How do I keep the kids busy?
Summer Camps is the answer...
But who has the time to drop & pick the kids?
This year I note, that all camps start only after 9.00A.M.
What are working parents going to do?
Every class charges Rs.2000-2500 per hour for 10-15 days class?
How do I keep 2 kids engaged for atleast 3hrs in a summer camp if the charges are this high?
Every class proclaims that they are the best...
How do I decide which is the best?
I am still searching for something that will keep Ahana n Om busy for the month of April without being too heavy on the pockets. I hope I am able to finalize on something in the next 2-3 days.
Some Summer Camps I came across::
- Karnataka Chitrakala
parishat-
Age group- 7-16
Charges- Rs. 2500
Days- Monday-Friday
Date- April 7- May 23
Timing-
10.30-12.30
- http://www.karnataka.com/bangalore/summer-camps-and-workshops-in-bangalore/
- http://www.inexel.org/sum_ad_jingle.shtml
- http://www.flip-book-online.com/FBO/Youreka/
- Summer Camp at Club- keeps the kids busy from 9.00AM-12.00PM
- Summer camp at Discover Kids - keeps the kids busy from 9.00-12.00PM
- Freedom International School has a series of Summer camps orgnised- each class charges 2k-2.5k
- Ranga Shankara has some interesting programs going on in Summer Express. But the timings are such that the parent has to be off-work during working hours and keep driving around dropping n picking up kids.
Update:
Baby wanted football :-D So she's got it. 1 1/2 hrs of running behind the ball.
Baba has been sent for 3hrs of summer camp at Club.
Have to find out what he learnt.
While I have been thinking that Baby is the sensitive one, and Baba the typical boy, I got to witness the sensitive & caring side of him.
Om and Ahana were home after school and I was checking with him about his Pool splash playtime that he had at school. He was excitingly talking about the fun he had in school and Ahana suddenly burst out crying. It was the day of her Mathematics examination. She was upset that she had lost 6 marks straight without being able to attempt the last two questions. She had a 1hr 45mins examination without having a clock in the class or the invigorator announcing the timings. What had upset her the most was, the teacher had snatched away the papers on first bell, without giving them the extra 5 mins that the kids should have got. And the worst part, she knew the answer to the last 6 marks. Now..this was the story behind her crying..
While all of this was being narrated by Ahana (with tears rolling down), Om ran to Ahana hugged her first..then came back running to me and asked me why she is crying. I told him that she was upset about her exam. He again ran back to Ahana and asked her to stop crying.."Ahana please alabeda" and again came to me asking me to tell her to stop crying. The otherwise happy face was now sad to see his sister crying so bad.
Am happy that while the kids continue to fight over petty things, they still have the bonding that the siblings should have.
February 08, 2014
Event: Orange belt exam
Om had to appear for his Orange belt exam. Parents were asked to leave the kids at school by 8.30a.m. and pick them up at 4.00p.m. While we wondered what the kids would have to do in an all day event, it turned out that there were 150 students appearing for various belt exams. First half of morning was all about warming up, taking 4-5 rounds of assembly area doing duck walks & frog jumps. By the time the kids were done with this, I could see every child complaining to his/her parent about thigh pain/ leg pain/ muscle pain. I asked Om to just sit and relax and then the children were called back to practice kata's and kicks. Since we had Ahana's PTA meet and art class, we had to be on the move. At 12.30, I insisted we go back and see Om as I wanted to make sure he was alright even with his bad health. After checking with Keerthi Sir, Om's trainer, l got to know lunch was done and Om had not eaten anything. So rushed to the basement to feed him some and sent him back to the crowd. Learnt that belt exam had already been completed in the morning. Next was championship round where 3 kids of same belt would be called at a time and asked to show kata's. Om showed jodan jodan and won the silver. Radhika his friend who had also participated in this event had won a bronze in the girls round...I expected the same with Om. And why so..if you are wondering...then..he, Radhika and 2 other kids were the only ones in their age group participating for Orange belt. Rest were older kids. But surprisingly he amazed us with a silver :). Happy for him..somewhere it would have increased self confidence. Tired after an all day event, appaji & I had to rush for another event at 5.00p.m. so rushed home, gave Om a hot water bath and we headed out..
February 09, 2014
Event: Ahana's U C MAS, Abacus, Graduation day ceremony.
While I was contemplating if I should take a rick or drive, appaji insisted that I dont waste money on an auto and use the GPS to take me to the venue: G.M Rejoyz, 8th Cross, 8th Main, Malleshwaram. Last moment I decided to drive and under tremendous pressure of not losing way and going in circles on "one way" roads of Bangalore, using Google maps and having Ahana as my navigator, we managed to reach the venue by 10.45a.m. The event began only at 11.45 as the chief guests arrived late and the auditorium was overflowing. A short demo on how kids of 3rd and 4th standard mental maths was given..amazing most parents like me :) . Post the demo, the 8th term completion certificates & mementos were given away to the kids and both Ahana & I rushed to take a click of hers in her robe before it could be taken back. Post the pics we rushed towards Jayanagar for city level art competition.
I now want Ahana to go back to Abacus, atleast for refresher course to keep her active. Someday I hope I am able to convince her to complete grand level.
Event: City level art competition organised by Akriti
From Malleshwaram to Jayangar, we managed to reach the venue Rani Saraladevi school an hour before the competition time. Lunch time...so we decided to grab a quick and quiet bite at Coffee day. Ahana was very happy with her meal...Spinach corn cheese sandwich, Chocolate fantasy cake & Juice. It was nice mommy n baby time we shared I think. By 2.45 we were done and went to the venue.
Topics given were Culture/ heritage of India or Funny faces. We had prepared Ahana for Holi as a theme with help of Internet. She found it difficult to put the themes given by her art teacher, on paper. So the colorful painting with eyes that you see in the pic above is what she submitted. I got to know from her art teacher Mrs.Forum Joshi, that approximately 500 kids have participated. When we were there, there were about 50+ kids who were busy completing their art and I noticed that Ahana was the only one who had used water colors. Rest had used color pencil/ oil pastel/ sketch pen as their medium.
Thank you Mrs.Forum Joshi- Color Palette Art Institute for giving Ahana opportunities to bring out her art skills.
