Of Tell-a-Tale And Fairy-Tales

Eid has come and gone. And with it the whole ambiance changed as well. I wholeheartedly welcome this change but wondering how I am going to cope the colder days ahead. Already the festivity mood has vanished into thin air despite the fact that the holidays are still on. My children will get back to school this Saturday. Till then, its hubbub everyday with all four, staggering for the television or the computer. And what more with the arrival of the latest thingy by name of play station 3, the children cannot differentiate day and night and if they had eaten their meals or not. How ever I have come to a decision that once school reopens, this newest gizmo will be veiled for awhile in a probable attempt to divert the children’s attention more toward school activities.

With the four at home, noise and clamor is an everyday thing. They have found ways and means to bring the house upside down. It‘s like we are celebrating Halloween here. Recently they scared the guts out of me with an eerie music they played on and off via their latest gizmo. And mind you, top of all this, there’s the high-pitched blaring that takes place in between regular intervals. Mine vs theirs. The only favourable outcome I have achieved so far from this screeching is my vocals cords have all toned up, though sadly not too good to put into use in a singing competition. Nonetheless this hullabaloo generated by my children on a daily basis has not changed my attitude towards them at all. My heart grows fonder day after day and my love for them deeper.

The children having a break from school has a positive side too. There is plenty of quality time that's being spent with each other and this - bonding, brings us much closer. As much as they create a mayhem, children also bring into our lives lots of fun, laughter and happiness.

    
The other day, extremely astounded, my seven year old came to me and said ‘Mom! I think she’s going to marry a frog.'    

My first reaction was a surprised, 'What! Who?' Although quite amused at this, I kept asking him how sure was he with his announcement. Then he went on ‘I am sure Mom. I heard her telling someone on the phone. Go, ask her.'
'Yes! Yes! Go ask her,' prompted my ten-year-old in an encouraging manner. Even though I found this outlandish, I thought it would be better if I got an explanation from my daughter so as to clear any doubts and alleviate all forms of suspicions from the perplexed two.

I was laughing my wits off when I heard my daughter very coolly say 'Oh that! My friend and I were talking about Walt Disneys’ The Princess and the Frog.'
'Marry a frog? What was he thinking! It happens only in Fairy Tales!'

    
Oh ! Dear Me! Why wasn’t I thinking?

(image source courtesy internet)

                                               

The Magic Of Disney

Very Recently the Disney demo 09 concluded in the country of the birth place of Walt Disney and here I am half way across the other side of the world and motivated to write something about the Disney influence we all have had. My whole family is attracted to Walt Disney creations...I loved Disney classics as a child, and still enjoy them with my children. Walt Disney has inspired my kids in so many ways ...They were drawn to his world of sketching from an early age.
And as parents, we were fully aware of their interest in everything ‘Disney’. We introduced to the kids some Disney classics for reading. Initially we read to them during bedtime and subsequently it became habitual and only when the end of the story was read and when they had heard their favourite characters from the book lived happily ever after, that they used to fall asleep without any hassles whatsoever... Having introduced them to Disney classics, from a young age, enhanced their reading and listening skills too. By the time they entered kindergarten, they had mastered several skills like listening, picture identification and word building.
The earliest memories I have were the sketching on our home walls, depicting some of Walt Disney‘s animated characters. An attempt at Disney creations, by my children! Later I discovered these drawings on their pillow covers as well. During their school break, they loved to watch Disney movies on DVD, which kept them spell bound .and whenever their class had some story time program, my two daughters did not fail to act as a Disney character, to bring the story to life.
The world of Disney also shaped my young children’s’ minds. They learnt to recognise and identify the good, the wicked and the evil, thanks to the characters in Snow white, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, etc. They were inculcated with values like kindness, love and generosity.
Now whenever I log on to my computer I am ushered in by Disney characters painted by my children. Am I not glad we have the world of Disney playing a significant role in developing the language skills that leads to stimulating reading in children .Thus laying a solid foundation for a more complex learning in later years.
And even today, my daughters, who, in their adolescence and pre-adolescence years are motivated and enthralled by his wonderful cartoons! And lately my two young sons are following suit...
Here are some cyber paintings, done by my twelve year daughter Mona.


The Lion King





Tarzan II