Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Entrepeneur is my name!

Wednesdays are catch up day for the kids. So they don't have school/ virtual learning on Wednesdays. In our household that of course means vacation. My kids act like summer break all over again. Waking up at Noon and lazing around with devices. A couple weeks back I hear Tootsie going on in the other room and my phone buzzes. I get a video from my sister "Remote learning at its best" She says and sends a video of Tootsie teaching her little 4 yr old Super hero lessons! Lockdown for 4 yr olds can be really trying. So my sister had signed him up for these virtual classes to keep him occupied and Tootsie caught on!

I texted back to my sister "You are in trouble! Did you negotiate the rates? What were you thinking?" Tootsie is the true mercenary entrepreneur! She does nothing for free! She made her Dad and me paintings for our office and sent us a bill. She gives her dad a 5 minute massage and charges him $5. She gives business advice to her friends! Last year her teacher had a marketplace where kids could bring and sell things for fake money! While other kids made 15 and 20$, Ms Entrepeneur made 300$. She had buy one get one free deals, price reductions at the end of the day, had the pulse of the room and was selling Slime and Puppy dog paintings! 

Also last year she started a club with her friends to Save Endangered Animals. STAC they called it. For a while they had been having "meetings", researching animals (the teacher used the opportunity) and  making t-shirts for members (A parent donated blank t-shirts and the little artist painted on the shirts!). Little Miss Business decided they needed to raise money for the animals. So Tootsie planned with her friends to sell goodies at the local park. They had inside information that the water fountains were broken and so the entrepreneur in her decided water bottles, juice boxes, soda and light snacks (aka chips). Parents were recruited to buy goodies and donate to STAC, posters were made and one beautiful Sat afternoon snack stations were setup. 10 minutes go by and no one comes by. Tootsie looks on anxiously. "I think we are too far away from the playground. They don't know we are selling! They must think its a party"

So she rallied the troops. "Lets go tell them we are here". And she starts walking up to random strangers " Hi, we are raising funds to Save endangered animals! All the money we collect will go to the Atlanta zoo endangered species program. Would you like to come buy something to support the animals?"
Or
"Are you thirsty or hungry? We have some yummy snacks and drinks"
"Cash Only!"
Or better yet!
"Oh didn't bring your wallet, we are going to be here for a while. You can go home and bring it we'll wait!"

At every comment I just moved further away until I was sitting at the next table! But that pretty much sums up the little entrepreneur in her. She dolls out business advice to friends. When her friend started selling bracelets in the neighborhood Tootsie had advice on pricing, negotiation and marketing strategies! BOGO and discounts except we first decided the strategy before deciding the price! You get the math!

Enough of the history lesson, lets now fast forward to Covid lockdown a time when mom and dad were being charged for paintings and chores around the house, her aunt told her about outschool. An online site where anyone could register (post background checks) to teach classes on any topic. I could literally see the light shining in her eyes as she had visions of teaching classes online and making money. And the wheels spinning as she decided between art and super hero lessons. But why go online and find new customers when we have one handy in the family! So young 4 yr old cousin was recruited and this fine Wednesday lessons were thought. While the gullible innocent aunt looked on!

True to my prediction later that day I asked Tootsie what had happened and she narrated to me "I taught him 2 classes. I gave him super hero lessons and taught him how to draw a unicorn! So that totals to 26$.” Never mind that the total length of the session was 20 mins long! Still 2 topics were taught! The bill has been sent to the aunt and now she is really on the guard at every conversation. "At this rate" said she "I can’t afford unmonitored conversations with the little minx!"

Meanwhile the minx has been plotting a plan for the money. She plans to buy "vans’ shoes" with the money she earns off the aunt! Because everyone needs a vans’ shoe you know! And mom refused to buy her one since she was now an earning member of the family! 

So finally mom had to step in to cut a deal and talk a language that Tootsie would understand. A flat rate has been negotiated. Vans’ shoes for teaching the cousin to count until 100! We wont count how many classes that takes! Good luck tootsie!! 4 yr old Gattulu is a force to be reckoned with.. you are going to need that luck! Or as they say in Tamil "Sabash seriyana potti!"!!

Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Tootsie’s gospels!

 Did you know you can find out a teacher’s nature from the light she uses in her classroom? White light and she is going to be strict and a stickler for rules, straight to the point and no nonsense. Yellow light and she is going to be flexible, fun and cool!

Tootsie is all of 10 and a talker! She sits down to profound conversations and stumps us with her logic. I recently switched jobs. After having worked for a small bank for years I have now moved to a company that specializes in small business loans. Tootsie sat down today and asked me “Mom, do you still work for a bank?”

“No Tootsie, I don't”

Tootsie “ So what do you do now?” This has been a fascination for both my kids. They are intrigued by mom’s job that has her talking all day and at home (I have been remote for the past 3 yrs) all day! So they constantly pick up words and jargons from my conversations and tease me about it!

I explained to her what my company does with small businesses. She seemed fascinated until I realized why

“So”, she asked “Can I get a loan?”

“Are you a small business?” I asked

“Yes” she says “you ask me to mind my business all the time”

The minx at her best!!

Home Schooling! Lockdown! Quarantine!

It’s been an interesting year thus far. 5 months of quarantine, virtual learning and lockdown. Terms we never thought we would hear. If someone had talked about this in 2019 we would have laughed out head off as the biggest joke! But thats the new normal in 2020.

It started out as murmurs about this mystery virus called Corona virus or COVID spreading in China and then Italy. The murmurs strengthened as it hit Seattle and slowly we began to understand the true term of globalization. In days the whole world had been impacted. On March 13th most of America went into lock down. Offices closed, schools closed and everyone went virtual. As weeks went by a new reality took shape. We watched as kids and teachers struggled with Zoom meetings and families struggled with technological needs and quiet spaces. Soon kids had become quite savvy at navigating the virtual world. Friends and family mocked the virus and those who feared it correlating it with the flu. But it started hitting home as the elderly started dying in throves, and the virus spread unchecked. Masks started coming on and were mandated everywhere. Masks and hand sanitizers are the way of life!

5 months and a long summer break later, we are still home all virtual! And countries struggle to find the cure, the light at the end of the tunnel! Businesses and families alike have defined a new normal. It’s a very different time and world.

Yet I am thankful. It’s brought us closer, we have been blessed to be able to stay healthy both physically and mentally. To have the space and resources to be able to survive this. To have friends that have got us through the days when we just needed to meet someone else. 

As the new school year started Tootsie started planning. 2 weeks before the first day a new desk was ordered, the computer was moved to her room and a sign was made that had 2 sides “Learning” and “Break”. And parents were told in no uncertain terms that we were not allowed to enter when the sign was on! Dad made the mistake of knocking a day when the sign was on break, Tootsie ran out turned the sign to “learning” and ran right back in without a second look, closing the door behind her. That pretty much sums up her approach to everything! :)

Cheeky on the other hand insisted he needed no desk or supplies until the Sunday night before first day of school. On Sunday night he walked up to us having peeked into sister’s room and asked “Hey guys, where am I going to work?” We said “We asked you and you said you didnt need anything?” So Cheeky says “And you thought I was just going to skip school this year? What was your thinking?” So we scrambled and figured out what to do come Monday morning which involved kicking mom out of her office!! 2 days later we were in trouble for being too loud, sneezing too hard and causing too much distraction! And the show was moved to the basement and locked away!

So now we are all in different floors. Dad and daughter co-exist on the top floor. Mom and Puppy take the main floor and Mr. Boss man has the basement! Story of our lives! Thanking our blessings we have the space to spread out and stay out of trouble from the Boss Man and Girl Boss (she even has the sign on her desk that says that).

My introspections on Women's day

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