I must admit that Akhil’s first vacation experience was rather boring than being an exciting one. He was first finding it difficult to get used the idea, that he need not go back to his school for quite some time. Every day, in the morning the first question that he asks would be – Do I have school today? When we say No, the next set of questions, Do you have office? Appa has office? etc., Except for the short vacation we had, weekend trips to city center and maayajal, evening visits to thiruvanmiyur beach, his free time was spent with cartoon channels and few children movies.

After a couple of weeks itself he was eager to know when his school would re-open again, ready to go to school. Purchases for the new class – new bag, lunch box, water bottle, dresses started a couples of weeks back and Akhil was excited about his new collections.

We had been counting the days for school reopening for the past one week. Today morning, when I woke him up with excitement telling him that he has school today, the response was very poor. He said “I will not go to school amma” I was surprised at his reaction and asked him why? He said he is feeling sleepy and that he will sleep for some more time. I left at that, and asked him to sleep for 5 more minutes. After 10 minutes or so, I went to wake him up again, and he started to tell the same thing, he will not go to school. I just told him that he can meet all his friends after a long time, he will have new aunties, the newbies that he can carry to school, getting dropped in the big car, a picnic that we can go if he goes to school now (he was clear, he replied, Amma lets go to picnic but why should I go to school to come for the picnic?) ….

Still I could not convince him to go to school. It was not a crying scene, but just expressing a uncomfortable feeling. I took his pre.k.g. class photo and asked him to tell his friends name etc., but nothing changed. He took bath, wore his new dress and had his breakfast. Giving him the new bag, I asked him, “Why are you hesitant to go to school? You love to go to school right?”

There came the answer: “L.K.G endraal romba neram ukkaara vaippaanga amma, seekiramaave vida mattaanga..”

Headstart is till 2.00 o’clock for L.K.G and above and for Pre.K.G it was only till 11.30. I just laughed at his answer, and consoled him “No Akhil, they will leave early”

The school entry was nothing dramatic, he just got down from the car, said a simple bye and went inside. Should wait till evening to get his feedback on his first day in L.K.G, probably the second milestone in his school life 🙂

Jaya.