Art and speech

   

The room with a view, a mug with a message....Ideas worth drinking! Perfect place to learn

My main mission has always been that Prisha should get as independent as she can. Its been exhausting trying to constantly drill many things together. At times I knew why and at times I just pushed it. The many denials, wailing, anger, tears etc just didn't affect me. All the while I was trying to make sure she gets exposed to as much as she can given the situation and limitations.
     At NJIS, she seems to settle pretty well. This year she just has 4 other students in class. At times I am ennerved then I calm myself down thinking of positive thought. There is a reason she is here and destiny shall pave her path. This school she is getting exposed to art and public speaking. So I am all out to use these for her. The teachers are fantastic. Her public speech teacher is a TED talk speaker and who better can give her tips on public speaking than her! After me she has to start these talks and has to inspire parents, specally the mothers to work with their kids! Ms. Ilonka is an amzing teacher with so much to offer! So when I heard she is holding "art for terified kids" I enrolled her for that without getting into details as I know she would give a huge extention to art besides just draw and paint. True....that is so right!! Prisha and I went in yesterday and we realize that this is one of the best things to happen to us! I walked into her class to observe and I became her student! Those 30 mins with her taught me so much more. I learnt to visualize art through writing and quotes. They just spoke to my soul and before I realized I was actually painting! After years of sitting at home and trying to do various things, this was a wonderful extention of my life! As Ilonka preped up for the class, Prisha played the piano....another thing that we wanted to learn and see how she got to play it! The whole ambiance was amazing! Art and music is the best combination anyways!Prisha and I painted and had such a good time finding ourselves through those writings.

Public speaking classes

     Today Prisha had her public speaking class, and I thought of sitting in as a learner. I feel they would help me guide Prisha at home and also it would help me in my speeches as well. The time just flew and it was wonderful to find my confidence there. All the speeches done in the past have given me a voice thats not afraid to come out in the open. The small nuances and essentials made me feel quite at home. I saw Prisha answering quite a few things with confidence. It gave me a small eye view of what she does in her classrooms and if she is really involved in the conversations with the teachers I am so happy that this part of learning shall open so many doors for Prisha and help her build her future in a positive way.
    I am happy to be there more as a learner myself with Ilonka. There is no age to learn and am so happy to be a student and be learning alongside my daughter. She has been a big turning point in my life and she gave me a chance to learn so much without having to read books. My silver greys are growing yet my mind keeps me wanting to learn as a little student. After all there are so many wise people in the world whose knowledge can benefit my thinking process and perhaps help me to extend that to others. I am grateful each day for these blessings. After all its moments like these that make you better people with more good things to add in life. 

Prisha's leaflet for her English class

   

Leaflet for English class

Prisha has ben made aware of every bit of her journey since she was little. Right from taking care of her hearing aids to, changing batteries to how to cover her ears when in sudden rain to keeping her kit ready for travels. She takes it all in her stride. The hard work with it, the bullying and people's attitude to her limitations and struggle to prove herself is a tough job and she handles it well since I was clear about empowering her. It makes life easier for them knowing well that they don't live in the bubble. We have our discussions often on various topics around it including how she wishes for a miracle when she wakes up to hearing everything naturally !! Her happiness at that moment is something I could die for. Her next thought of course is who she can donate the hearing aid to. Only they can think like this for others since they know what " not hearing" is like!
     This week at school they needed to make a leaflet and she chose on hearing. This is something she has been wanting to do but could not. I see her face filled with pride and it it's so wonderful that with no inputs from me she just came to show it to me for a feedback. I felt happy to see her work. She thought of all angles and has drawn the hearing aids herself. I am hoping to hear good things from her lovely English teacher. Meanwhile I swell with a sense of pride of a job done well.  

Return of a big girl

As I wait for her to return from her trip,I sit with my coffee and a snack thinking about the last 3 days as teacher of ESL classes and the letter I received from the school for the presentation on deafness. How one thing in my life has changed everything in my life and made it more meaningful! I may not have a career which brings me money but I have a satisfaction that most would die for! I am thankful for what I have got from my two angels ...ma'am and Prisha !

Another hour and she would be here... How would she have changed in these 3 days? As a mum to her ... Life has been different , defying and challenging on every level of my being.... Physical, emotional , mental ! How to do things that are right for her, how is it that I can make life easier for her in the long run coz trust me life is HARD! What lessons can I teach now so that she can deal with life better? These and more always work on me. Most days I take decisions about her without asking anyone trusting my feeling as a mum. I don't want to paint a rosy picture for her coz life isn't a bed of roses, after I am gone , she has to deal with it. Empowering her such that she can live life big. I wait for that bus to return now... It took my little girl as I watched from my ESL  classroom and shall return with a grown up young lady who dealt with issues by herself, took decisions herself, no calls to mum ,no help from mum... Just she and her friends! Can't wait to hear her stories!