The Child Teacher

On Saturday, March 20, we were invited by Dhruv Kasliwal to the G D Somani School for a Sesame Street Party to celebrate his fifth birthday. As children8217;s birthday parties go this was the most extravagant and lavish one I8217;d ever taken my kids too. We were all invited, Shiv, Krish and myself. The large invitation had a Sesame Street Bus, whichread: quot;Come one, come all to have a great ball!! At the SESAME STREET CARNIVAL come join this Grand Festival. Do board the Bus, or you8217;ll miss all the fuss; created for Dhruv who8217;s out to prove turning Five is fun. Loads of Frolic for everyone; Any age 0 to eighty-nine!! Freak out! When you come by, and let your inhibitions fly. At 4pm the Hammer will pound, on March the 20th at G D Somani Ground.quot; The chronicle of festivities were: 4pm 8211; Carnival Begin, 4.30pm 8211; Band Performs, 5pm 8211; All-star dance show, 5.30pm 8211; Street performance by Ernie amp; Friends, 6pm 8211; Fire Juggling, 7pm 8211; Cake Cutting, 7.30pm 8211; Grand Master8217;s Illusion Show, 8pm 8211; Black Light Show, 9 pm 8211; Grand Finale; Parade amp; Fireworks. We were reminded not to forget the passes 8212; a large bus with individual names on it 8212; so as to exchange it for a golden chance to be a millionaire. We arrived at the venue about 5.30pm and exchanged our passes for one million dollars and a Sesame Street loot bag. There were caps and stationery, personalisedletter paper, photograph key rings all to be had for your paper money. We soon realised that a million dollars, even fake one8217;s were almost impossible to spend in a few hours. The place was packed with kids, maids and parents. As I had dispensed with the need for an extra pair of hands I was a quot;hands-onquot; Mom.

The carnival was at its noisiest best about 7pm. I took both Shiv and Krish to almost every stall from the games to the food stalls to the freebie ones. Shiv enjoyed the little tikes8217; playground and the little animal playpen the most. The birds, dog, turkey, rabbits all looked a bit worse for the wear, hot as it was but the kids had a blast. At 7.30pm when the cake was cut I felt the large square stage was in danger of collapsing, so I held Shiv8217;s hand and asked him to wait but when the Khoei Bags were opened I tried to get him on the stage only to have to hastily yank him back. The stage was so overcrowded and the scrambling that was going on for the small freebies meant many a little hand gettingstomped on. I tried to caution some of the other kids but to no avail. Anyway it was soon over and we watched as some of the other festivities unfurled. At one point Shiv and I caught little Dhruv wandering around alone and I couldn8217;t help but wonder what he thought of 2,000 people he barely knew at his mega fifth year celebrations. Shiv8217;s tireless little spirit soon flagged and we beat a hasty retreat but not before bumping into some of the other moms and kids and teachers. Aarti Surendranath, Angad and Ksaraja, Rekha Thadani with Disana, Gauri Pohumal with her little one. Shiv8217;s little school friends were there aplenty 8212; little Arush, Adit, Vidhur, Ryan and the indomitable Maureen Sequeira, the moving and pioneering spirit behind the best little8217; school in town, Headstart. Maureen has done a great service to the city by opening a new school. She deserves praise and support as she8217;s helping to mould fine little junior citizens who have a definite Headstart8217; in life having been through her diligenttutelage. There is a dearth of fine schools and good teachers in the city and I admire the spirit of a headmistress like Maureen who has charted her own destiny by starting a new school Bravo! Wish Shiv could stay with her for all of his schooling. Some wishes do come true, I wait in hope!