a fine balance

Jispa is now facing the end of her honeymoon period. She has had a lovely time so far in school. School has been all about fun, colour, stories, enjoyment and merry making. Slowly it is getting into the business of teaching… hard and cold stuff.
This week she moved into second standard. Second standard is no easy frilly stuff. It has the making of a transition into “mini responsible studenthood”. She was telling me that here in the class she has no time now. Teacher is always telling or making us do something. She is everyday making us write stuff in the diary. She dictates and we have to write. She does not wait for us. Earlier the class teacher used to wait for everyone to finish and there was some time afterwards. Now she starts teaching us something or making us write something or something or the other.
She is seeing the cultural change. I guess the school is managing this pretty cool. Reviews, writing, languages etc. the change has been gradual but sure footed I guess. She so far had a whale of a time and loved school. The challenge will be to continue this and transition this well. Everyone asked me about her school and how cool was it. I used to always say that Jispa was enjoying it and how. But I always qualify the statement by saying, its only primary yet. The test will come afterwards.
I don’t know how I am going to react to all this. I am not too keen on making her study too hard. I don’t want to push her but I don’t want her to be wanting because I did not push her enough. Parents need to push but they also need to know how much and more importantly when to stop.
Everyday in the morning I see the kids closing their swimming class and getting ready for school. They get fed, or some are being taught or revisions are in progress and some are just rushing. Today seemed to be some relaxed day. I came in and I saw them pleading with the coach. The coach nodded and then all of them rushed into the kiddy pool and started throwing some socks around as if it was a ball. The champion swimmers frolicking in the kiddy pool. The attendant was then protesting ‘come out of there, come out’. I spoke to her. “Let them be. They are kids. Every day we train them like crazy. We forget that they are also kids. They also need to have fun.” She protested that according to the management only kids less than three years old are allowed in there. I left a parting remark saying ‘let them be’. I remembered my take away from Gandhi – if you think the rule is dumb and unfair then it is your duty to break it.