You can catch up on Pari’s school life by visiting the School Diary section of this blog.

Though I wanted to stay relaxed that there was nothing to worry about Pari’s vomiting during lunch break, but at the back of my mind this thought seemed to have built a permanent camp.

There was no medical aspect to this problem as Pari ate all the food she was given in her lunch box, at home without any issues. Besides, she had never vomited at home. Not even once, to show any sign of ill-health.

Pari’s school administration were still adamant that there was ‘no big deal’ about it and she was vomiting probably due to exposure to cold. It was was end of February and start of March with the fans already in use and the weather warming up, at that time, swallowing this logic was bit difficult.

As I had mentioned in my previous post, soon preparations for her Annual Day started. Pari had been selected for the Fashion show and a group dance. All was going great as it involved two things Pari absolutely loves.

Posing in style and dancing.

The rehearsals soon started taking toll on her. The kids were being made to stand for considerable periods of time in direct sunlight. In northern India, though March is a relatively pleasant month, but it gets pretty hot under the sun.

Pari has photosensitivity (which had been notified to her teachers and school administration in writing  and duly explained at the time of her admission). Despite my many reminders in person the teachers and the principal, Pari was kept standing in direct sunlight., landing her with severe sunburns on both her cheeks.

I was furious. I was so angry that I could have punched her teachers in face for gross negligence. But, being a parent, I had to stay calm. With treatment, soon Pari was back to health and her teachers were now careful about her sun exposure.

But my agitation did one good, the school arranged for covering up the garden area and the rehearsals started happening in shade.

As the days to the Annual day were fast approaching, the rehearsals were heating up. One fine afternoon when I reached school to pick Pari, I noticed a big bruise on her cheekbone. By big I mean around one centimeter.

On questioning the teachers, few acted surprised saying they had no clue what had happened and still others said that it might have happened due to a fall as ‘kids often fall while playing’.

Being a parent, I am well aware of this fact that kids indeed fall often as part of play. But at the same time I cannot believe that a child as young as Pari falls so hard to develop a large bruise and didn’t cry loud enough to attract attention of the staff. Besides, I know my child and also that she cries so loud that you can hear her cry a few blocks away.

This incident only added to my unrest. I had begun to worry more than ever before fearing something uneventful happening, while Pari was at school.

Pari’s annual day was fast approaching and her spring break was to begin soon after. But when the ball of crazy events gets rolling, nothing actually happens as per our wishes.

Hardly ten days before the annual day, I picked Pari from school in haste and on reaching home noted a few scratches on her nose and one cut was pretty close to her eye. On gentle prodding Pari revealed that she had a fall.

Pari at that time wasn’t very expressive as far as narrating events of her day at school, leaving me to imagine using the cues I managed to get hold of. The following morning when I questioned her class teacher, I got a reply that felt like a slap on my face.

Her teacher refused Pari having had a fall in school and instead said she must have fallen at home and I had failed to note that.

I swallowed the bitter pill after expressing my serious concern for the well-being of my child to everyone, from the class teacher to the principal. But somewhere in the back of my mind, I could now hear a time bomb tick.

Being a new mother and a single parent, I have this disadvantage of finding myself stuck all by myself, when I need to decide to what extent should I worry and when should I let go of things.

I am  a very slow learner, but I am certainly learning the ropes with each passing minute.

The song on my mind: Mera chanda hai tu ~ Aradhana