A mother lives her life once again with her child. Today, I played different games with Era. I play with her every day but today was a bit different. She made me dance on the tunes she created hitting empty oil can. To those who know how bad I am at dancing, more interesting fact is, I was dancing on the terrace. Yes, open terrace. I hoped no one was watching from their terrace. After each dance, I was rewarded with hug and finally upon completion of the program, she bought me toffee, lollipop and ice cream. Don't be exclaimed about ice cream in winter, everything was 'acting wala' bought from an imaginary shop on the piled bricks.
On 18th this month,
when I attended the annual function at her school, my mind travelled back to school days. Watching those little children perform dance on songs dedicated to the nation
/ soldiers was too emotional. 'Yo ho mero pran bhanda pyaro, maitighar maitighar maitighar' was ringing on my head all through the time. I was thinking of how the parents day celebration in our school used to be like.
Our school conducted
yearly inter-school dance competition, various intra-school competitions and
projects to build children’s future, offering opportunities of all kinds to
ensure the growth of each and every student. What I appreciate the most is we
were not beaten, not even scolded the way I have heard the teachers do in other
schools. The punishment policy termed as ‘detention’ made us stay the lunch
hour in one room and study. If I got detention, I was not allowed to eat my day
meal, play in the ground or chat with my friends. I had to stay in that room
for those 45 minutes studying the subject whose teacher I disappointed and got
that punishment. There used to be one senior student who would look after all
the children who have got punishment during the lunch break. Name of the
student who got detention was announced in the assembly hall – this was enough
for the students to never again repeat the mistake that would lead them to be
punished. Today, this practice too feels unacceptable to me because schools can
hire one or two counselors who can work with special need kids / children than
making students feel humiliated in front of the whole school population. Our
whole class got detention on 6th grade. Our class teacher R.K.
Lamichhane made us all stand the whole first period and shared how he felt
about knowing what we all did in Nepali language class the day before. He did
not say we were bad, he said he did not expect that from his good children. He said
he loved us so much that he didn’t want to hear our names being announced at
the assembly hall as students who got detention. He said he has always been
proud of us and expects the same every single day. He said he expects us to
prove that we are the best class in the school and he said we definitely are
that.
I believe, everyone from my class who attended Lamichhane
Sir’s lecture that day, is thankful till date for being his student. I am. Yes,
I am.
One day after school, Era said one of her teacher’s told her
that if she doesn’t wear school shoes, she will be locked in the bathroom. You can
imagine 2.5 years old being told this? I can’t imagine 12.5 years old or older
being told this. No. I don’t want my daughter to be threatened. I don’t want
children all over the world be threatened in any way, not for a single reason. I
tried to talk about this with her class teacher but the teacher was too busy at
that time on explaining some other things. So, along with my husband, I went to
Era’s school and complained to the principal about this. She assured that this
won’t happen again. I hope so but I am not happy about the practice. If schools
teach punishment to the tiny souls, I don’t think we can ever expect a nation
experience peace and prosperity.
In recent years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making major changes in every aspects of the country to take it off to international standard. It seems like the human mindset will also go through tremendous development/ transformation. I hope child right will also be established to the extent of transforming minds and installing habit in teachers, parents, guardians and care takers - every child included!
While living my life again with my daughter, I wish to experience love without any condition and expectations. I wish the same love for all the children around the world.
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