Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Will You Be My FRIEND?



The boy woke up and stared at the ceiling. Everything looked new but that has been for the past two weeks, but today was different. Then he remembered , it was his first day at school.

School...a new school with strange teachers and children. A school where everything would be different. There are mixed feelings. He is excited and apprehensive. Would he fit in? What if they don't like him? How he longed to back in his old school with his friends and classmates of 6 years. Things were so comfortable then.

He hears his mother calling and he gets out of bed reluctantly. He gets ready slowly but the time to leave arrives too soon, and leave he must. He sees his mother looking at him and knows that she wants to accompany him. He shakes his head. He would love to have her but he is big now, he wants to do it alone.

At school, he is lost in the waiting room and is finally ushered into his new class. He enters and there is silence. He feels the scrutiny of his classmates and for a minute he wants his mother, he wants to go back. He gives a little smile, a tentative one. Then a boy comes forward and shakes his hand. Another asks his name and another shows him a place to sit. The day passes and he finds the place nice. His new friends make sure he does not eat alone and give him their notes to copy. Soon it is time to go home.

At the door he sees his mom waiting anxiously with worry on her face. And he sees her face light up when she notices the spring in his step and the beam on his face.

How was the day dear, she asks.

Amma, they were so friendly, he says, they said that for a new boy i was not shy and they helped me too. I like the school, its not all that bad, and you know it has a cricket pitch and they .....
Amidst that non stop chatter, the mother silently thanks those wonderful children in his class...and hopes that he cherishes these friends, old and new and gives his hand in friendship to someone who needs it too!


Its been 5 months now and that boy of 10 has settled down like he's been here all his life. He's the captain of his team, the monitor of his class and is among the toppers. And this mother is eternally grateful for those little friendly hands who helped her boy that first day and proud of her little boy for being brave...
***********************************************************************
'Friendship' was the week's prompt at Writer's Island...This is one topic I could write pages about. It's amazing too, how easily children make friends!!

I loved Prats' entry too. She's a special friend whom I met in the blogosphere and i plan to visit her soon!

32 comments:

Prats said...

ooh...this just brought back fresh tears to my eyes...it took me back to the days when my sons entered school and I dont know who was more distressed..me or my lil ones...
It sure is a great relief when you find your kids are settled and heppy in their environment and you dont have to wipe their tears...
so beautifully written...loved this

aMus said...

@ prats...
i cried buckets when i left S at his playschool where he was bawling his lungs out and i kept telling my husband 'not fair why r they sending the parents home, he's going to vomit, he's going to fall sicketc..' but the nextday he was okay and a week later i was like...god why don't they hav eschool on Sat/Sun too....

so i guess when you know your child is happy you will feel more settled and in control....thanks, i knew you would understand..:)

m.flowerr said...

Nice post! Touching one! Yes, mom's have an important role in protecting and moulding their kids!

accidental diva said...

lovely writeup...I went thru' 4 schools during my schooling days...n' know exactly how your son felt. its gr8 to know he has settled in perfectly:)

thanx for visiting my blog...do drop by when u have the time:)
--dee

amna said...

a beautiful post.. and thanks for introducing me to writer's island :)

Anonymous said...

Ah beautiful, reminded me of my school hopping days...and friends I made in the process. Lovely, thank you.

Jaya said...

I have understood that children are very understanding and flexible. Initially, they might not be willing to, but they do adopt to the situations very well. Friendship is the only ship have helps us sail this sea of life. Very nice post. Enjoy your kids and their achievements.

This post reminded me of my very cherished friendship song from Rockford "Yaaro dosti badi hi haseen hai, Yeh na ho to kya phir bolo yeh zindagi hai...."

Sumana said...

Nice blog. Just yesterday, since my daughter turns 3 and will be moved to a new class, i was asking her teacher at preschool about the new and strange feeling that she will undergo. This gives me enough backup that she will be ok.

Sumana said...

Nice blog. Just yesterday, since my daughter turns 3 and will be moved to a new class, i was asking her teacher at preschool about the new and strange feeling that she will undergo. This gives me enough backup that she will be ok.

Preethi said...

Beautiful post.. we are moving again and I am preparing Nantu for his new school... read a book yday (of the Yoko and friends series) on this. I think I will read him this blog too.. Thanks!!

aMus said...

@ m.flowerr
yeah, we mothers do have a tough job and a guilt ridden one sometimes...

@ accidental Diva...
hey, i went thru 5 schools too but the first day always felt the same..and i think it's always good to break out of your comfort zone and try something new. I think this move has made my son stronger mentally...
thanks for coming nad i did visit :)...

@ nags..
thank you and i must thank Psfor writer's island. I discovered it on her excellent blog

@ ul..
hi, school-hopping does provide you with great opportunities to make new friends...thank you

@justjen...
thank you, he's doing great now. and i discovered a quality in him which i never thought he had...he adapted so welll and all the while i was chewing my nails waiting for a disater.

@ joy...
what an apt song...i do hope my sons will cherish these friends they make along the way...and i now realise that children do adapt faster than we adults...thank you

@sumana...
hi, i really don't think u may have to worry if the school is the same because the environment is familiar. She may resist the new teacher but it depends from child to child.

@preethi...
all the best to Nantu...i think you do have a lot of preparing to do because he is still small....I do hope he will settle down well...
and thank you :)

Rambler said...

The beauty of the blog world and the prompt is that you get to see all aspects of a topic, As you grow up you never get to experience what a mother feels, and what she thinks under a situation, glad I read this.
If I were to see my mother waiting for me at the end of the school, I would imagine I have done something seriously wrong with my new school :)

keep those mom posts coming, like to read them.

Vinesh said...

hey, sweet write up. reminded me of the scene in Forrest Gump where little Forrest gets into the school bus, and no one lets him sit next to them, until the little girl...:-)

aMus said...

@ rambler...
that's teh beauty alright...i was so worried i almost got a cab to go to the school myself but knew that S didn't want that...These are teh times you realise that your child is no longer a lil baby...and he must fight his inner battles himself...

@vinesh...
sadly, i've never watched that movie...nad pursuit of happyness and a whole others which i have wanted to :(
thanks...and loved your latest post...:)

Aarthi said...

wow...awesome write up..never knew mums r even worried abt how their kids settle in school...lovely one.....:)

Aarthi said...

wow..awesome write up..never knew mums r even worried abt their kids settling down in school...lovely one..enjoyed...:)

Tys on Ice said...

heart breaking isnt it? nothing , i feel is so tragically heart breaking than seeing ur child off at school on that first day...with their tiny uniform and heavy bags...the lost look..being taken by hand by the teacher...

Sandhya said...

Beautiful Post. m speechless.

aMus said...

@aarthi...
hey thanks...mums worry all the time about everything!!!:)

@tys...
Oh yes, i agree...This particular time was dfficult for me 'cos he was 10 and so determined not to take my help...

@ sandhya...
Thank you...keep dropping by...:)

Chiniiz n Sugarz Mom.. Swati said...

wow! i agree with you the kids make friends so easily... so much unlike us

Compassion Unlimitted said...

Excellent..you sent me off on a time machine,the day my wife and dropped off our kids in the play school.when the incharge said leave the kid and dont ever turn back!!You will not be able to control your emotions if you look into those innocent eyes !!
TC
CU

Prats said...

Its what you can't see in those innocent eyes, that really break you down. I had half a mind to stand with all those other parents who were hiding behind the compound and foliage just to catch that glimpse of your baby...but surprisingly my second time, the lil one smiled at me and said "Go, its ok, ma, i'll be fine"
I agree with TA, its when they grow older, and wont let you hold their hand that tugs at those weak heartstrings more....

Preeti Shenoy said...

I thought I'd left a comment on this post--I distinctly remember reading this--but now I scroll up--and find that it isnt there--Either blogger is playing tricks on me, or I'm growing old!
This post took me back to my childhood(we moved every three years) and I know how hard it is to be a 'new child'. Also you try that much harder, to 'prove yourself'.Good luck to your sons.
And hey--you are tagged!:-)

aMus said...

@ swati...
Hey Swati, welcome here... i've got to know some of my good friends through my children...so yes, kids do make friends easier than we adults...

@ prats...
i understand :(

@ps..
let's blame blogger for this, 'cos we r the young at heart kinds ;)

i too had a childhood where we moved every 3-4 years...it was exciting and challenging to see new places and adjust,

and tagged...yet again :)but will do it...seems quite interesting...

Thanks...

aMus said...

@ CU
i remember too...the first day of playschool was very traumatic for parents...Though my second son was very happy to go there...probably because by then he was used to his brother goin off to school...

Keshi said...

OMG today I wrote abt Childhood too!

Lovely post here...

Keshi.

Sahasra said...

Hey,ur post made me go back to my school days when I was like the chweet kid.Ur narration is terrific!!!

Unknown said...

This is really touching...for some reason, I feel R may go thru this...when he had to go to school alone for the first time without his famous sister D, I really felt sad, sorry and wanted to cry, though I knew he had to learn to fend for himself...he had a tough first day but the next day he was happy to leave D behind!!!

aMus said...

@ keshi...
Thanks , keshi...
i just left a comment at yours..very relevant to the times we live in!!!

@ sahasra...
Thanks...keep dropping by...

@ Smita...
Dear, Dear Aaryav...I do hope he gets out of D's shadow and makes it on his own!!!

Balu said...

Just wanted you to know how much I enjoyed reading this post :) Lovely post!
Say my hello to him :)

Neera said...

Glad to know ur son has wonderful friends at scl ..very few joys like the childhood friendships we share :)

Mama - Mia said...

ok! thank you for making me bawl right in the morning!

beautiful post Suma! and hope he sees similar friendships all life through!

hugs

abha