This one isn’t staged

All world is the stage, they say. The real one perhaps scares me, thus this ‘world’ stage makes me more comfortable. And it was the time to see my daughter at the stage. Ever since Diwali vacation was over, her playschool announced her school gathering. Earlier, I thought it was a small thing but as the big day was nearing, all teachers and parents were charged up. Their dress, practice, synchronisation and auditorium, oh, I had taken ‘grand affair’ little casually.

I had my apprehensions to begin with. Looking at not only my little one all two or three years old perform, wasn’t it strange? But I didn’t sound it as I thought I was becoming ‘toddler rights’ activist. Thus, I kept it to myself. Yes, at home, my daughter would spontaneously dance, and it was the ‘power packed performance’.  While everyone around was little anxious of what would kids do on the stage, kids were the relaxed ones as they had no idea what was to be unfolded.

When parents and relatives were really geared up for the big day, kids were blissfully unaware what really lied in the store. When my daughter sensed something unusual, she just warned me not to leave her alone there. When I handed over her to her teacher, I imagined a lot of screams and cries shouting ‘Aai’(mom).

To my surprise when kids came to stage, they performed exceptionally well. Of course, each one’s little one held centre-

stage for each parent amid crowd. Yes, for teachers, it wasn’t a child’s play! I still felt that play group kids are too young for stage performance, I was relieved when it was over. When I asked my daughter how she faced audiences, she told me ‘teacher switched on some light and played the song. All kids were dancing so did I.’’ When I asked who was there in the front, she said, “No one. It was all dark.”

She asked me, “Where were you when I was dancing?”

Being ‘in dark’ and a remote witness isn’t bad as a parent. It’s better than hogging limelight till your child knows no one is watching….