Aug 24, 2011 12:26 PM
It was his ninth month, the last one of the school year at Christ the King Preschool. Vibhor started there in Sept, 2010. It began with lots of resistance to go to the class, endless crying, trying to throw up etc. It was tough for many parents to leave the kids crying and in tears. It was likely more difficult for the teachers Ms Ellie and Ms Gena to console and calm them down. The principal Ms Karen also spent a lot of her time helping Ms Ellie and Ms Gena. It took about 6-8 weeks for all the kids to get used to the routine.
Slowly, Vibhor started looking forward to go to school. In a few weeks the children started playing with each other and responding to their teachers. But unlike other kids, Vibhor would not utter a single word while he was in school. When his Teacher would ask him something he would just nod or point with his fingers, but would never speak. However, once out of school he would start saying everything (in his own style though it was hard to understand). He would name all the colors, sing the Alphabet, count numbers and rhyme along with poems in the car stereo. When the speech therapists visited the school they viewed it seriously and recommended that Vibhor should see a Doctor. His silence or perhaps shyness in the class was worrying us, but we thought it would go away with time and he would overcome that. Vibhor was born prematurely at 28 weeks of gestation and we attributed his problems to that. He weighed just 2.2 pounds at birth and was in NICU for 8 weeks.
April came and Ms Ellie announced that the class would begin “Show n Tell”. Vibhor’s turn came on Tuesday, May, 10. Vibhor showed off his favorite plane to all. I was also in the class sitting on the floor with the other kids and Ms Gena. Ms Ellie asked, Vibhor, “What is this?” Vibhor didn’t answer but his lips moved as if he was saying something. “What color is this?” Again he just mumbled something.” Where does it go?” No reply... I was discouraged and perhaps so were Ms Ellie and Ms Gena. We walked out of the class. Vibhor as usual guided me to the door through church's main office... (He liked to follow that route). While strapping him to his car seat, I asked, “What color is your plane”, and he loudly replied, “WHITE.”...., a little depressed, I slowly asked him, why didn't you tell that in the class? He just smiled shaking his legs to and fro. I was not sure he understood my question.
As usual on the way back he pointed towards a McDonalds and started saying “ICE CREAM, ICE CREAM.”... I turned back and looked at him and he laughed. I bought him some ice cream and drove towards home. I called Aunty (our baby sitter) that we were about to reach. When we reached home, she was waiting outside the garage. I handed him over to her and asked him to get his face and hands washed as he had Ice cream all over. He knew, I wanted to leave for office. He started crying while Aunty carried him to the bathroom. He kept crying but I had to leave although with a heavy heart as I didn’t want to leave him crying like that.
Today, I woke him up little early. I whispered “meow” in his ears, and with his eyes still closed, he smiled and responded “Grrrrr”......like a dog. We did this for a while. I took him in my lap and kissed him on his forehead. He slowly opened his eyes and asked,” Mommy...Mommy.”...I said, “Office”, next, “Didi Didi.” asking for his sister....I replied – “school.”...His smile faded. But soon we were in the bathroom, and he was brushing his teeth while I, as usual, sang “Brush your teeth little lion” for him. I dressed him up. He wore his favorite T-shirt (with a puppy on the front). At the breakfast table, I showed him his remote control car and told him that he would take this to school to show Ms Ellie and Ms Gena. I enacted with the car in my hands as if I was doing “show n tell”. Since that very moment he kept holding the car in his hands, even when I was buckling him to his car seat.
We reached school a bit early and so we spent some time roaming around in the lobby. When Ms Ellie opened the door, he ran to her and showed his car to her. Ms Ellie asked him to keep it in the “show n tell bucket”. He followed the instruction and sat with Ms Ellie to begin painting his photo frame, the craft work of the day. I hugged him and said bye. He waved his little hands. I left.
As usual I reached school 30 minutes before the dismissal to use my lunch break to pick him up and drop him home. The "Show n tell” is done during this half hour. While I was peeking through the little glass window on the door, Vibhor saw me and came running towards the door. I opened the door, hugged him and asked him to clean up with the other kids. I noticed that he seemed changed. He ran and quickly started picking toys and other stuff from the floor and kept them in place. Now, it was time for “Show n tell”. I joined Miss Gena and the kids on the floor.
Ms Ellie called upon Vibhor first (so that I could leave early) but I requested her to call him second. So little Ever came up to show her pink brush to the class and replied to Ms Ellie's questions very smartly. Everyone was watching curiously. Then it was Vibhor's turn. Ms Ellie called him and he quickly reached the front. Ms Ellie gave him his Blue car. She asked him what it was. I was looking at him nervously, hoping that he may reply. And to the surprise of all of us sitting there (even the kids) he very clearly said “Car.” “What color is it, Vibhor? “Blue”, came his reply!” What are these?”...”Wheels”...”How many wheels does it have? ”...one....two....three...four... he counted. I was thrilled and so were Ms Ellie and Ms Gena. I could see their happiness in their big smiles. They were amazed and also surprised that he knew all these but never spoke before. It was first time they had heard him saying anything in the class. “What color is this”? Ms Ellie asked pointing towards the little antenna...”Red”…he loudly replied. Every one clapped and cheered. I felt so proud. Ms Ellie gave him two stickers, one for being a good boy and another for speaking for the first time.
It was now time to leave. I asked him to say good bye to his buddies…and he loudly said “Good bye buddies”. I laughed. He said bye to his teachers and came out of the class. As usual he guided me through the corridors of the school. I restrained him up in the car seat, shook hands with him and said “Good Job”!!! He smiled. He looked confident and proud.
As we approached Medlock bridge road, he hinted for me to stop at M (that is what used to refer to Mc Donalds) and started saying “Ice cream...Ice cream”... With a great relief in my heart, I turned the car into Mc Donalds. I had no reason to say no!!!!
By Shyam Gupta
