Being a parent and working full-time is never an easy job. More so, when you have a newborn as well. But for Priyanka Singh who was working in the Human Resource department at NIT in Ghatkopar, Mumbai, Maharashtra, taking a sabbatical not only helped her be a full-time mother for both her children, it also gave her a chance to enjoy their time together.
“My husband travels a lot since his company’s head office is in Germany. He is India’s head of medical equipment for his company. It is always our effort to spend quality time with Brisha; the younger one is too small to understand at present,” Singh said.
In a candid interview this professional talks about how her daughter, Brisha, loves to be on the stage and to tell stories. Excerpts:
Why did you choose Apeejay for your daughter?
Everybody in Mumbai knows that if you want to give your child holistic education, there is only one school where the parents have to send their child – Apeejay. The school not only is good with academics but the extracurricular activities that it has also provide the child with a well-rounded personality. Just being a brilliant scholar is not enough today. One can gauge how good the school is from the fact that my daughter loves to go to school every day. She is in senior KG, at present.
The admission for your daughter happened during the present pandemic. Did you encounter any issues?
Not at all. Yes, we had to file everything online since COVID-19 cases were still on the rise in Mumbai back then. But it was a relatively easy process. We had all the requisite documents that had to be submitted. Maybe that made it easy for us. Everything, including the interview, was done online. There were no hindrances and Brisha was admitted.
How did Brisha cope during the pandemic?
My daughter is very intelligent. While most other kids may have struggled to deal with being inside the house 24X7, she understood, once we sat her down and explained the situation, which was something that posed a danger to everyone, and hence she too has to be careful. After that, she was okay with the fact that she had to stay indoors and not go out and meet the other kids her age.
And once the online classes began, she got very involved with them. She started interacting with other kids and teachers online. That helped a lot. The school too understood the situation and ensured that the kids were kept engaged. They gave them activities that they had to post online from time to time.
“Every child must be encouraged to explore his/her creative side as they are growing. The more they imagine, the more they explore, and the stronger will be their base as they move ahead in life”
–Priyanka Singh, mother of Brisha who is in senior KG, Apeejay School, Nerul
What is the best thing that she loves about the school?
She loves to be on the podium and perform. She wants to participate in every activity that the school organises and be with her friends. Her teachers are fantastic too and encourage her a lot. She loves to tell stories. Give her a topic and she will make up the best fictional story. When she comes back from school, she talks about her class with a lot of enthusiasm and shows me the work that she has done during the day.
Tanuja ma’am, who has now retired, was extremely helpful during the pandemic. She kept these toddlers engaged and in an upbeat mood. Now, Maushmi ma’am is there. She is just as good and extremely cooperative.
How important is it to encourage creativity in a child and it is not just about studies?
Every child must be encouraged to explore his/her creative side as they are growing. The more they imagine, the more they explore, and the stronger will be their base as they move ahead in life. Today, it is necessary for a child to think out-of-the-box. He/she has to be innovative; the days are gone when the conventional methods of dealing with the situation were the norm.
What is the most important lesson a child must learn?
A growing child will learn everything that he/she sees. As parents, we have to see what we believe in and inculcate those beliefs in the child. Each family has their own set of dos and don’ts and traditions. However, basic things must be taught to each child. I think it is important that parents and their children behave appropriately when they are out in public. Throwing a tantrum in public is a no-no. Being disciplined is a must for every child.