Power of recitation

I am fortunate to have a mother who encouraged me and trained me in my childhood to participate in myriad opportunities for reciting poetry, elocution, speeches in school and in community or participating in forums where we can share thoughts on a topic. My mother has surely excelled in her perseverance. Today, my sister and I are confident conversationalist with and ability to speak in public forums.

Last week I got a call from mom who lives in India at a random hour. “There is an event for grandkids organised by the retired bank employees’ association. You need to prepare Vivaann so he can recite a poem on “Sun” to help celebrate ‘Sunday’. I know it is a short notice, but you have 48 hours to prepare the video and send me the link.  Reciting poetry is crucial in mastering speech. He begins school next year. This is a great opportunity”.

In my mind, opportunity for a four-year-old literally means a test for the parent. This is the role my mother plays in my life. She challenges me at every step of life, so I don’t fall in the complacency trap. My son can surely blabber a few nursery rhymes and can have hours of conversation on self-initiated topics, mainly toys. But reciting a poem is a whole different ball game.

Finding an age appropriate poem on Sun was the first step. Then ensuring my child grasps all the pronunciation was the next. Now comes emphasis on the sound and the rhythm of language. Though it is not a competition, but one must always put the best foot forward. To my surprise Vivaann took the whole challenge approach in good spirits. Using the cognitive skills to remember the words came in easy. Concentrating our efforts in maintaining the stance, voice, pitch, pronunciation was something which needed effort. When the words are right, voice is low, when the voice is clear, stance is missed. Getting the right mix was arduous. It took nearly 25 attempts to record an appropriate video which had minimum distractions. In the end, it was not a perfect video but surely a gainful experience for both of us.

When you sit back and reflect, we all know that nurturing parenting style is all about focusing on empowerment, discipline, and helping meet age-appropriate expectations of children’s development. Recitation is such a great mental tool to enhance child’s focus and memory, listening and speaking skills. 

For ones who want to amuse themselves with the final outcome, here is a glimpse  https://youtu.be/1zdZHs-6eTw.