Been missing from this blog for almost a week now.
No, it isn't about flagging interest or lack of things to write on.
The school admission process has been tiring. The proof of residence. The certificates. The affidavits. Dealing with the guards, who are the new front-office of various schools. Dealing with semi-literate clerks, if you get through the gates. Dealing with more questions regarding our status - settled or newly-moved? Dealing with a process whereby schools offer and charge for a Prospectus only after admission has been secured.
During the last few months, friends have often asked "If you have to go in September, why endure all this hassle?" They have a point. Up until July, the little one will only have a month in the school. After that, another three months before it is time to pack up and leave.
But the dilemma for us has been - what if something changes in that time? Six months is a long time and she will lose a year, if something does change. And if nothing changes, four months in a Delhi school will set her on the path to GCSEs in four years' time!!
The school admissions process is also an effort to test ourselves. How do we rate as parents in India? Can we secure admission in a good school for our little one?
The final score stood thus. Four Successes. Four failures. The little one got through in No.1 (Shri Ram School) and No. 2 (Springdales School) schools of South-West Delhi. Carmel Convent and Tagore International were the other successes. After completing the formalities, which includes a 45,000 INR (£620) fee, the No. 1 school has taken her in.
In the meantime, her playschool has started the drill for a proper school. Parents have to leave their ward at the gate and the little one then works his/her way to the classroom. Teachers are around to lend a helping hand, but it's a big step in the journey to self-reliance for these young individuals.
The admissions process has been tough on the little one too. She hasn't got the attention and time she is used to. So, once the admission was sorted out, we planned to spend the entire weekend with her.
On Saturday, we took her to the The Garden of Five Senses in Saket. More familiar to locals as the Said-ul-Ajaib, the 20-acre park "was conceptualised to answer the city's need for leisure space for the public, for people to socialise and unwind" (Delhi Tourism website).
Inaugurated in 2003, it has become an important part of the greenery that defines Delhi. The park brings together people of different ages and backgrounds. Senior citizens meet each other for a game of Bingo and lunch. Young families meet here for picnic with friends. And those younger and single meet up for canoodling.
Call it the dilemma of being a parent, but I spent most of my time wondering which areas to avoid. Not with much success, though. Almost every route took us past couples wanting to avoid prying eyes. Thankfully, the look wasn't one of contempt but more of "what is this idiot thinking walking around with his wife and little kid?"
The visit was over with 30 minutes, and we made our way to Select City Walk mall in Saket - probably the kind of place where people with young families are seen more these days.
On Sunday, the little one was invited to a birthday party. After Saturday's misadventure, she was quite excited about being in company of other kids. Too much excitement, perhaps. One moment, she was dancing. The next moment, her nose was bleeding. She had jumped and fallen on the concrete floor.
The nose and the lips swelled up soon and she was in considerable pain. So, we took her to the Moolchand Hospital in Lajpat Nagar in south Delhi. After looking at her, the doctor concluded that it just a bad fall and not a fracture. He recommended the familiar cocktail of pain-killer, antibiotics and nose-drops.
This certainly wasn't how we wanted the weekend to end. But it was a better situation than the parents whose girl had put beads and thermocol balls in her ears. Or the girl who had put something up her nose and was having trouble breathing.
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