Today my child went off on her 1st ever school trip 🙂
Ironically on a Bus with Destiny written on it …
She’s growing up … The apron strings are getting looser & I’m beginning to feel like she’s becoming too big, too fast!
Not that I’m not enjoying every moment of this as well … We are becoming somewhat more of equals now … The relationship has grown beyond me being the nurturer & she the dependant child . Of late there have been moments when the roles have been reversed & she’s taken care of me … Like recently when I fractured my foot … She was so caring & did everything to make me comfortable.
I’m both happy & apprehensive about this new phase of our life… Especially because of the times we live in !
We merrily cycled up & down the roads of Juhu Scheme & were cautioned about watching out for the cars not people !
Today I don’t let her open the door or go down alone in the lift . But for how long ??
Fifteen days ago we let her travel as an unaccompanied minor although we could easily have let the nanny accompany her.Rohit was shooting in Udaipur & we went there to visit him over the weekend.Kiara was to leave on Sunday night so as to not miss school & I planned to stay back for a couple of days because we had to go on to Jaipur from there for some event .Kiara was really keen to fly back alone since many kids in her class had already done it & “it was her adventure”… reading too many Famous Fives 🙂 My rational mind told me there was nothing to fear…children are looked after really well & fussed over when they fly as UM’s but who’ll tell the heart not to beat so loudly & jump into my mouth .
And to top it all … Just as I left the airport after seeing her off , I was called by the ground staff to come back as the flight was returning due to a technical error !!! It’s a known fact that landing & take off are the times during which most accidents occur & I was scared !!! I prayed to every God I know as I rushed back to the airport.Those were easily some of the most tense moments of my life.I blamed myself for letting her travel alone & worked myself up into a knot.The plane landed safely & the minute she came out I hugged her tight & decided I’m not letting her out of my sight ever ! Kiara on the other hand was really upset that her “adventure” wasn’t completed 🙂
Husband & I decided we aren’t letting her go back unaccompanied anymore.The flight didn’t take off that evening and I was going to go back with her on the next flight the following evening. Rohit’s brother called & said this is a sign you shouldn’t let her travel alone. My sister in law said please don’t put a fear in her mind,let her come alone. So amidst conflicting advice & whirling uncertainty in our own heads we finally decided that by not letting her complete the journey on her own we’d unnecessarily scare her or put a fear of flying into her.Therefore Kiara’s “adventure” as an unaccompanied minor was finally completed .
We are not going to always be there for our kids …I mean, we will be there always but maybe not physically present at all times.
Even now when they go to school they are on their own…coping with their studies, other students…there are a lot of dynamics at play & they are learning to handle it on their own …
They’ll go to college , start working,fall in love … Though not necessarily in that order 🙂
And we will stand on the sidelines & watch Destiny play out what it has in store for them…
Because someday all our kids are getting on a bus called Destiny & going off to lead their lives !
I pray that Destiny will be kind to my child & take care of her 🙂
