Adhiyan's Summer Vacation

Towards the end of April, I found myself worrying about work.

My son's summer holidays were approaching, and I assumed my productive, uninterrupted workdays were about to disappear until school reopened. As any parent would know, having young children at home during holidays can completely change the rhythm of your day. But I couldn't have been more wrong.

Let me tell you the story.

Partner in Crime

Unlike last year, my son had something new this summer, a partner in crime.

His little sister - Athira.

The two of them spent their days together playing with toys, splashing around in water, taking long baths in tubs, helping clean my balcony garden, watering plants, and finding endless ways to keep themselves entertained.

Their bond has grown so much over the past year that my son has unofficially become her bodyguard.

He never lets her walk into a dark room alone. If she cries because she can't find a toy, he's the first one searching for it. Whenever he gets something for himself, he wants something for her too. He shares his food, dances with her, and looks after her in ways that constantly surprise us.

Of course, they're still siblings. Some days they fight like sworn enemies.

But that's part of the package. And because they were so busy with each other, I found myself having plenty of time to work.

Grandparents House

A few weekends were spent at my parents house, and the children absolutely loved every minute of it.

Unlike apartment living, my parents home has plenty of outdoor space. There was mud to play in, plants to water, gardens to clean, and pools to splash around in.

Whenever my wife and I travelled somewhere and left the kids with my parents, we would buy them toys. We had one simple rule: toys bought for grandparents house stay at grandparents house.

It gave them something new to look forward to every visit. The visits weren't just enjoyable for the children.

My wife and I found ourselves slowing down too.

Every morning we would sip tea overlooking the garden. I would sit outside in the sunlight, trying to make up for my Vitamin D deficiency. There was something deeply calming about being surrounded by greenery.

The older I get, the more I appreciate a small house with a large garden over a large apartment with no connection to nature.

Without greenery around me, a place somehow feels incomplete.

Separation

This summer also brought a milestone.

For the first time in four years, our son stayed with my parents without us for four consecutive days.

That may sound ordinary, but for us it was a big moment. He had never stayed away from us for that long. Even previous overnight stays usually ended with him wanting to come back home.

This time was different.

He was too busy having fun. Ice creams in the afternoon. Long naps after good meals. Playing in the garden. Train rides to visit relatives. Endless attention from grandparents. He was living his best life.

Meanwhile, at home, our daughter had only one question every day: "Where is brother? I want to go to grandparents house."

Reunion

After four days apart, the siblings were finally reunited. The moment they saw each other, they simply picked up where they had left off.

Our son couldn't stop kissing her cheeks and hugging her. Our daughter held onto him as though she hadn't seen him in months.

Watching that moment brought tears to our eyes. As parents, there are many things you hope for. One of them is seeing your children genuinely love and care for each other.

For a brief moment, we got to witness exactly that. Overall, this has been one of the best summers we've had as a family.

And if this summer is any indication, I think there are many more beautiful memories waiting for us in the years ahead.