Yog

First Day at School

Boat Ride

At one and a half years of age, Yog started his first school, today. Selecting a school for him was easier than I had expected. Before I started the hunt, I was apprehensive about the outcome; not so sure if I would be able to find the right place for his budding tastes and personality. The memory of Toyna crying all the way, to her first school and clinging to me with dear life, on the way back, seemed all too fresh.

When I stepped out yesterday, searching for the right school, I didn’t have too many thoughts in mind. For preparation, I just had a list of 10 schools in the neighbourhood that I needed to scout. My checklist to select a school included 2 simple things – happy and clean. Given this background, imagine my bewilderment, as I sat in front of school principals educating me about their curriculums and philosophies for teaching a one year old. My body was there but my mind refused to pay attention. They showed me their time table, but I just wanted to look at their play area instead. They brought out their fancy toys, but my eyes kept searching for sand and water. Their classrooms were filled with cute, pretty chairs and tables, but in my mind, I was wondering , “Where is Yog going to run??”

After the first few schools, l was dismayed. They were cold, dark, cluttered and sad. I was beginning to wonder if I was expecting too much from a school or maybe my mother’s instinct was not at it’s best anymore. Maybe, one of these schools was right for Yog. Maybe, I was being too picky. But then, I just couldn’t imagine a free spirit like Yog tied down to a school chair in a dark and cold class room.  Nah!! I couldn’t be wrong here.

After visiting five schools, I was on the way to the sixth school, when I parked my scooter on the side to confirm the directions. As I looked at the sign boards around me, my gaze caught the sign of a school that wasn’t in my list of schools to vist. First, I ruled it out. If it wasn’t popular enough to figure out on Google search, it couldn’t be good enough for Yog. I still had many more schools to visit and I should not be wasting time like this. I turned around and wished the school sign board away. But somehow the sign refused to budge. It stood tall and bright in front of my eyes. I took a deep breath and thought there was not much to loose by checking it out. I parked my scooter and entered the school.  As I stepped into the school, I was bowled over by its bright sunny ground and the nice polite principal. The minute I saw Yogs classroom,  I knew this was it. The room was completely bare on the ground except for a play mat. The walls were full of drawings. The best part was the class teacher whose bright smile lit up the whole class room. I had decided on the school even before understanding the fees structure or the curriculum. I just knew it in my heart, “This was it!!”

Today as Yog went to school for the first time, my instincts about the school became stronger. He cried a while and kept looking around to find me, but overall he enjoyed his brief time there. He observed the other kids and played on the slide. He even managed to scribble with a crayon.

I know it is a little early to congratulate myself on the school. There are still too many unknown variables that can change the game at any time. I just hope my mothers instinct will continue to guide me in managing those variables as we move ahead.

P.S. I will keep all readers posted on this next phase of Yogs development.

I am an ex-Management Consultant and a successful entrepreneur having close to twenty years of corporate experience. I am currently focusing full time on being a homeschooling parent while researching on the future of education and alternate methods of education. I am also a Vedic Math Trainer, an Operations Manager at a business run by her children and a philanthropist working with tens of other under privileged children. I bring all my past and current experiences together in the form of writing blogs. Using these blogs I wish to create awareness in parents, caregivers and educators about parenting, education and holistic living.