Teenager in the house!

 My dear Baby girl, 

I read this somewhere : " Let your daughter's voice be heard at home, and she'll never be afraid to speak up in the world!". Your voice booms in our household which is a testament to what your future holds! Beware World, here she comes...

As I sit down to express my feelings/thoughts to encapsulate the year gone by, I glance through the pictures to jog my memory of the events/memories/challenges/ milestones and especially all the little things that shape you...

We discovered, to our utter joy, that you have an innate sense of rythm and can dance so gracefully with a lot of expression. You excelled at the Diwali ball in school, the community events that happen around Diwali... we are so pleased coz both Appa and I have two left feet! That dancing gene is all yours :) I am always so amused at how you are always dancing even at home sans music. Maybe, there's always some music track running on your mind. I love how joyful you are...its infectious.

You also got selected to sing at the ESF International Evening; to showcase Carnatic Music. You were very confident and sang well. My sincerest hope for you, is to take music with you, lifelong. Sing for yourself, that's all you ever need to do. It is a lifeskill and something that takes you closer to God. May God and Music be with you always.

I'd say your "rite of passage" to being a teenager has been your "butterfly cut". You have been so obssessed with your hair. We were initially amused by your childlike enthusiasm. With passing time, we are mildly irritated with all the chaos, frills, time and tools that it entails. I know, life is not all butterflies and roses...but you can have a butterfly haircut, for sure! 

I am having fun sharing all my accessories, skincare and the vain side of being a woman with you. I am NOT enjoying your shopping spree from my vanity, especially when you dont ask me before you take stuff! 

We did'nt travel much last year after Australia last summer. However, 'The Trifecta' discovered how much we are a team, that loves spending time with each other, our 'glamping weekend nights' are such a hit, board games, DIY food ideas and all the fun things we do are always courtesy you. While Appa and I may complain about being tired, we secretly enjoy your unending love for everything - you are the secret sauce that jazzes up an otherwise normal day! 

You are inherently a very confident child. However, this year you have really bloomed in communicating your thoughts and ideas, all on your own accord. We were very happy to learn that you volunteered to join the Hong Kong Federation Youth English Public Speaking competition from your school and qualified upto the Semi-finals. You met kids from all the schools in Hong kong during this process.It was an interesting exercise in public speaking and a great experience and exposure for all of us. You also won the 'Communicator' learner profile award at school. We are bursting with pride :)

Of course, it's all not always so rosy. You have mood swings, outbursts, show some attitude and can be quite defiant at times. You tend to blame it on your special status of entering your teens. I partially agree with that argument when i feel calmer. In the heat of the moment, I always remind you that I wasn't born an adult. Every one of us goes through teens and then becomes an adult. It's not something so unique or special. 

Having said that, I must honestly confess and admit that there are times that i am wrong and lose my cool. You have taught me to be more patient with Patti, always ALWAYS look out for others when they are sad, to be calm and most importantly, be present and enjoy every little moment. Your compassion and kindness towards me makes me wonder who is the mother?

You wrote such a beautiful and heartfelt poem for Appa on his birthday and made some amazing handmade gifts for mine! We are always inundated with loving notes, messages, personalized gifts on every occasion or for no occasion! ...We truly feel very blessed and grateful for being your parents, Aaradhya! You are truly my dream come true in ways i could never have even imagined! 

We wish for you to be a good human being who is happy, healthy and makes everyone around her happy and joyful. I want you to grow up to be independent, self-reliant and self-confident in all aspects - physically, financially, emotionally. God bless you, my one and only Aaradhya.

Lots of love, 

Amma 

Dear Little One,

Welcome to your teens! Though I must say observing you around the house and amongst others, it would seem that you are already well into your teens...that's a good thing most of the time, but not always 😅. On the other hand, some aspects have not changed since you were 2 years old - like your sleep routine. Ok, we have gone from rhymes in Hindi to conversations about space travel but I thoroughly enjoy those 30 minutes each night...again mostly, not always 😉.

You have a special knack for finding my last nerve and don't hesitate to trigger it. Thats fine, as long as you learn from these experiences about how to deal with difficult temperaments and challenging situations. Amma and I try to be neutral, but are keen to encourage you to challenge your boundaries. At times, this can seem like us pushing you to be better or to try things that you are not interested in (or fully invested in!). In fact, this is just us wanting to give you every opportunity to experience new things...and fail. Yes, failing is fine, just remember we are there to help to get up, dust off and have another go.   

A year full of achievements and adventure - singing, performing, speaking...and shopping! It was an absolute pleasure to be a part of your 12th, a year of more firsts lies ahead. I'm sure your favourite part was getting your first phone as an early 13th birthday gift. My favourite part was the beautiful poem you wrote for my birthday - no one has written something just for me before! 

 Proud to be your Appa.

Love,

Appa