Friday 22 March 2013

A Play Date!


On a very busy day at office, I suddenly get an invite from someone I don’t know for a ‘play date’! Oh, the invite was not for me, but for my daughter from her friend’s mother. First reach of me – “What is a play date?” Where else to go, other than ‘Google’. Here are some few lines from Wikipedia for people who are ignorant like me.
“A play date or playdate is an arranged appointment for children to get together for a few hours to play. Playdates have become the standard for children of many western cultures because the work schedules for busy parents, along with media warnings about leaving children unattended, prevent the kind of play that children of other generations participated in. The intention of a playdate is to give children time to interact freely in a less structured environment than other planned activities might provide. Playdates are different from organized activities or scheduled sports, because they are not usually structured."
I even read through different sites to understand how it is arranged, what do the host do, what do we do, what should we carry? Finally called her friend's mother and fixed the day. Got a small gift for her friend, discussed the "Do's and Don't" with my kid. ALL SET TO GO! I was more excited in the 'play date' than my daughter. Finally we couldn't go, on the fixed date. 
Three weeks later, I called up her friend's mother again, and got the 'play date' fixed. The schedule of the D-day got aligned to accommodate the playdate time, "waking up-breakfast-lunch-sleep-snack". Me and my daughter reached her friend's home at the right time. I was happy to make new friends, with her friend's Mom and her aunt. We began with a light conversation, in getting to know each other. The kids (My daughter, her friend and her little cousin) started to play with the toys. There was 'sharing', 'grabbing' , 'complaining' between them. After a while, we were served some snacks and tea. They reached to point of getting bored in their games. So I called for my free car pick-up (by my husband). By the time, my husband could reach, their games started getting interesting again. My daughter was not willing to part with her friend and toys when her father called from the gate. Finally, managed to come out. 
On the kids's opinion on coming back together for playing,
My kid - " I don't want to come again. She is not sharing her toys"
Her Friend - "I don't want her to come. She is taking my toys"
Me and her friend's mother probably became good friends than these kids!
Got a feeling of completing a big ordeal - "PLAY DATE"
When I travel back in time, me and my brother would jump the compound and go to our friend's house to play. Our friends would also do the same. There was no formal invitation, and never felt embarrassing to go and disturb our friends as well as their families, at any time of the day. I also come from a small town, and this makes me realise that I am many generations behind!

Sunday 10 March 2013

Being Second!

Is being second a better option?

  • Second rank in school
  • Second position in industry
  • Second best to your husband/wife after your kid
  • and so many 'second's...
There are so many advantages in being second. You always want to improve, either move to first or lessen the gap to being first. There are the elements of strategy, politics, tactics in the second position, compared to any other positions. 

Contrary to the old school of thought, 'Be Number One' and 'Be the Leader', everybody wants to be the 'SECOND' nowadays. In this position, you enjoy all the benefits, similar to the first position, leaving out the troubles of the first position (constantly under watch, pressure to maintain the first position, ...)