Set for School. But when?

In my line of work I have sometimes had parents enquire about child readiness for starting school. Or I have been told by some parents that their kids are behaving badly because they started school early (four years and 6 months or 5 years old). Or I have teachers thinking some kids are naughty because they started school too early. I have heard some individuals say that it’s okay to star girls early but not boys while others have said the opposite. Now recently, a study by Cambridge university has recommended that children should start school only around the age of 6 and prior to that should attend play-based schooling (aka preschool here). In NSW, children can start school around 4 years and 6 months and definitely have to be at school by the age of 6.

Now, I haven't yet understood the whole hue and cry around the age of starting school. I will admit I have not read any research articles on this but what I remember from my studies is that the age or cognitive ability of a child is not as important as their social and emotional maturity. Fair enough. But based on that, wouldn't each child differ? Who is to say a 4 year old is not socially and emotionally mature enough to cope with school. Most of the other research says that children who are enrolled at a later age are academically at a disadvantage.

I started school when I was 3 years and 6 months old. Yes, I did.

In India, the schooling system has two kindergartens. There is a lower kindergarten and an upper kindergarten where we have to wear a uniform, follow rules, attend assembly, sit in a classroom, copy from the blackboard...pretty much all you do at school. We learn to read and write and count. I remember craving to attend school. I would play 'school' at home where I was the teacher (but of course) and my grandparents, parents and uncle were my students. I was excited when I attended school and according to my mum, I didn't cry unlike every other kid. And then, a few days later after seeing everyone get attention for crying, I did so too. But just for a day. I had to sit for tests and exams since Year 1. I was the youngest in my class but that's because I'm a January baby. And unlike what the guys at Cambridge are saying, I wasn't fucked up. They reckon pushing a child to learn at an early age will be a disadvantage and that's why prior to age 6, a child's life should involve a lot more play.

I disagree.

I think children should have a balance. The problem today is all work once they begin school and most of the 'play' is on the computer or in front of the telly. Also, by attending school, children learn to follow rules and structure. They learn to share and develop their social skills further. They learn patience. They learn that not everything goes their way. How are they going to learn all this at home (especially if they are an only child)? The longer they remain at home interacting with only a few other children, the longer they are likely to take to adjust to school. Again, I understand there are individual differences and when I am talking, I'm sort of taking a generalistic viewpoint (Pretty much like how the researchers do...which probably doesn't help my case!)

I guess though, to cut a long rant short, why do we need a specific 'age' to have to send kids to school? When a child seems ready to learn, send them to school. Period. And then see that there is a good balance between work and play. Get them into sport or music or dance (without pressurising them!) Get them outdoors. Don't put them for extra Maths and English tuitions in Year 1. That will fuck them up!    

What do you think?

I know there's many parents out there --- what did you do or what do you plan to do with regards to your kids? Is age important?

What about others...when did you start school?

And if anyone can share any other research, please do. (I will try to go to the uni library soon and look this up! It's not purely for blogging...will help me professionally as well)

So do share. I am curious.

Until next time,

Cheers!!!

Go the Green and Gold!

We Won! With a half-strength side.  An entire series.

Who would have thought it could happen?? (I certainly didn't despite being a die-hard supporter)

But now I can gloat. 

I wished I could have Foxtel yesterday just so I could watch the last few overs. Unfortunately, I had to settle for the scorecard updates online. But it was still worth it. Because we won.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie...Oi, Oi, Oi!!! 

I know for some people it still doesn't make up for the Ashes loss but for me, us playing India is equivalent to what most Aussies feel about us playing England. (In short, I'm okay with us losing to England but not to India) 

Until next time,

Cheers!!!

Sculpture by the Sea

My friend and I decided to visit Bondi beach and walk to Tamarama for the Sculpture by the Sea event that occurs every year around this time. This is the very first time in my 5 years here that I have been to this.

Unfortunately, I didn't particularly choose the right day. Yes, it rained. When I left home it was overcast but I had hope. We had lunch first (yummy smoked salmon baguettes) and then took the bus from Bondi Junction to Bondi beach. Just as we got on the bus, it began to rain. It was a light rain but still enough to annoy you. We persisted with the walk despite not having an umbrella and it was worth it.

Here's why:

Click to enlarge

Hope you all had a lovely weekend!

Can't believe it's finished. Sigh.

Have a good week everyone!!

Until next time,

Cheers!!!

If I were a baby again...

This post has been published by me as a part of the Blog-a-Ton 4; the fourth edition of the online marathon of Bloggers; where we decide and we write. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton.

Once upon a time there was a girl
A chubby little bub was she
She slept from dusk till morn
And was happy as could be

She was the first born
And the apple of her parent’s eye
Who showered her with love
And heaps of stuffed toys

Her first word was ‘daddy’
Which is a funny story
Because the word she later used
Was ‘uncle’ for her dad in reality

She didn’t cry much
Or at least that’s what her parents thought
Until on some long drives and trips
She wailed and howled non-stop

She was a chubby little thing
Oh so heavy to lift!
It was an amazing feat
For her mum to carry her whilst walking adrift

Most of her hours as a baby
Were spent being fast asleep
The only other important thing
Was eating her favourite foods and peas

25 years on
She wonders what it’d be like
To go back in time
And live that life again

When there was no care in the world
And all she could do was sleep
With people looking after her
And she having absolutely no responsibility

A time with no pressure
No stress, no worry
A time where the biggest thing
Was when to pee and go to the potty

Back to that time where
I was spoilt and loved
And if I wanted anything
I just had to cry for it to come

Life back then was
Nothing short of bliss
Mum, dad and grandparents
To see that nothing was amiss

If I could be a baby again
I’d just ask for one more thing
The ability to think and type
So I could continue blogging!

The fellow Blog-a-Tonics who took part in this Blog-a-Ton and links to their respective posts can be checked here. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton.

Until next time,

Cheers!!!

Dumb...me?

I am currently on my second glass of red wine...it's Friday night after all. And it's been a day when I could willingly throw some teenagers off the building.

There is no way I can think of something to blog about so I'm going to go on and do a tag. A while back, I was tagged by Guria for a number of tags and I had previously attempted only one with the intention of using others whenever I suffered from blogger's block.

Although I am not currently suffering from blogger's block, I do have tipsy-wine-syndrome...

So here goes...

It's the HOW DUMB ARE YOU tag. (For the record, I consider myself very intelligent but more on that in another post...)

The more [x]’ s the “dumber” you are.

[x] Gum has fallen out of your mouth when you were talking

[ ] Gum has fallen out of your mouth when you were NOT talking

[x] You have run into a glass/screen door

[x] You have jumped out of a moving vehicle

[x] You have thought of something funny while walking by yourself

[x] Laughed, then watched people give you weird looks

So far: 5

[ ] You have run into a tree/bush.

[x] You know that it IS possible to lick your elbow

[ ] You have tried to lick your elbow… a few times

[ ] You never knew that the Alphabet and Twinkle Twinkle Little star have the same rhythm.

[ ] You just tried to sing them.

So far: 6

[ ] You have tripped on your shoelace and fallen.

[ ] You have choked on your own spit .

[ ] You have seen the Matrix and still don’t get it.

[x] You’ve never seen the Matrix.

[ ] You type only with two fingers.

So far: 7

[ ] You have accidentally caught something on fire

[ ] You tried to drink out of a straw, but it went into your nose/eyes.

[ ] You have caught yourself drooling.

[ ] You have fallen asleep in class and fell outta your chair

So far: 7

[ ] Sometimes you just stop thinking

[x] You are telling a story and forget what you were talking about

[ ] People often shake their heads and walk away from you

[ ] You are often told to use your “inside voice”.

[ ] You use your fingers to do simple math

So far: 8

[ ] You have eaten a bug

[ ] You are taking this test when you should be doing something more important

[x] You have put your clothes on backwards or inside out, and didn’t realize it

[ ] You’ve looked all over for something and realized it was in your hand

[x] You have ran around naked in your house. (What's so dumb about that?)

So far: 10

[ ] You repost bulletins because you are scared that what they say will happen to you if you don’t.

[ ] You break a lot of things.

[ ] Your friends know not to use big words around you.

[ ] You tilt your head when you’re confused

[ ] You have fallen out of your chair before

So far: 10

[ ] When you’re lying in bed, you try to find pictures in the texture of the ceiling or wall

[x] The word “ummmmm” is used many times a day. (No fair...I'm a psychologist...I have to listen to people and 'ummm' is quite common!)

Total: 11/37

I am 11/37 times 100 = 29.75% dumb.

In other words, I'm 70% smart. Good reframe, huh? (FYI, I think I'm more than 70% smart)

Feel free to take on the tag if you wish!

Until next time,

Cheers!!!

25 going on 30...or 35

That's me.

Age 25.

But feel think 30.

Ever heard of the phrase, you're on as old as you feel? Being the cognitive-behavioural proponent that I am, I'm going to adapt it to "you're as old as you think".

I don't feel 30. Not physically.

But my thinking is such that I definitely think I'm 30+. Let me explain.

I have always been mature for my age...or so I have been told. By family. By friends. The older I get, the more mature I become. I was never your stereotypical adolescent. I was pretty well-behaved and goal-directed. I was never into the whole partying mode. In fact, I visited a nightclub for the first time when I was 18 and hated it. I haven't been back to one since.

I never did drugs nor smoked. I drink but not just to get drunk as I know some people do, including a few friends (It doesn't mean I haven't gotten drunk...I have)

I have always been the youngest of all my friends but rarely thought that way. Currently here, majority of my friends are aged 26 to 29 years. And yet, I find that I think of them as being younger than me. Part of it probably has to do with the fact that most of them live at home with their parents and the two that don't are married. I sometimes feel that my friends just don't get me...get where I'm coming from intellectually.

Maybe it's all the responsibilities. Living by myself. Managing my own finances. Not depending on my parents. Needing to pay back my parents. Trying to achieve my next goal. And the next and the next.

Maybe it's the kind of work I do. Helping young people, some aged 21-22, who have had a shitty and fucked up life. Listening to horror stories. Assisting parents in managing their children. Dealing with young people who may be suicidal or at risk of harm. Being the person teachers come to when they are struggling with a particular kid thinking I might have all the answers (even though they have way more experience!)

Maybe it's the people I work with. I'm the youngest at my workplaces. But I get along well with colleagues despite the fact that I have no kids and almost all of them do. In fact, they forget I am the youngest unless we are celebrating someone's birthday.

Maybe it's just me. My temperament. My personality.

I was going through one of my low phases some weeks ago and one of my thoughts was "I'm going to be alone the rest of my life" (dwelling on my singledom staus...which I'm generally quite content with) only to be reminded by someone close to me that I am only 25 and the "rest of my life" is quite a long way away. Yes, only 25. But because I think I'm 30+ in my head, I tend to forget how young I actually am! Of course, the few strands of grey hair don't help! :P

On the note of singledom by the way, I find that I am not attracted to guys my age and think of most of them as immature or irresponsible (I know there probably are contradictions out there...). Just as an example...while growing up, I've always found the older cricketers attractive. And Adam Gilchrist has only grown more attractive in my eyes the older he has become! 

I'm not worried about aging in case that's what you think this is about. I just wonder...is it because I am so mature...so responsible...so bloody level-headed that I think I'm older than 25? Is that why I chose the kind of career I did? The kind of path I have? Or have I become more mature because of the career path?

I just wonder about it.

So yes, I'm 25 going on 30...or 35. And I may forget my age and respond 30 in a year or two.

Do any of you go through this?

Until next time,

Cheers!!!

In a Word

This tag was passed on to me by Nu. Basically every answer has to be just one word.

1.Where is your mobile phone? Bedroom

2.Your hair? Long

3.Your mother? Inspiration

4.Your father? Mentor

 5.Your favorite food? Indian

6.Your dream last night? Strange

7.Your favorite drink? Coffee

8.Your dream/goal? Contentment

9.What room are you in? Lounge

10.Your hobby? Blogging

11.Your fear? Loss

12.Where do you want to be in 6 years? CAMHS

13.Where were you last night? Fitness

14.Something that you aren’t? Arrogant

15.Muffins? Chocolate!

16.Wish list item? $Million$

17.Where did you grow up? Salalah-n-Bombay

18.Last thing you did? Ate

19.What are you wearing? Nothing (Yes, I'm sick of this question and figured I could be scandalous!)

20.Your TV? HDTV

21.Your pets? Mr.Fishy

22.Friends? Anchors

23.Your life? Awesome

24.Your mood? Inquisitive 

25.Missing someone? Yes

26.Vehicle? Toyota

27.Something you’re not wearing? Everything

28.Your favourite store? Borders

29.Your favorite color? Black

29.When was the last time you laughed? Today

30.Last time you cried? Sunday

31.Your best friend? Sis

32.One place that you go to over and over? Newtown

33.One person who emails me regularly? More

34.Favorite place to eat? Tamanas

Feel free to take on the tag if you wish...

Until next time,

Cheers!!!