whole garam masala and fresh ginger garlic for the kid to drink. This will not cure the swine flu, but will provide good strength and stamina to fight the virus.
*Do not hide the fact from anyone if your kid is infected. Its criminal offence to hide the disease and let other innocent people come in contact with the virus. On the other hand, sharing the information, keeping the kid in isolation will actually hurry up your kid’s recovery.
*If infected or have any doubt that your kid is infected, please make him/her wear Mask N95 only. The other masks are useless and do not prevent the virus from spreading. Other members in the house must also wear the N95 Mask.
*Keep all maids, drivers, workers away from your child till your child recovers.
It’s this category of people who should not get infected, else the real Pandemic will show up ! Thankfully only the upper class is infected due to their globetrotting. And since upper class have the money and resource, the disease can be controlled in Pune to the level of epidemic. If the lower class gets affected, the virus will do the deadly taandav and show its ugliest form. One maid or one driver will infect his whole family and neighbors within one single day as they live in congested rooms and slums. Definitely they will not afford Rs 5000/- worth Tamiflu! And then the result is something we don’t want to see.
SO PLEASE KEEP YOUR DRIVERS? MAIDS away from anyone infected with the Swine flu in your home. DO the cooking/ cleaning / driving for the infected kid yourself. Another option can be to see that these helpers if they are in contact with the infected person stay in the same house premise. This will at least prevent spreading of the virus. Then if any symptom arises, admit the person to the hospital that can handle swine flu.
These are all advice from non medical person, so kindly do not avoid going to the doctor if any symptom arise. You should take a doctor’s advice before taking Tamiflu.
*I pray for the speedy recovery of all the kids. May I request the parents to not send their kids to any day care, playschools, activity classes or even movies and malls.
It’s tough to keep them home, so sending to known friends who do not have any flu or running nose should be wise. Mothers at home can continue with the daily studies for an hour or two. There are several online games that you can allow kids to play to keep them busy.
You parents can use this time to bond with your children and teach all about viral flu etc. Check out good sites that easily explain it. www.X-plain.com. Check out online stories or activities . I like www.starfall.com.
Paint, draw play with your child and make the most of this break. Be thankful that you are lucky to be healthy and fit.
Kider Brook, the playschool where my kids were doing their kindergarten, took them to this lovely garden 3 years back. My darling hubby took the responsibility as I had another appointment on that Saturday.
They took a few dry snacks and fruits, though the school was ready with biscuits and cold drinks. ( Three years back I was not aware of the dangers of these aerated soft drinks).
Once back from the garden after 3 hours, my kids kept telling me of the swings and slides they played on, the trees all around, the tiny stream flowing through the garden and the pink candy they ate there !
They took promise from me that I will take them the next weekend again to the Empress Garden.
My hubby was also looking very fresh and happy, after meeting so many teachers obviously as all the teachers later told me how sweetly my hubby helped them in managing all the kids and driving a few teachers and kids back to the school.
This garden sounded too good to be true. So I planned the next weekend with just my family.
From the moment I landed in the garden, I was mesmerized by the …. read more…
The following schools have decided to close down in Pune in order to contain the spread of the Swine Flu.
Delhi Public School will be closed till Aug 9 2009.
St Helena’s will be closed till Aug 13 with 1 positive H1N1 cases.
St Anne’s will be closed till Aug 12 2009 with 3 positive cases.
Loyola High School will be closed till Aug 9 , 2009 with 1 positive case.
Vidya Valley will be closed till Aug 9 with 2 positive cases.
Vibgyor High has closed down till sunday the 9th August 2009 with no positive cases of H1N1 virus in Pune.
Bishops Boys and Co-Ed have also closed down from 8th Aug 2009 to 20th Aug 2009, including the holidays that were preplanned.
The first school to take this sensible step was St Mary’s when they decided to close down the school from 6th Aug to 11th Aug 2009 with two positive cases in class 1D boys section.
Today on the 9th Aug 2009, St Mary’s has declared to close down till 16th Aug 2009.
The school management have sensibly taken this step as a precautionary measure against the H1N1 Virus on advice of the Municipal Commissioner Mahesh Zagade of Pune.
Every time I mention this, I see people reacting only one way , and that is with great astonishment slowly turning to pity my state, suggestions and help never intended to give .
But trust me, it’s not as difficult as it seems !
It has infact given me the opportunity to spend time with each of my child separately for their various needs.
I get to spend time with only the elder one (who goes to 1st std St Mary’s) in the morning as he wakes up at 5:30 am. It’s easy to get him all ready and make him eat his breakfast peacefully. He is off to bus stand at 6:45am. Now handling two of them would have driven me nuts as both are still totally dependent on me for all their chores.
The second one who goes to Nursery class, DPS, wakes up at read more
St Mary’s school, pune will be closed from 6th to 9th August 2009 as a precautionary measure against Swine Flu.
School will assess the situation on Sunday to decide whether to reopen on Monday 10th August.
Even though no case of H1N1 virus was detected in St Mary’s School Pune, the management took this wonderful step to prevent any spreading of the disease amongst it’s students.
All Schools must close down for a week just to ensure the kids stay at home and do not get in contact with any one who is a carrier of H1N1. A week’s holiday will not make much of a difference in the life, as compared to endangering lives of small kids who are most susceptible to H1N1 virus.
Also parents should take the decision independently, as to what is more precious to them, the stress of sending the children to school now when ideally all schools should be closed down or to wait till the school declares holiday !
Swine Flu is known to infect the children more than the adults.
The International Center for Infectious Diseases states the following:
1. What is Swine Flu ?
It is a form of influenza that infects respiratory organs.
2. Why is it dangerous?
a) Virulence – how quickly and spreads easily – H1N1 Virus spreads quickly.
b) How much tissue damage the virus causes resulting in severe illness or death – H1N1 virus seems to be quite damaging to the tissue
3. Why is the Swine Flu from Mexico considered to be a threat?
It’s a strain of influenza that results in the deaths of young healthy individuals.
1 in 1000 individuals who get ill with this flu will die, as per the data available from Mexico.
4. What are the symptoms of H1N1 viral flu?
a) Fever often upto 104 degree Fahrenheit.
b) Chills
c) Severe muscle pain
d) Headache
e) Cough which is often non-productive in normal people. Those with previous respiratory infection, symptoms may worsen.
f) Nasal discharge and stuffiness or a sore throat in few
g) Fatigue, often sever lasting from 7 to 10 days
h) Diarrhea in few
i) Any one already suffering from heart or lung related disease may notice their symptoms worsening.
How does this virus spread and infect?
Through droplets of saliva or running nose , transmitted by coughing, talking and sneezing.
The virus enters through nose when it’s breathed in especially in a crowded place like schools, bus, malls, restaurants or movie halls etc.
Through eyes or mouth when virus is touched by hand. (That is why thorough washing reduces risk).
2) When is someone with influenza most infectious?
After getting in touch with the virus, there is an incubation period of 2 – 5 days which is short. In case you cross 7 days after coming in contact with an infected person safely, it’s rare to get ill with this flu.
The virus is maximum in quantity within 24 hours of getting ill. It’s quantity reduces after 2-3 days, making lesser chance of infecting others.
3) How effective are masks in spreading the virus?
Not much effective .
Wearing a mask N95 mask, which fit tightly on the face can be effective when you are caring an infected person or when you are sick with the flu. N95 reduces the rate of spreading of the virus through nose and mouth by 80-90%, when worn by infected individuals.
A healthy person wearing the mask is not protected.
4) Flu shot in 2008?
No information is available that flu shot taken in 2008 will prevent one from this virus.
5) What and how effective are the current drugs?
No study on how effective the current drugs are on this virus.
But past studies in Canada of these drugs suggest: Osteltamivir ( Tamiflu) taken orally
Zanamivir by inhalation
can prevent this flu if you are exposed or help in recovery and prevent seriousness.
The effect of these two drugs on H1N1 is still not very sure that they can prevent death.
7) Does Quarantine work as a strategy to prevent spread of the flu?
Following strategies have helped to prevent spread of the flu:
a) Dispersion of crowds
b) Closing down of school/ workplaces/ tamples/ churches/ mosques/ movie halls/ public places.
c) Avoiding travelling / holidaying during this phase to prevent spread or getting infected.
d) Encouraging infected people to stay at home.
e) Air travel does increase chances of getting infected due to re-breathing of air.
For detailed report visit www.icid.com
email info@icid.com
contact Dr Allan Ronald, ICID, Canada
GOVERNMENT AUTHORIZED HOSPITALS FOR TREATMENT OF SWINE FLU
City
Hospital Address Contact Chennai King Institute of Preventive Medicine (24/7 Service)
Guindy, Chennai – 32
(044) 22501520, 22501521 & 22501522
Communicable Diseases Hospital
Thondiarpet, Chennai
(044) 25912686/87/88, 9444459543
Government General Hospital
Opp. Central Railway Station, Chennai – 03
(044) 25305000, 25305723, 25305721, 25330300
Pune
Naidu Hospital
Nr Le’Meridian, Raja Bahadur Mill, GPO, Pune – 01
(020) 26058243
National Institute of Virology
20A Ambedkar Road , Pune – 11
(020) 26006290
Coimbatore
Government General Hospital
Near Railway Station,
Trichy Road, Coimbatore – 18
(0422) 2301393, 2301394, 2301395, 2301396
Hyderabad
Govt. General and Chest Diseases Hospital ,
Erragadda, Hyderabad
(040) 23814939
Mumbai
Kasturba Gandhi Hospital
Arthur Road, N M Joshi Marg, Jacob Circle , Mumbai – 11
(022) 23083901, 23092458, 23004512
Sir J J Hospital
J J Marg, Byculla, Mumbai – 08
(022) 23735555, 23739031, 23760943, 23768400 / 23731144 / 5555 / 23701393 / 1366
Haffkine Institute
Acharya Donde Marg, Parel, Mumbai – 12
(022) 24160947, 24160961, 24160962
Kochi
Government Medical College
Gandhi Nagar P O, Kottayam – 08
(0481) 2597311,2597312
Government Medical College
Vandanam P O, Allapuzha – 05
(0477) 2282015
Gurgaon &;
Delhi
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)
Ansari Nagar, Aurobindo Marg Ring Road , New Delhi – 29
(011) 26594404, 26861698 Prof. R C Deka – 9868397464
National Institute for Communicable Diseases
22, Sham Nath Marg,
New Delhi – 54
(011) 23971272/060/344/524/449/326
Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital
Kharak Singh Marg,
New Delhi – 01
(011) 23741640, 23741649, 23741639
Dr. N K Chaturvedi – 9811101704
Vallabhai Patel Chest Institute
University Enclave, New Delhi- 07
(011) 27667102, 27667441, 27667667, 27666182
Bangalore
Victoria Hospital
K R Market, Kalasipalayam, Bangalore – 02
(080) 26703294 Dr. Gangadhar – 94480-49863
SDS Tuberculosis & Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases
Hosur Road, Hombegowda Nagar, Bangalore – 29
(080) 26631923 Dr. Shivaraj – 99801-48780
Shourya was very much interested in learning about space and people who went to the moon.
He one day asked his mother about what do you do to go to the moon.
His mother said “ To become an astronaut, you need to study science, math and english.
You have to use a rocket to go to the moon in the space.
And you have to be trained for one year to walk, work, eat, float and sleep in a special suit wearing an oxygen mask all the time.”
“But mom why do they need an oxygen mask and a special suit?” Asked Shourya.
“Since the space and the moon do not have air like on our earth, they have to wear an oxygen mask so that they can breathe in the space and on moon.
They have to practice working in zero gravity wearing their special suit.” Explained Shourya’ mom.
“Mom! What is gravity?” again Shourya asked.
“Son, o read more… http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/index.html
I have decided from today both my kids will stay at home for a week or two.
Reason, firstly , I think that’s the best way to prevent my kids from getting infected even if there is any remotest chance. They travel by school bus and definitely there is a good chance of getting in contact with dormant Swine flu virus. Since there is still no confirmed report on whether a person who has been cured of Swine flu may or may not be a carrier of the virus. What if the cured person IS a carrier of the virus? Then for next 5-10 days he /she will be easily infecting another 100 person who comes in contact. I as a mother do not wish to live in stress wondering what if’s .
In my opinion, if I were the Mayor or District Magistrate or any one in authority of Pune city, would have closed down all the schools, colleges for 15 days. Since as per the statistics the Swine Flu is infecting more kids than adults, it makes sense to keep the KIDS AT HOME. Citizens of Pune should be restricted to public places like Malls, multiplexes and restaurants as these places are the best places to get infected. Even going to the hospitals should be avoided unless emergency situation calls for going to the hospital.
My son’s classmate was down with fever for seven days. The paediatrician asked the mother to get him tested for Swine Flu. She went to the Naidu hospital which is authorised to do the test in Pune. There the hospital returned her back saying that we will not test everyone who comes here for Swine Flu ! Shocked mother came back and was very upset. Had I been there I would have taken the Naidu hospital to press and made their life hell for being negligent.
My request to all parents. Go by your instinct. If you have slightest doubt, stop your child from going to school and public places. And get him/her tested for the virus. Early detection is better than rushing in the last moment, knowing very well that Tamiflu, the only drug is not easily available in Pune, even in black.
One to two weeks of holiday from school will not matter anything. You have all the portions and books, you can very well teach at home. Working parents will have trouble taking this decision, but the trade off is between the short term trouble of taking off from the office or life long crying…
I am very upset with Dr Gosh from National Institute of Virology, Pune. In the process of calming the parents he passed an uninformed message to the parents about the Swine Flu. He may be right in saying that parents should not be panicked, but he should not have said that it’s like any other virus and getting infected is ok !
So parents without creating a havoc around you, listen to your instincts. DO not send the child to the school for a week. Wait and watch. Talk to the school is they can close down the school.
Two years back my son was suffering from fever for 10 days. I got him to Dr Sewani of Kalyani Nagar, Pune. She said, it’s nothing to worry about and sent me away. But my instincts told me some thing was not right, as my son was blabbering nonsense in his feverish sleep. I got his blood tested elsewhere. He was detected as suffering of Dengue !!!! SO my instinct did come true.
The passage below was written when we were called to the school by National Institute Of Virology ’s talk on Swine Flu.
Today, we were called to the St Mary’s school for a presentation on SWINE FLU.
Thanks a ton St Mary’s Management for pre-emptive step taken.
DPS also had last week sent a circular about SWINE FLU and requested parents to not send their kids if any had any kind of fever. These measures are very reassuring for parents, as it proves our kids are going from one safe hand to another . Also, it takes care of the psychology of many over protective/ carefree parents.
It’s just another variant of flu virus. It’s symptoms are all similar to the other viral flu that our kids keep encountering.
Just be careful and take the child to a good paediatrician if the child has SEVERE CHILL , shivering and redness of eyes , followed with high fever.
Else treat this poor flu like any other viral fever. Do not panic, but keep the child at home to prevent him passing on the flu to others. One can wait for 2 days of fever and if the fever does not lower on the third day, then contact the doctor around.
The virus became a villain only because, when it was detected as a new virus in Mexico, the hosts died , but all had other major diseases to blame. Due to globetrotting, this virus reached India too, but it’s variant got diluted after it mixed with Indian viruses. But the virus is infecting kids more than adults. Hence preventing kids from becoming infected will control the disease in Pune.
How to prevent H1N1 Swine flu and any other flu :
1. Wash hands everytime you come home.
2. After kids are back from school or play give them a warm water bath.
3. Use tissue paper to wipe and throw in a dustbin.
4. DO NOT SEND YOUR KID TO SCHOOL FOR NEXT SEVEN DAYS.
That’s all it takes to prevent any virus from spreading !
Do not try to cure any viral flu yourself, especially do not pop in any medicine yourself that is antibiotics ! Anyways no antibiotic can cure any viral flu as antibiotics are for bacterias , not for viruses .
A good site http://www.parentree.in/Parentree-editors/journal-1302/Swine-flu–H1N1—-Babies-and-Children—Precautions–Symptoms–What-to-do—.html
To know or report about SWINE FLU contact : www.niv.co.in
Its 12:30 pm, I have a meeting that is unavoidable and time bound hence cannot be postponed!
My kids already back from summer camp! All energetic and want my 100% attention like always!
SO the best I cud manage is keep the meeting at my house…..don’t like it much (Interruption …kids…phone…maids….door …friends….uff !) But beggars can’t be choosers! …So Multiprocessing is already happening… All are set to work that will leave me undisturbed for 2 hours!(…as if…in my dream huh! ) …………Meeting over, only 2 calls, and one interruption from my elder child to change over from MSEB to Generator …..that’s some achievement …!!!!!
Am I glad? No I am mighty pleased with my POA (plan of action) and its success !
Now the secret of keeping kids silent…not into Mahabharata mode….not into want attention…plus getting them creatively informed in my absence …. it had better be something I completely trust with my kids….( maids ….no way….can’t trust them…not even day care…)
I was looking for something on Amazon.com when I happened to discover this amazing stuff that changed my life pleasantly and brought a lot of peace to my maternal questioning , precisely 5 years back in Mumbai !
It’s called BABY EINSTIEN! A set of educational CDs / DVDs / VCRs. These one hours videos can manage to keep my kids singing , repeating after the voice over, dancing, learning..not fighting,….what a boon for any mother …!Baby Einstein was conceived by a mother who could not find appropriate educational videos in the US market !
read more…
A pencil is a pencil is a pencil!!!!!
No! No! No! How many of us have ever paid attention to the type of pencils our kids are using when they started out to write????
Well I am a good mom, as I would always make sure the pencils were all sharpened and placed in the pencil box with an eraser and color pencils/ crayons.
But just a month back (June 2009) I realized that with respect to the pencils I was NOT a good mom !
Cuz, just placing sharpened pencils doesn’t make you a good pencil mom .
Since my son is very bright, I never paid much attention while he breezed through the preparatory class, which is very much a revision of the playschool learning. But when he reached STD 1 in St Mary’s life suddenly changes for both him and me!
No more casually sharpened pencils.
I found he definitely has my genes when it came to writing, which is quite illegible. Now I do know the importance of good handwriting now, so I started making him write every day a passage or cursive alphabets on three lined notebooks.
I found he was pressing the pencil too hard, leaving impressions on 2 sheets below! Also when he erased the marks, he would invariably tear off the sheet!
Now having an analytically gifted mind, I used it to first observe, collect related data and then analyze them.
So here are my observations which are the most important part of any analysis. 1: My son would hold the pencil too tight, which automatically led to applying too much pressure on the paper while writing. (There is a psychology of why some kids hold pencils very tightly) .
2: If the pencil has rounded smooth surface read more…
TIP of the Day:
Also after sharpening the pencil, I rub the tip off a bit before handling over to my kid. This ensures that the tip does not tear or snap while writing.
My friend was a little uncomfortable when my son showed interest in her daughter. Like any curious boy he did not want to leave the room when her daughter was changing.
Her hubby scolded my son and asked him to leave the room! My son came home crying with the complaint. But he never mentioned the exact reason but mentioned that he was not allowed to stay in the toy room, ’cause for him it was the toy room that was more important than his daughter! I talked to my son and made him understand that since they were expecting guests, they did not want the toy room to be dirty and so the uncle had scolded him. Which was enough for the innocent little mind. He left happily to play again. I too forgot the incident as it was a no-brainer.
So I thought of doing a bit of research in helping him learn better and applying the concept than just mugging up.
So I made him read a small story book and asked him to identify all the action words. And wow, he not only did underline them, he came back with a few more!
The next play exercise I did, involved my younger son who is in Nursery.
The younger one had to name any object he saw in the room. And then my older son had to speak out all the action related to that object.
So the first object uttered was “Apple”.
And now both my sons were throwing action words at me, where I was writing them down like a kid taking dictation!
So we had several action words as Verbs that we know . Eg eating, chewing, cutting, peeling and throwing was the last one added by my younger son
Similarly we moved to objects like football, eraser, rubber band, car. The last one was mother !
The notebook has two full pages of action words dedicated to the word “Mother” !
I plan to play today with them with other kids of the society and do a dumb charade of “Verbs”. Let’s see how they enjoy!
The DPS bus which comes to Kalyani Nagar to pick and drop my child would stop at a very filthy place. At the garbage dump, right after the bridge ended . It was not just filthy but was a nuisance to be standing amongst ragpickers, truck drivers and scrap collection shop. My kid started only this year, so I was trying to bear untill the rains started this june 2009. It became a nightmare to stand in the rains, with cars splashing water, flies tickling and men staring at buffons like us waiting !
That’s when I decided, no more bearing this unwanted trauma everyday in the scorching sun or pouring rains.
I spoke to a few parents if they wanted to get the bus stand shifted to somewhere decent place. Everyone obviously nodded. SO I went to the school and spoke to the office lady, who asked me to get a letter from all the parents who wanted the same. Then my hubby darling spoke to the transport head too. He said if there was a good number of students from my society, they will defintely consider the change.
SO I again made a letter describing the situation, took names of all the kids who would come to the bus stop and gave it to the principal. I also showed the management pictures of the area in the rains with the garbage.
The principal without a single word approved the change of the stop from the shabby place to my society Lunkad Sky Lounge. Now that’s what I call quick decision and appreciate the DPS school even more.
What a SCHOOL you have madamjee ! Hats off !
Moral of the story …. When you want to get something, all you have to do is ASK !
Kindly donate water by clicking at the social vibe on the left hand. Its free.
The group aims at making communication amongst the parents of all students of class 1D , easy and transparent. There are contacts, daily class / home work, school notices and many discussions happening there.
The class teacher will be pleased to have extra time at hand as she need not repeat answers of the same queries by all the parents. The parents who are working and cannot make to pick their kids everyday also are pleased to have easy access to all information online.
Hope similar idea is taken up by other classes in all other schools.
I was talking to a friend who lives in Delhi. My sons were playing around me when my younger son heard me mention delhi while I was conversing.
After a while my son wanted to talk to my friend urgently. He took the phone and after a general talk I heard him say … “Bring an orange phone” !!!
“no not red only orange color phone..”
“ok bye..”
Now my friend was quite amused with a very specific request of item being asked by a 4 yr old. But I told him definitely orange was not his favorite color, it was red that he preferred. And never has he shown any keen interest of phones. He is a die hard 4 wheel lover !!!
And that’s when it clicked to me….!!!
The new Airtel advertisement. Yes that was it!
The ad showed a small kid of my son’s age being reprimanded by his mom for being naughty. She had scolded him and not allowed him to play outside with other kids. The kid then sneaks out of the home with something in his hands and goes up on a terrace. He finds a secured place and sits down to reveal an “orange phone ” . He picks up the phone and say ” Papa aap dilli gaye, Mumma ne mujhe daanta. Aap Mumma ko daantna ” . Then he rushed back to his chair where he was asked to chill out by his mom.
His mom comes up and says ” Doodh pe ke baahar khelne ja sakte ho ”
He asks his mom ” Papa ka phone aaya tha ?”
And the mom just smiles…
The kid thinks for sure that his dad had called back and scolded his mom and asked him to send him to play
So there was the clue that we needed… for my son’s special and specific request for “an orange phone” …
Btw he is still waiting … for his “Orange Phone “
Please click on the “HELP NOW” Its Free ! and rate the vedio. This will allow my sponsors to provide funds to the NGO who provide clean water to poors. ! Please !
I have very high set of standards when it comes to kids, education, hygiene and anything to do with the tiny tots.
Since my younger son was happily going to a kindergarten school “Kider Brook” at Kalyani Nagar, I was a carefree mom with no tension of homework, timing was cool 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. Next to my home a lane far to be precise .
So when he completed his nursery and was time for Jr Kg, I was not gonna repeat the mistake of hanging on to a kindergarten , which I did for my elder son. Read my blog on St Mary’s for more.
So come november 2008 and I started checking the DPS website for the form to be downloaded for admissions.
I was glad to find it in the second week of the month. Downloaded the form and took the print-outs. It was a pleasure to the eyes and mind to see very clear, no nonsense form with only required information that was asked for to be filled in.
There were only two things that were needed to be arranged for the registration time read more…
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