how many times

'Stinging nettle' is a common weed that populates open spaces in spring and summer. (An aside : it has wonderful medicinal and nutritional properties). As the name implies, it, well, stings, a rather sharp semi-intense burning sensation that gradually fades over few minutes.

When Daivik and me went to pick up Strawberries early in summer, I pointed this plant and told him to avoid it as it stings. I didn't know its name then, and referred to it as 'ow-aa' plant. Turned out that he knew the name, 'but this is Brennnessel', he said, referring it by the German name (that's right, with three consecutive n's in the middle). Remembering unfamiliar names is not an easy task, it requires effort. So why take the trouble, particularly when facts and information are literally on our fingertips, just one tap away? There is always Google. Or, in this particular case, Daivik !

Some days later, I was stung by the plant and got a mildly red patch. When somebody asked me about it Daivik was handily nearby, and all I had to do was ask "Daivik, what's the name of the ow-aa plant?" How convenient ! I simply gave up even trying to remember the name.

But small joys are short-lived. When I had to get the name out of him a third time, he replied really slowly, "Bren-ne-sil" before adding, "how many times should I tell you".

Take the stairs

For a while now, I've been encouraging Daivik to take the stairs instead of the lift. After passing though the customary series of why's, he somewhat understood that stairs are better. One evening, as we returned from the kindergarten, he insisted that we take the stairs. But there was a logistic problem, we were on the bicycle that had to go up three floors. What to do ? Daivik started 'thinking'. When he 'thinks' like that, it is quite fascinating to watch. He grows unusually quiet  and starts tapping the sides of his forehead with the tip of his forefinger, quite literally knocking at the doorsteps of thoughts. The result is usually quite transparent, you can actually see the thought emerging from the depths of his brain and light up his eyes ! Now, he gets an 'idea'. "Appa", he said, "we can leave the cycle inside the lift, press number 3, come out of the lift and run up the stairs before the cycle comes there".

It was a good solution, it allowed us to take the stairs as well as to transport the bicycle. So we did exactly the same, and collected the cycle from the lift in the third floor. This minor deviation from the routine was such an exciting thing for him that he hurriedly reported it to his mother.

The next day he wanted to repeat the exercise, this time leaving his sister's pram inside, sister included.