A pink taxi

A pink taxi

May 19, 2012

Quality Time





I love Mondays because the door bell rings expectedly and I will squat as I open the door to meet my nephew at eye level. His smile translates his enthusiasm to study. I call it study, even though his parents try to enhance the activity with the word: play. In fact, its more than play or study, its quality time with my nephew.




I love Fridays because I sometimes drive to a trapeze shaped highrise, descend into the underground parking where a little boy with a large smile awaits me: "Yaya!" calls out my 2 year old nephew when he sees my pinktaxi. He has a small backpack and he sits in the car seat deigned for "the youngest kid in the car" and kicks his feet to Calvin Harris.



I love Saturday mornings because I always take a nephew with me to visit three damzelles, three 3 year old sisters: yes, triplets! I become a kindergarten instructor, with paints,stickers and magic markers and a new language to introduce: I am teaching French to 3 French girls. Their parents, my cousins, make me the best espresso in town!



Making quality time a routine is a joy maker. The certainty of mingling with these young close relatives is comforting and rewarding. Some may say that tutoring may not be fun because it is academic but I derive a load of pleasure from it because it is my chance to teach and learn. When I sit with these kids, I build a bond that I hope will last as long as my own bond with my cousins and aunts and uncles has.



I treasure these moments, they become hallmark thoughts. With my New York nephews, the only two individuals that bestow upon me the title of Khaleh, maternal aunt, I condense time with them every six months. Indeed, I even tutor them during the summer! During these isolated moments of time, I set everything aside, empty my program to be with them, to watch them grow, to inquire about their developments.



I relish any tete a tete: with a sibling, with a friend, with an uncle, with one of my three children. I find 25 hours in an hour to squeeze some extra time and push myself into an eleventh hour so I can enjoy even more quality time. What is time? Precious yet so generous because if used properly, guarantees satisfaction.
 
 

3 comments:

  1. Nothing more assuring than positive vibes that come from innocent appreciation from little children.This carries adults through difficult trying moments.

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  2. Your nephew looks forward to his Saturday mornings with Yaya!

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  3. You have the patience of a saint cuz! You are so much fun and your pupils look forward to your visits (even though they might resist - they are just playing hard to get!) We love you for taking time out of your very busy schedule to get three little girls to sit down at a table and color with you. And we make the Espresso to make sure that you have enough fuel to keep you going!

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