My house has seen plenty of guests, laughs and fun. We are not big party people but we have always had a busy household. I love cooking and having friends around. BUT today was the first time we had 4 kids giggling, laughing, joking and eating in my living room with the youngest member of the Pandey Household. It has always been the other way round. He would find refuge in his room whenever we had guests. Today he HAD guest, such a wonderful feeling.
Anand has tried social interaction, has planned some outings and invited one or two friends once a while to our home for video game sessions. But it ended in High School as his elementary and middle school friends got busy. The intellectual gap widened and they didn’t find anything in common with Anand. Most of them worked and got busy with rigorous High School stuff. For the last few years TV, Video games and internet became Anand’s go to places. Last year when he joined a post high school program he connected with some friends. We encouraged him to build a better social group but they were all from different towns so it never worked out. But occasional outdoor meet ups and one birthday dinner did take place.
He had been thinking about Movie night for quite some time and finally the plan worked out. A Saturday evening was picked out and text messages were going back and forth with 3 other kids. Dinner selection, from drop off and pick up to conversations about rides and time and selection of the movie, the excitement was obvious. I was so happy for him. I had offered to cook dinner for the parents while the kids watched the movie.
Finally, the Saturday arrived and since morning it was all about the movie evening. The menu was Dominos, no one was interested in Mom’s food, other than another set of parents. They brought two kids, a sister drove her younger sister. By 5:30 pm the Pandey household was ready with Indian meal for parents and the great chef at Domino’s took care of the kids.
For almost 3 hours we were in two parallel worlds. We sipped wine, talked about our kids and ate Veg biryani with Dal and Potatoes curry and they were busy with Movie “Shazam”.
The whole time I was thinking how wonderful it was to have this evening come together this way. My heart is full of emotions seeing Anand this happy. We all said goodbye promising to meet again. I think I am already looking forward to the next meet up.
Anand has tried social interaction, has planned some outings and invited one or two friends once a while to our home for video game sessions. But it ended in High School as his elementary and middle school friends got busy. The intellectual gap widened and they didn’t find anything in common with Anand. Most of them worked and got busy with rigorous High School stuff. For the last few years TV, Video games and internet became Anand’s go to places. Last year when he joined a post high school program he connected with some friends. We encouraged him to build a better social group but they were all from different towns so it never worked out. But occasional outdoor meet ups and one birthday dinner did take place.
He had been thinking about Movie night for quite some time and finally the plan worked out. A Saturday evening was picked out and text messages were going back and forth with 3 other kids. Dinner selection, from drop off and pick up to conversations about rides and time and selection of the movie, the excitement was obvious. I was so happy for him. I had offered to cook dinner for the parents while the kids watched the movie.
Finally, the Saturday arrived and since morning it was all about the movie evening. The menu was Dominos, no one was interested in Mom’s food, other than another set of parents. They brought two kids, a sister drove her younger sister. By 5:30 pm the Pandey household was ready with Indian meal for parents and the great chef at Domino’s took care of the kids.
For almost 3 hours we were in two parallel worlds. We sipped wine, talked about our kids and ate Veg biryani with Dal and Potatoes curry and they were busy with Movie “Shazam”.
The whole time I was thinking how wonderful it was to have this evening come together this way. My heart is full of emotions seeing Anand this happy. We all said goodbye promising to meet again. I think I am already looking forward to the next meet up.
A very old pic of Anand. He was a happy kid. Using dad’s glasses. I think those were our new iPad days, he was playing with various photo shop effects.
Chef Dominos – we love you. 4 happy kids.
And in no time the pizzas, cheesy bread and lawa cake were gone.
Shazaam
And a very happy kid.. he has seen this movie so many times but this time it was just friendship and happiness.
And this morning the sun soaked deck where we parents chatted about the world, politics, religion, third world and economics.. Aeh.. I wish we could find solution for all the world’s problem.. It was just our kids who took over everything else J
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