Tennis Tattles

I feel so yuppy....my children have joined Tennis classes...

It went this way:
I've been looking for some activity that would inspire them and kick them off their respective posteriors parked in front of the idiot box.
We tried drawing classes, but that's a skill you can actually develop while cosily lounging on your own bed, in your own house and at your own leisure...unless the drawing teacher is really fun, and is showing you some really creative stuff....
But what we got was pages of pattern drawing, that got a good, a tick or a star. Kind of getting where I am going?....
Yep we had to let that pass...money down the drain...but to my defence we managed 6 classes out of the registered 8, so its not all that much.

Then comes my favourite point of view that learning a sport is extremely useful for children. Was contemplating Tennis and Badminton...weighing them, when we found this academy for federers and sanias...
Coach: Tall, friendly guy from namma Tamilnadu...Madurai tobe precise, so immediate bonding...that's a first for me...because, I never find fellow Tamilians actually happy to see fellow Tamilians...there is always a frisson of competition and one up-man ship( a sizing up is more accurate if I may say so)...but then you would point out that in this case we share a coach/ trainee-mother relationship, he is male and most importantly he means Business!

Venue: About 20 minutes from where I stay. So that implies, chauffeur services thrice a week to be provided by moi...ok...I don’t want to...I would rather children go to a place they can just walk down...greedy...lazy...I know...yet I can make this worthwhile...I have decided to spend that one hour reading a book, while they hang out on the court...

Coaching: My two Pattanis trotted off, as excited as I was for them to be on court and do all those Tennissy things...vicarious pleasure I assure you...kind of deep seated desire to be a tennis player...now change that to a desire to mother one!!!

Book open; reading and catching glimpses of the twosome running here and there, gathering balls, playing some kind of warm up games...
Slight nip in the air, pull my jacket closer, look up to ensure no crow is planning to do its thing on me (was seated under a tree...just to give you a clear picture!), it's around 5 in the evening...

then I hear some amazing snippets...
" my son is very childish...so childish"
" he has to concentrate, pay more attention to the game"
" go back in there Beta, otherwise I will call Papa and tell him to stop your classes"
" I don't know why he is like this today...just doesn't want to practice"

sorry....nothing derogatory here...but...

Can we not just let them be...children are children...every day is different...let them enjoy what they do...if they don't and things really get tiring for them...let them try something else...

I am no different from anyone...and can just see how I would and could push my children if I really wanted...but only when I took the third person perspective I realise...

Lets Chill...life is Fun...Lets just play Tennis ( and anything or everything you fancy...and can afford!!)....and not bother about excelling all the time...
Have a great day folks!!

Comments

  1. Anuradha ShankarJanuary 4, 2011 at 9:57 PM

    Feels wonderful to read something like this after being away from the blogworld for so long! I feel the same when Samhith goes off for the Gymnastics class... including the other parents' reactions! only, i cant sit there and read.. parents arent allowed to lounge around, (some do, but then i cant help obeying rules, u see :)) so i use the time to buy veggies!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. AshaJanuary 5, 2011 at 5:36 AM

    CAn we not just let them be.........LEt them try something else.

    I agree word to word on this para. But seriously this should apply not just to extra curricular but also to the curriculum.Learning should be a joy.

    A little nudge initially and then they should blossom on their own... under the right mentor.

    BTW, best wishes to your kid's tennis classes and to you for page turning.

    ReplyDelete
  3. SoulSpaceJanuary 5, 2011 at 7:28 PM

    Thanks Anu....
    as always value yr comments

    Asha I totally agree...but believe in healthy competition between children with minimum interference from adults

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousFebruary 2, 2011 at 1:08 AM

    Ummmm... I'd be pushy if that is the only way I get to "kick them off their respective posteriors parked in front of the idiot box":) I don't know if its right or wrong, but I turn red if my spawn decides to just laze around without showing some enthu for outdoors (and given a choice the fellow would do just that:))and I literally end up pushing him..

    ReplyDelete

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