First day of school for the kids, seeing history repeat

Diary Entry for the 10th of September:

I sometime wish that I had maintained a diary. Feels like an idea for a new web app. Too bad there are quite a few out there. Anyway, I really feel that if I had maintained a diary, there are so many memories, some nice, some not so nice that would have been have been documented for me to refer back. My brain is 50% functional, in that 40% is used for navigation, speech and invention..all the alogrithmic stuff, the other 10% is being used for storage...at least thats what I figure :-). Blogging IMO also serves well as diary of sorts.

The 10th was an important day in my life. My kids started school. The 10th was more of an orientation of sorts just getting all the kids together, some forms to fill and play for the kids. All the mothers were there. I was there too, not a mother, but still there :-), couldn't miss the day for the world. The kids looked like they were managing well and all set for the next day.


On the 11th, school started for real, i.e., parents leave the kids behind. We had been brain washing the kids for sometime regarding how wonderful school is etc so that they will not suffer separation anxiety. I did not go to drop the kids as we figured that seeing two parents leave might prove to be harder for the kids.

Aah well, on the 11th, mom dropped the kids to school and slipped away. I am in the office and get a call from the school that the kids are going ballistic and that they need to be picked up. Soo soon. Lol! I call the wife and she heads back.

My son is a bit of the leader among the two kids. My daughter is the protective one though. So, apparently the outburst started with my son missing his mom and starting an outcry. My daughter was enjoying herself but just seeing her brother wailing, she figured, "If he is crying, then there certainly must be something wrong.. I had better cry too!". Well that what started it. Before my wife reached back to pick them up my son was back to enjoying himself as the teachers had been able to pacify him with a toy. My daughter on the other was not relenting.

Anyway, back home and then some words of wisdom to the two of them. My wife and I were worried about what the next day would bring. Unbelievably, the next day went really smooth. No outbursts etc.

It reminded me of my first day in India at school. Some memories tend to be etched in one's life forever. I can remember a few things from my toddler days and going to school for the first time is one of those. I was dressed in a white uniform (was compulsory), a cloud cast day...my parents took me to school. The school was sadly a rat hole IMHO. A dark room, a teacher who looked rather menacing. In lieu of these, I started my worst outcry, I was shouting at the top of my voice, my head squeezed thru the iron bars (yep they had vertical iron bars around the window) begging my parents to take me away from this thing that resembled a jail cell. I guess I was so terribly upset that my parents felt really bad and took me home. Well that was the end of that school for me.

Soon after, I got admitted to a more friendly kindergarten that I thoroughly enjoyed. I had my first crush there after all. Sadly though, I cannot remember my first day at this nicer school :-((( The brain holds on to things that have had impact more negatively I guess. Anyway, hearing that my kids went ballistic, I could not help but be taken back in time and have a laugh..That said, if you see me bolting out of the office or trying to break the window pane's on my first day at my next job, please be sympathetic and forgiving of the incident as I might be manifesting a previous memory :-)...

I am sure many kids and parents go through this cherished experience, I am happy to have been there!

So kids are off to school...time is flying..