Saturday, January 24, 2009

DREAMS OF DISTURBIA

The Copy-kitten (my younger daughter) sleeps uneasily, groping for contact, tossing her head, mumbling in her sleep. Sometimes she dreams of conflicts and protests aloud confusedly, in a variety of languages. The first dream I recall was one where she cried out, “Maithili maarti hai” (Maithili is hitting me), Maithili being her best-friend-who-can-and-often-does-turn-into-worst-enemy. Often she sits up in her sleep, crying “aamaro chai” (I also want) …some indeterminate, indecipherable object, or “amio korbo/ jaabo” (I’ll also do/go)…again something or somewhere which we cannot fathom. A hug and a soothing hand are usually enough to calm her down, but on rare occasions her phantom-struggles break into loud and long-drawn sobs that refuse to be pacified easily.

Her entire life revolves round the expression "amio", “ME, TOO”. Her aim in life (awake or asleep) is to grow up double-quick and become as old as her sister (the Lil Cat) and do the things that everybody else does. Even in her dreams she is in a hurry to catch up with the others, maybe that is why her sleep is full of unrest.

Being a younger sibling must be a competitive kind of an experience sometimes (NOT all the time, obviously). My elder daughter, timid and rather shy when awake, sleeps in peace and dreams with a smile. The younger one, spunky, confident and cheerful (if rather stubborn) when awake, has fractious and contentious issues in her dreams, battling imaginary demons, fighting to create her own space, even in sleep.

On her third birthday, apart from the millions of things that mothers usually wish their child to have, I pray for her to enjoy the bliss of calm sleep, full of soothing dreams, every single night, as much as I pray for her to have happy, busy, days.

9 comments:

Ugich Konitari said...

Here's wishing Copy-Kitten a wonderful third birthday, and hope she has a lot of fun with all her friends, regardless of the status of Maithili :-)

I think Copy Kitten is a very imaginative person. Thats probably why her excitement continues in her mind although the body is tired.

My daughter used to be like that. When she was about 6, I enrolled her in an evening sports program (tabletennis,swimming etc)here, and somehow, that nice exercise changed her sleep habits.

I wish Copy Kitten all the best on her special day !

Sucharita Sarkar said...

Thanks, Suranga,

from all of us in the family. A third b'day is special, esp. to harassed mothers, because the child moves from the 'unscoldable' terrible twos to the official school-going age when she can be boxed on the ears without her mom feeling guilty about the psycholgical scarring of corporal punishment.

jyotsana said...

wishing the little one a very happy birthday....may she have all the joys of the world as she grows up.
liked that post on happiness....

A.I. said...

I hope your daughter's B'day was fun for her and the family.

I don't know if you believe in the 'science' of vaastu, but please check if she's sleeping with her head to the East. It might help to turn her bed so she sleeps south-north with her head to the south for a bit. Though it is advised that children sleep with their heads to the east so they are not dull, it does result in disturbed sleep when the mind is overactive.

Good luck!

Sucharita Sarkar said...

Hi Jyotsna,

Thanks for your blessings.

Hi A.I,

Thanks for the advice. Will follow it and hope for improvement.

pradipwritenow said...

Sucharita
Blessings from me and my wife to your youngest daughter for her birthday. Tell her it is from another Dadu and dida from Barrackpore, Talpukur. I am now at Talpukur for few days holidays and shall be back to Jungle on 2.2.09. I still dream, speak in languages other than Hindi, English or Bengali until awaken by your aunt. Many says even this is better than when I dream awake and turn a different man and write something. Meanwhile I am enjoying the sweets of Annapurna sweet mart, Fresh and unbelievable cheap priced fishes from the talpukur bazar. This is another dream that your aunt has to suffer when this time she shall be with me in the hilltop jungle of Bailadila, M.P

Pinku said...

best wishes for the copy kitten...hope she turn into a proper kitten soon and all this copying business ends.

My younger sister too had the same issues, she was always in a competitive mode to be as good as or better than didi.

She didnt score well in tenth and decided to end her life since she couldnt bear the bad results. (I had scored quite well).

Please ensure that your daughter doesnt need to feel competitive with elder sis.

I know this isn't a good thing to talk about on a birthday...but couldnt help sharing. since i carry the guilt of doing well.

Sucharita Sarkar said...

Hi Pradip-da,

Thanks so very much for the wishes. Hope your are enjoying your holiday in Barrackpore. Whenever I visit, I just stuff myself with food and mishti.

Hi Pinku,

Thanks for your good wishes and also for sharing your concerns. The spouse and I are aware of the pitfalls of competitiveness and will try our very best to ensure that it does not create bitterness.

Sharmistha Guha said...

Hello! Came across your blog through 'Kavi's musings'
As I was reading this blog entry, it was almost as if I was reading about my own 3 yrs 4month old daughter's sleep pattern and sleepy conversations...only difference being Maithili is replaced by Mahita (her best friend and worst enemy!!!)

Wish your daughter had a LOVELY birthday!!!