I used to lap it up when the charismatic Krishna used to deliver the Geeta Updesh in the epic serial Mahabharata. But unfortunately they fall on ‘deaf for mom’ ears when I try the same with my children. Is it my weak dialogue delivery or is it that my eyes don’t twinkle as much? Anyways they threaten to abandon home and ‘desh’ if I don’t keep my updeshs to myself. But one thing they have shamelessly soaked up from the puranas is the use of ‘Brahmastra‘. At home, it takes the form of tears, whines, tantrums, blackmails, sarcasm……. each of them as lethal. Once the Astra is discharged there is no scope of a counter attack or defence.Yes of course I have tried using a ‘danda’ against it, but it seems only a Brahmadanda can stop it…. & unfortunately that danda is with Brahma.

Today morning my son used a Brahmashira(Baap of Brahmastra) against me….. ‘Accusation‘. He accused me of being more partial to his sister. According to him I have dedicated a complete blog/page to my daughter and none to him. So now that’s left me sitting in a thoughtful reverie (would have made Socrates proud)… for hours pondering.

I cannot talk about my son without talking about his best friend…. the light of his life. Every morning my son wakes up to the tuneful good morning whistle of his friend(as melodious as Krishna’s flute renderings), who is up even before the sun. Then over a cosy cup of warm water and honey, they bond. Since they do not go to the same school, they get separated for a wee while. The last bell and they are back to being inseparable, just like politicians and lies.

My son is completely bewitched by this friend; and justifiably so. His buddy is smart to look at (though a little short in height), ace at academics and not to miss, multi talented….. sings, dances, jokes, debates, paints, doodles, writes, paints, in between keeps Sid amused, dawn to dusk. His dear chum taught him not to be too caught up with studies and chores, and to take a chill pill in life. A broad minded chap, without a tinge of jealousy, this friend ensures that my son takes out time to stay in touch with his other buddies, spread all across the globe. Can you guys fathom this…. this pint size even taught my son the Divine Act of Meditation. I can assure you that Sid can sit for hours, oblivious to his surroundings, without moving a muscle and scarcely breathing in his friend’s company. Pray who can wish for a better f(r)iend for one’s son.

BEWARE…. lest what you wish for might come true.The b’light’ of his life, his bum        chum (who makes a bum out of him), I am talking about is none other than his Smartphone, which we, his ‘not so smart’ parents gifted him in hopes of alleviating his teen aches but unwittingly ended up elevating our body aches. With the infinite calls, SMSs, Hike, Whatsapp, Gmail, Viper…. sorry Viber and other seemingly innocent thingamajigs emitting war cries 24/7….. our ears ache all the time. Clenching our teeth at the mounting frustration, at seeing our son completely hijacked by the horrendous games on this some ‘ji’ android, has given us a perpetual tooth ache. Sheer fright that our sons ultimate ambition might be, to become a Hitman gives an acute stomach ache. Our back aches when we see him sitting hunched back, immobile in front of the mobile for hours googling about facts of life & ogling at pictures on Facebook. Our eyes ache when we see his social skills restricted to punching some right buttons and talking to a machine. Our heart aches when we see him borrowing the smarty’s brain, & burying his own. Hours of listening to the painful screams and heart wrenching cries(which he calls ‘songs’) darting from his smart phone have us nursing an eternal head ache……. and of course our spine aches when we succumb to his emotional blackmail and lack the courage to fling that monster out of the window.

So here I am guys, waiting for the gain which accompanies all the pain(so they say), discouraged but not yet defeated, biding my time, when I can sell u ideas about how to win a cell warfare. Till then a clock for us parents to keep track of time.

Art begins in imitation and ends in innovation.Got the idea from a friend.
Added a bit of ‘innovation’ …..

Buy an embroidery hoop as per your desired clock size. Cut and paste a piece of plywood onto the inner ring and make a 5 mm hole in the centre.

After stretching a piece of hessian cloth over the inner ring, fasten the outer ring and trim the excess cloth.

Fix the clock movement and attach the hands.

Mark the locations and fix the matchsticks with glue.Add the battery and watch the clock go tic toc tic toc.

Feel free to use the match sticks to light that creative fire in you. Your time starts…. NOW.