Board exams and a Tag

The hiatus was because of—what else, the XII Board exams. All those clichés about one being more nervous for one’s child, than one had ever been for oneself, are true. The first exam was Physics. Both the young one and I were perfectly fine the night before. The next morning, however was a different story. Inexplicably, we both developed nerves. We made it to the centre well in time, and it was there that the “atmosphere” hit. There was a tense silence mostly, with occasional low murmurs. For most children, both parents had come. The uniform refrain was, “In our days, it wasn’t such a big deal----- we used to go for the exam in DTC buses---no parent accompanied us-----” Well, who changed all that? The “now” parents, of course!
At 1:30, the “mob” was back again outside the centre gates. Again the hush, with an undercurrent of frenzy. It was like a non-teen version of mob hysteria. We were all waiting with bated breath----and then the first student came out of the gates. He immediately disappeared in a crowd of parents who swooped down on him, or rather pounced with cries of “How was it? Kaisa thha?” The poor guy must have been dazed, but he grinned and said, “It was OK.” Then a collective sigh went up, and things seemed normal again.
On the day of the second exam, the parents were still hanging about after all the kids had gone in. The reason seems to be, vaguely, that the child might need something, and so it would be a good idea to wait until the time that the question papers were distributed, after which of course nobody is allowed to leave the hall. However, a teacher popped out of the gates and politely ticked us off! She said we weren’t helping by hanging around, and could we please take a walk---though not those words, of course! Then everybody sheepishly left. After that, it was all right for the rest of the days.
I guess it became routine after that, and the anxiety also diminished with each passing exam.

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I’m a bit free now, and the first thing I’m going to do is take up what Sachin tagged me with. So here goes:
1. I am thinking about: how involved we get with our children—in the small ways, in the little things, and we don’t even realize it.
2. I want to: do about six things at once.
3. I wish: A day had 36 hours.
4. I hear: (and I mean hear, not listen to!) different kinds, different tempos of music at different times of the day.
5. I wonder: why wonder is so underrated. It is that which keeps the child in us alive.
6. I regret: some decisions (academic, academic!) I took long ago. They seemed right at the time!
7. I am: what I am. Slightly (?) nutty, mostly practical, mostly smiling.
8. I dance: to my family’s tune.
9. I sing: Off key, much to my kids’ embarrassment.
10. I cry: at sentimental movies.
11. I make with my hands: thousands of chapattis!
12. I write: for my own pleasure.
13. I confuse: firmness with rudeness.
14. I need: A quiet corner to myself.
15. And finally: Too much introspection makes one maudlin and morbid!