Being a Parent

                                 - Somya (Curriculum Support & Operations)

As with everybody else, I guess, a lot of our conversations at Gubbachi happen over WhatsApp group: “Gubbi ki Uddan”. We often exchange messages of the sort: “we must do the zoo with our bachaas", this looks interesting. Should we take the older bachaas”, “what's your thought on the thematic learning experience for the young ones”... … .. Once in a while we also have to clarify that we were talking about our biological children.

Just yesterday, I was on my way to the centre. In a hurry to reach my class with Vijay and to meet a visitor. A supporter for our Christmas celebrations called, and she wanted to know when she could talk to me about the details of cupcake delivery. I quickly replied that I need to teach my bacha and will call her back. “So are you not coming to the centre? Your children have exams?”, was her puzzled response.  This left me confused for a second; and then quickly I realised the limitation of my language.   

She assumed I was talking about my children.

Our work necessitates that we parent our children at Gubbachi. The sheer human effort that goes into nurturing a child is a necessity. Not just to provide for the child (which is often not possible by their caregivers) but also to envision a possible future. Possibly, even a near term future of just surviving. When a co-founder was worried about the survival of our pre-schooler, Raj, we had to step in with a series of health interventions for him. If seven of our older Telugu literate children need us to reconceptualize education for them, we just have to. It is no different from parenting. We just need to do what we need to do.

We have aspirations as parents: biological or otherwise and we have a universe conspiring along with us!

And, we are hopeful parents in the new year!

Wishing all a very happy and satisfying year ahead!