Arshi's PSLE year

Arshi finished her PSLE last month. PSLE is a much hyped national level examination for students taking class 6 here .Children are tested based on 4 years of syllabus starting from P3.Arshi has been trained to do consistent work throughout as we believe last minute studies won't be handy in long run.As previous years ,Maths has been her tough subject and this year she spent more time trying to learn her basics. I should mention here that she never went for tuition and would ask her father for doubts and he will try to clarify it to her most of the times.She had been maintaining scrapping to 'A' from last year.She would get above 75 but not much.Arshi is blessed to have a very good Maths teacher Mrs Wang this year who tries to teach Maths in an interesting  way to kids.


I also found her marks in Tamil language has dropped considerable extent.In prelims she did silly mistakes and lost many marks.

Mr Shahdon had been Arshi's form teacher from P3 and though his approach may not be appreciated by many ,he has moulded the kids very well to be independent students. Even myself at times had fear about his teaching methods. But now at this point I feel Arshi needed a teacher like him who helps in channeling kids potential  to some productive results not just academic oriented but way beyond too.

Apart from school revisions she would attempt previous year questions we had bough for her this March.
June I didn't want to travel as I wanted Arshi to give those time for studying. But we had to travel for 2 weeks to India as we had to visit temple for CK.

Arshi had been feeling the stress of exams and PSLE within her and that was shown as she suddenly has breathing difficulties just the night before her prelims written exam and we consulted a doctor and he told us that it was just because of stress and anxiety. She learnt to remain cool and faced rest of her prelims.Her scores were on expected lines.

Her health has been troubling her lately and what started as a simple throat infection that could have been normally resolved by a dosage of antibiotics has dragged and she is still facing its effects.Just after she finished her prelims she has mild fever and throat pain and we saw a doctor.She was prescribed antibiotics and though it seemed she had recovered she had cough cold after she finished her antibiotics. I was giving home remedies and fedac and zrytec to her as I thought it was just a normal cold.I was wrong.She took her Tamil oral with severe cold and a dose of zrytec that morning.But she told me she managed her oral pretty well.Only results will tell us the reality. The next day was English oral.She did her oral and came home with a tired face.Her voice wasn't as enthusiastic as she normally speaks and she was feeling extremely tired.I checked her body and it was burning hot. I rushed her to doctor and found she had 40° C .She was given another dose of antibiotics for 3 days.
3 rd day she developed rashes and the next day we saw doc again.He told it was after fever rash and will go away.4 more days and no improvement. She was feeling itchy throughout. So another doc visit and he told she had fungal infection and gave a lotion to be applied in her body every night.But the condition worsened and her skin became very dry.We had to take her to KK A&E and duty doc too felt it was after fever rash that may take up to 2 weeks to recover. All these incidents just a week after her PSLE oral was finished and she had LC and written exams to be faced.She was suffering from itch and rashes and PSLE on the otgerhand and as a mother it was one of the most difficult times for us.KK had given skin doc appointment as well as 2 weeks MC in case if the rashes doesn't resolve on its own and we had to request for an earlier appointment and saw  skin doctor too the next week and the doc told she had pityaris rosea .The rashes will take  4-9 weeks to resolve.She was given steroid cream and moisturizer .Arshi's condition slowly improved and her rashes were slowly curing up.But all very slowly.She took her Listening Comprehension .Till now her condition isn't fully recovered.and we are following on with her skin doc though there is no more itch.

I never expected that the time when she was to revise vigorously was destined otherwise by God.But we learnt to overcome that too.We realized that continuous study will help at such times.
She wrote all her written exams and told me that they were manageable.

Next week her PSLE results are going to be released. I am more nervous than her.She seem to have given her best and enjoying the rest of the primary school life with her friends.

Whatever be the outcome ,I should praise her for taking exams when she was not in the pinkest of her health.Whatever marks she gets ,its her hard earned marks with minimal parental support. You all should have known about CK and his naughtiness by now. It definitely wasn't easy to study with CK around the house.She has tried to give her best.I have always told her that she need not be the best in her class or school but definitely she can give her best in everything she does. In that way she won't feel guilty of not trying her fullest potential.


I am praying and hoping for her to get good marks that would take her to a good secondary school.

Secondary school selection is another big decision that needs to be made and though we have a few schools in mind we aren't fixed at any school as everything depends on her results and they are so unpredictable.

Deepavali 2018

This year Deepavali was very special as Arshi's exam were over long back even before Navrathri and we were in a relaxed mood.Usually ,Deepavali always falls during exam time or just when the exams are just finished. This year I knew making snacks is going to be difficult as CK is very naughtier than before. So ,I started making snacks more than a week before .I made simple snacks that can be done easily and that are not time consuming.I would do Deepavali sweets and savouries after Arshi has returned from her school so that I know that she will take care of CK if he is cranky and I can concentrate on making snacks. Thus year Deepavali fell on Nov 6 and I started preparation from Oct 28 itself and from then I was making a snack every single day till Nov 5.Nov 2 we went to little India to further soak on festive mood and buy sparklers and Arshi's favorite Ladoos and jangri and also be dazzled by the decorations in Deepavali village and enjoy the Deepavali lights spread across Little India.
Some pictures from our diwali.

Navrathri 2018

Ck has grown up as a naughty toddler and it is almost difficult for us to keep any thing in its place .I was wondering for long time where I should be keeping our golu and the final moment hubby told that we can keep it simple in a kitchen cabinet .I was sceptical at first.How am I supposed to keep golu steps there .that too in a kitchen cabinet.I cleared a cabinet and after some brainstorming Got a simple idea.In fact this year my golu had small improvements over the next few days. Oct there was Navrathri.Luckily Arshi's PSLE was over and we were free from that stress.

I invited a few friends and went to few houses too.This year it wasn't a gala event.First day my friend Niveditha came and chanted few bhajans for Krishna.Hare Rama Hare Krishna.We are here because of Almighty's blessings.

First look.This golu took many little makeovers over the days

Later I added new step separately and moved some bommais from main golu to this.

This is closeup of the separate step .

And the look of the cabinet golu :

You can see few changes if you take a closer look.

This was set up on Amavasya night. Arshi and hubby werent much satisfied. So ,I changed a little bit later the next morning as Amavasya was still there.

I felt this looked a little boring .The long rack .So I added a little bit design and decorations using plastic covers to make it more nice.Not sure if it turned out for the purpose it was made.

Arshi's friend Lakshana made few beautiful origami butterflies and flowers and passed then to my friend and her mom  Kayal.I pasted then to my golu and they looked beautiful.

Later when  Lakshana came home later 2 days after her mom came ,she too bought few origami decos and we included that too in our golu.Later that Saturday we went to my friend's house and Arshi's inspiration and model sister Prathisksha gifted Arshi a doll and I incorporated that too in pot golu along with a Lakshmi idol my friend gifted me.

Here they are:

Navrathri Thursday was my Hubby's birthday and myself and Arshi wanted to surprise hubby and Arshi made an eggless cake and also made icing .Hubby was surprised and that night he cut the cake.He rarely celebrates his birthday and I remember it is second time cutting cake and definitely first time cutting a cake by Arshi as she is slowly learning baking .

With Lakshana and CK photobombs it

This beautiful dress was gifted by Lakshmi my close friend during Navrathri when she came over to my place .I forgot to take a picture of her as she was in a hurry .


This was taken during Dhandiya night and as I was volunteer with my CC I too joined in volunteering .

Navrathri and Saraswathi pooja in Sri Veeramakali Amman koil

Krishnar koil

Navrathri dress

Saraswathi pooja

Arshi and her friend Vinidra

It was fun filled Navrathri and both Arshi and CK enjoyed a lot.It is that time of the year where myself and Arshi wear traditional dresses.Looking forward to next year's Navrathri .May goddess shower her blessings on all.