Growing up and quick

Hi Divya, as I get to read to Abhay quite often, thanks to your dedicated efforts to introduce him to the world of reading and stories, I thought of contributing to your blog with one of the stories I read to him recently.

It is every kid's fascination into growing up quickly and becoming his/her father or mother. For most of the kids, those early years are the only time when they think their parents are heros and would want to become them faster. There could also be other reasons. They think we have lot of privileges while they don't! We don't need to do homework, don't need to get ready early to go to school, don't have to deal with a friend you don't like, don't have to sit through boring classes in the school, don't have to go through zero hour where the teacher will make you do sport drills, don't have to be told to eat fast, eat this and that.. the list is really long. Coming to fun part they think parents have lot of fun such as driving the car to office or elsewhere (traffic bug hasn't affected them yet), watch TV, listen to music while not having to go to classes to learn the same! Our son, Abhay goes through all these and sometimes he just can't wait to grow up and do what he wants to do - that is watch TV, play with lego blocks, draw pictures etc. Basically be himself in his own world. I really like him to be happy in his world of imagination as very soon the realities of life will unfold one by one as he grows. For now, he never misses a chance to imitate me or act like me which is a very cute sight for us at home :-)

As Divya has asked for a contribution to the blog with a story, let me briefly narrate the Rabindranath Tagore classic I read to Abhay last week - 'The Little Big Man'. This is a very simple story of a boy who dreams that he is already grown up as big as his father and so he can do a lot of big things. He tells his school teacher that he no longer need to read books for he has grown up and the teacher agrees. He tips his maid for which his mother asks what he is up to? He answers nonchalantly that he has grown up and can do so. Mother agrees. The boy further dreams of wearing his fathers clothes and walk by himself to the village fair where the crowd is thick. His uncle tries to stop but he gives the same answer to his uncle. His uncle agrees as well. Later the boy dreams about his father coming home during October holidays and get him the dress which will be very small. He would tell his father that he is big now and he can give the dress to dada (his brother). His father tells the mother - 'he can buy his own clothes if he likes for he is grown up' and so ends the story. Abhay liked the book as it resonated with the way he thinks at this stage of his childhood. The father in the book has a moustache and Abhay wanted me to grow back my mustache (my look from few years back) after listening to the story! Not sure what plays in children's minds!

The book is brought out by Katha, a non profit organization. The illustrations are very simple but striking by Rajiv Elipe (I also got into the habit of trying to know about the author, publisher and the illustrator courtsey Divya. Not for knowledge sake, but when she asks me to pick it up from library or bookstore I won't be totally lost :-)).