Warli busts Gender Stereotypes?

We were trying our hand at Warli. We made a family for starters... and Pattu wants to know, "In Warli the men also wear skirts?" 

And while on this topic....

At Nalandaway's Art and Craft Carnival, I found many parents (both moms and dads alike) steering the daughters towards jewelry making and their sons away from it. Consciously or sub-consciously, I don't know. One of the little boys was so fascinated with jewelry making that he insisted on trying it out while his mum was pushing him towards greeting cards and the likes. I couldn't resist the aaarrrggghhh that was building up inside me, so I told the mom (politely only...) that a good number of jewelry designers are men and that it is a very lucrative profession. 

To which she said, 'but it is a waste of time...he cannot wear any of these na'. **Gggrrrrr...the woman didn't get it! ** 

and here's the best part... the little boy said, 'but I'll make bracelet and chain for you amma... see this one is nice..'  **awww so cute it was**

So, they were made by the boy and proudly worn by the mom. She came and showed me...she was beaming! **Gggrrr gone and happy**

So, Parents, leave them kids alone!

We made it this time...

...to Nalandaway's Art Arattai Aarpattam. Pattu along with her friend A explored all the art and craft activities by Let's do Something - pot painting, pop up cards, finger painting, jewelry making - they made their own bracelet and earrings.

We went back for the Sing along with Jeeva and Krishna Iyer. Awesome! Pattu and A had V as well for company and the three of them were super excited singing and jumping along! LB was just two rows away from us ... I can't tell whether the kids or the parents enjoyed it more.

And this Aarpattam continued all the way back home as well!

Highlight of the evening was V telling the girls, 'ayyo CD odanju pochu' (The CD got stuck) when the girls were stuck on a song trying to recall the next line. LOL! 

What's for Dinner?

Last weekend plans (Nalandaway, Dakshinachitra, etc)got washed out in the rains! While I was disappointed, Pattu had her share of fun.
We went ahead with out Thumb Thumb project and I managed to save the rest of the house from the multi coloured Thumbs

Of late we've been playing Jungle and Farm animals. Pattu would come on all fours and say, 'I'm a cub' and I have to go on all fours and say, "I'm mama Tigress' and we'll go hunt or cuddle up.

Once she was the calf and me the cow and since the calf was hungry, we went grazing. Later at the dinner table:

Amma: Come have dinner Pattu

Pattu: No amma..don't want

Amma: You'll feel hungry if you don't eat now

Pattu: But I am not hungry amma... I ate grass with you na amma, Hunger gone. *Wide smile*

Duh!

Wondering if youtobe would have any of the nalandaway programs...

Children's Day Fervour

This whole week I've seen parents scurrying around for ideas and themes for Children's' Day. I was in the middle of a meeting yesterday when my colleague pinged me, 'very urgent - call asap'. I thought it was work related, but soon figured that she wanted ideas for C Day! I used to think its easy, but I find myself drained of ideas since they are either too easy, too difficult, too common, too offbeat, done this last year, etc etc.

Luckily, Pattu's school has just invited us for the celebrations - I don't have to dress her up as a Turnip yet!

We planned to attend the C Fest at Dakshinachitra but looks like we'll have to skip it and some other interesting things as well that's happening all over the city since we have to be in School. However, we are planning to catch up on Nalandaway at Kalakshetra in the evening. This should make up for what we missed lasst week due to the rains. This would be Pattu's first live performance experience. Hope she enjoys it.

We caught Trapezium last week and Pattu has been doing Gymnastics ever since.