#0023: I refuse to pay!

Reading time: 9.20 min 

Hey 👋  - Hello, there!! 

I just felt Felt like calculating how much I have spent on my son's education so far

Preschool - paid 40,000 and decided to discontinue after 15 days. they started giving my son worksheets to write letters (the class had already reached the letter M by the time we joined and it was scary to start letters when my son was 2 years)

Pre-Kg - 1 lakh admission fee and 1 lakh yearly fee+ 40,000 bus fee (paid upfront)

Adi learned to sit in the class, and he was enjoying it so much that teachers had a long list of complaints end of the year

UKG and LKG - 2 lakh fee per anum, no school bus this time (we managed to commute with a personal car and shared van) (Cambridge curriculum)

Adi learned to read with combined efforts from school and home

Grade 1 and 2 - changed school, around 1 lakh school fee per anum (Cambridge curriculum)

Adi made some good friends

Grade 3 - Online School (Cambridge curriculum) paid around 67k

It was COVID, We started learning together. Adi became a self-directed learner, he had time to read and travel.

Grade 4 - continuing online school, school fees around 70k

Adi explores coding, he talks about business almost all the time, he wants to understand money and he wants to travel and loves to learn.

I always wanted to escape the heavy school fees and hopefully, I can slowly as we start exploring more affordable schooling options like alternate learning or homeschooling.

If you want to read the full article on this topic, find the link at the end

Adi and I made a Diwali card together, it's very easy and you can try it with your kids 

If you want to try the Diwali greeting card this is what you need:

-1 sheet of cardstock/used cards with a plain side

-1 sheet of construction paper

-scissors

-glue

-sequins (optional)

-string (optional)

Instructions:

1. Begin by folding the cardstock in half.

2. Cut out a diya shape from the construction paper.

3. Cut out the lantern shapes

4. Glue the diya onto the cardstock.

5. If you're using sequins, add them around the diya.

6. If you're using a string, glue it at the top of the card so it can be hung up.

7. Your card is now complete!

This is quite an environment-friendly card and also easy to make. It's a perfect activity to do with your kids! The best thing is a quick activity so you can still get on with your day :)

Happy Diwali!!

Bonding over a broken routine

Ma, I need help!

Adi said softly,

Just when I was all set on my yoga mat

Thinking how my day would look like today

Just about to begin my butterfly pose

Adi needed my help to make a Diwali card and a lantern

We later decided the card was easier

Adi had hardly given me time to plan so I could immediately think of a diya and some floating lanterns

I wasn't too sure about the lantern so I suggested a card

Anyways, it took me 20 minutes to finish the task (cutting, drawing)

Adi took over, he had the idea of putting the diya as a pop-up

He also added some sequins, he added a string to hang it, and then we were done

It was a beautiful card and Adi was so proud of it and he ran to share it with his online friends

and then I took a long breath to start my day again

When Adi knocked on my door again, he needed help to start his water cycle experiment

The water cycle experiment turned out quite well

And I am happy that I was able to help my son with his schoolwork and also spend some quality time with him.

After helping him set up the experiment, I went back to my room to finally begin my yoga routine

This is what my day looked like, it wasn't what I had planned but it was beautiful nonetheless. Sometimes we need to be flexible and go with the flow, especially when it comes to our children. They need our love and attention more than we realize.

I know it's not easy being a parent

We have our routines and goals for the day

But when our kids need us, try to put things aside and be there for them

It's the little things that matter, and they will remember them when they grow up.

So, the next time your child comes to you for help, try to be patient and lend a helping hand. It will make all the difference in their lives.

yes I forgot to mention Adi kissed me on my cheek and said

"thank you, ma!"

It melted my heart and I was so grateful for that moment.

Many of my friends tell me that I am very patient, but I don't think I am, I just love my son and try to be there for them as much as possible. That's all it takes, just a little bit of love and attention.

So I sat on my yoga mat and reflected on what kids teach us

Patience

Flexibility

Spontaneity

The ability to go with the flow

And most importantly, love.

cheers, Priyanka

When you want to raise conscious kids, critical thinkers with a deep understanding of the world around them, it is important to model that behavior yourself. A great way to do that is through reading! These books not only explore complex topics and perspectives but also provide a great opportunity for parents and kids to discuss what they're reading together.

I feel parents need to be aware of different books that will teach their children empathy, and respect and help them develop habits for a lifetime of learning. Why should the best self-help books be left to adults? When parents read these books it helps them engage in thoughtful conversations with their children and develop closer relationships.

Here is a list of 30 books and authors that I have selected after deeper research, that will help you develop a more profound perspective as a parent.