Letters To Koko

  Hi Koko, The last letter about your birthday was a little heavy, huh? Let's talk about bright new and shiny things then. Gifts! Bright beautiful, wrapped in the most exquisite paper, with ribbons and that smell of excitement and surprise bundled into it. I legit loved birthday parties when I was a kid just to wait till the time I would unwrap my presents. The swoosh of fresh paper being cut - not with scissors, but with bare hands is something else. The entire feeling of what it could be, the anticipation, the wait and then the final moment of unravelling it from the box. Nothing compares to that heady feeling. To me the best ones are still the surprise ones. Don’t ask me what I want I say, I could buy what I want myself, if you want to give me something, surprise me! So one of the (many) gifts you received this year was Game of Life. Now when I was a child, I remember playing Game of Life with cousins. That beautiful Hasbro game with a Spin a Wheel mechanic right on the bo...

  Dearest Koko,  There was a time when birthdays meant one day when you could do almost anything. Do what you want, go where you feel like, jump on the couch, sing out loud – literally anything that you want. There had to be a grand birthday cake, and streamers and balloons, some friends have to come over, some party games would be fun More than the birthday itself, just planning it would be so much fun. You and I would contemplate a million themes, then buy the party favors, get the decorations in place. Last year when you turned 5, I was really looking forward to that milestone birthday. Like I have said before, your birthday is not just a special day for you, but also for me. It is after all a sign that I have been at this job for these many years and not being completely hopeless at it. Also, right after your birthday, my birthday comes. Generally, I always take a leave on my birthday, watch a movie go out shopping. Last year I hadn’t – what’s the point? There’s nowhere to...

Hi Koko, You turn four today! Four years, that’s a milestone – for you (and for me). I cannot believe I have spent such a long time at this new job called parenthood. I can’t say I am perfect at it, I don’t think I will ever be. But I think I am doing a pretty good job at it; so yes, even if I guilt myself into leaving you at daycare each day, or every time I scold you for extra screen time, today I shall give a small pat on my back. Anyway, today is about you and not me. So let’s talk about you, and maybe I’ll share a couple of parent-worthy gems of advice on the way. This year is going to be a milestone, in many ways. You are going to big school, you’ll be travelling on the bus on your own, you keep disappearing for hours as you are at some friend’s place. You are already a well-travelled young boy, you have been to places that were a dream for me when I was a kid. You have been to Disney Land, you have seen the Eiffel tower, you have been to the Colosseum, you know ho...