My phone rings at 11.30 am persistently, I am in a webinar unable to take the call, messages start pouring in, why are you not taking my call? Are you so busy? Want to talk to you urgently? and so on. Finally, when I call back my grandson wants to chat with me about what’s happening in Hyderabad and at Bangalore. This has become our daily routine from the time of Lockdown. Parents working online, very busy on calls, not allowed to play with friends, only with his best friend at specific timings, no online classes from school, Art and Vedic Math Classes only on the weekend, done with watching TV shows and playing with his cars. That’s the time he remembers me and wants to spend some time talking. He is ten years old and I am sixty years but right now I am his best friend.
We are together on what’s app call discussing various topics like the weather in Hyderabad and Bangalore, his fights with his friends and the new toys they have, the learning from his art class which is systematically displayed one by one for me to admire. Demo of the online yoga and dance classes which his mother insist to take to keep fit. I get to see the way he mops the floor and wash clothes in the washing machine, as these are the jobs assigned to him at home with no help coming from outside. I am exposed to the research work done by him on various topics and have to appreciate him from time to time. I am questioned and my knowledge is tested based on his inputs. I have to video record stories and share with him; he listens to them and gives me a feedback. Sometimes if he likes the story, he illustrates the sequence of the story or writes the gist of it. He enjoys the mythological stories. I video record poems and share with him and he recites them exactly as I do.
It does not stop there. He enquires about everybody at Hyderabad, his grandfather, uncle and aunt, the dog. He wants me to show him what fruit is growing in the backyard .He discusses the pollution level of Bangalore , the infrastructure coming up around his area and the discussions go on everyday till his mother calls for some work or finally I tell him I have lots of work to complete.
Thanks to COVID 19 lockdown I feel his creativity , critical thinking and language skills have improved tremendously plus the beautiful aspect is my bond with my grandson has become so much stronger. The time spent chatting with him is the best time of my day. The virtual connect I hope will last lifetime for both of us.
Author – Pratima Sinha – CEO DSR Educational Society