Happy Dada’s Day!

She is my roommate, my personal trainer and my advisor. She loves Chuchu TV Story Time just before bed. When I say no to YouTube bed time stories, she flashes her big wide smile and says “Please, Dada?” and I am putty in her hands. She gets her wish.

She never hesitates to share food with me, even if it is something she loves and it’s the last one. She gets jealous when anyone gets too close to me – and shows her fangs. “She’s my Dada,” she says and comes to hug me.

She is my 5-year-old niece Jiya.

Although she is supposed to call me Valiamma (older mother or aunty in my mother tongue Malayalam), she coined the name Dada from the second half of my full name Anuradha. At age 3, she couldn’t pronounce Radha, decided to call me Dada and it stuck.

She has given me another chance to experience motherhood after her sister Juhi, my fellow dragon came into my life 8 years ago. Thanks to Jiya, I am aunty, second mama, teacher, a paper plane maker and a storyteller, all rolled into one.

A feisty princess who won’t settle for anything but the best. Every day, in small or big ways, she makes me feel special. And I’m happy to be her Dada, for all time.