Andrew Prasad and Daniel at a park in Mumbai, India, 1/2007I don't know why this surprises me, but Andrew is showing great interest and pride in India now. When he first came home two years ago he refused to discuss India, then went through a very negative phase about all the pain and suffering he endured physically and emotionally. So, I guess I figured it would take him years to separate his whole birth country from the negativity. Just a month ago he surprised us by differentiating between India and Bal Vikas (his orphanage). This was a huge step. He finally understood that his orphanage was not all of India, but a mere speck in the ocean of his great birth country. He's begun bringing things to school from India to educate his teacher and classmates about clothing, traditions, religions, holidays, etc.
A few weeks ago he brought his orange silk kurta outfit covered in sequins that has a rudraksha mala (prayer beads) to go with it. The teacher told me his classmates went bonkers over the beauty, and that Andrew did a marvelous job of presenting it. A week after that his classical Indian singing teacher and a local tabla player came to his class and gave a demonstration. Andrew introduced them, and I'm told he felt extremely important and valued that day. The entire second grade saw him in a whole new and interesting light. This is gold for his self-esteem and healing process; his pride is still blooming. I seriously thought this would take many years. This morning he begged me to bring a book on Hindu holidays and rituals to class, but I told him to ask his teacher first. He's been looking all over the house asking to take anything to school that has to do with India. He ended up drawing a large Indian flag last evening, and brought that to give his teacher today. He drew it twice because the first time he didn't get the Buddhist wheel at the center "perfect" enough.
Sky has started attending the Indian singing classes with Andrew. This can be a bit challenging as I sit on the floor behind them, prompting and correcting two boys who typically bring out the mischief in one another. Not to mention Sky has nervousness surrounding music in general (I think it's the emotional, feeling aspect of it). The classes have been great at helping Sky realize it's safe to sing and feel things. The teacher is incredible because she mixes in yogic teachings about the mind, self discipline, and life, and she has very high expectations of the children. She doesn't sit and have a play-like time with the kids like most Western teachers do, she makes them work. She also throws in a lot of Hindi, which Andrew no longer understands but wants to learn. Sky keeps saying "Hindi is way too hard, dude, so I'm sticking with Espanol!" He is a true ham. We are very blessed to have access to such a wonderful class with a teacher who gives the lessons for free in her home, and helps fuel pride in our creative and expressive Indian child.
On another note, Andrew's need to express himself is growing by leaps and bounds. I can relate to this, being an artist myself. He is starting to verbalize this by saying the mantra "I love to paint, I love to draw and want to do it all, all, all day." I explained to him that after completing public school he can choose to attend an art school. He responded with a firm "No way, there is no such thing as a school that does only art, Mom!" He sounded angry, as if I was teasing him. I explained that I attended the art school at KU, and there are others in the area he can apply to. His chin literally dropped, then he quickly shifted to complaining about the long wait until graduation. I explained he has to do well at 'regular (boring) school' or they won't let him in an art school. I also reminded him we're setting up a room downstairs where he'll be able to paint for hours on the walls, furniture, canvasses, etc. That will be his decompression chamber and haven from the world. There seems to be nothing more calming for him.
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