Introduction

A touching slice-of-life narrative capturing the playful power dynamics between a father and his two children during their daily school routine. Through a series of humorous “rounds” - from hair-tying battles to music preferences and shaving debates - this warm family story explores the tender push-and-pull of parent-child relationships. The tale beautifully illustrates how love manifests in everyday moments, revealing that in the gentle war between parents and children, everyone ultimately wins through understanding and affection. A relatable portrayal of modern parenting that celebrates the small victories and defeats that define family life, ending with the profound realization that parental love transcends all daily conflicts.

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ROUND - 1: Monday, 7:30 AM

‘Please tie your hair.’ I politely request my teenage daughter, while unlocking the car.

‘Why?’ She asks defiantly.

‘Because your hair looks shabby.’ I comment, trying my best not to get angry.

‘Baba is right, you know?’ My son tries to interfere, but one look from his elder sister is enough to silence his efforts.

‘I will tie my hair later!’ She informs me nonchalantly.

‘You will tie your hair now!’ I muster up the strict disciplinarian hiding somewhere deep inside me and pass the order.

She stares at me, and I return the favor. The war of stares begins. We keep on staring at each other. I win. The Dragon ties her hair, while the Little Man smiles with satisfaction.

The Father has won the first round. I am quite proud of myself.

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ROUND - 2: Monday, 7:35 AM

‘Baba?’ The Dragon sitting beside me growls.

‘Yeah, my love?’ I sense lightning crackling in the belly of invisible storm clouds.

‘Why haven’t you shaved?’ There is no fire yet, but the Dragon is all ready.

I look at her from the corner of my left eye. She has one eyebrow cocked. It is a sign of danger. It is almost always a sign of danger, but this time I choose to ignore it. Fatal mistake!

‘I want to grow a van dyke.’ I declare and caress an imaginary growth on my chin. ‘I think it will suit my persona.’

‘I concur.’ The Little Man announces from the backseat.

‘Please shave today. A bear won’t suit you.’ Her voice carries a deadly finality.

‘I am an independent person. I believe a van dyke would suit me. I am keeping one.’ I desperately fight for my independence and dignity.

‘You are also my father. I have an image to take care of. I don’t want you to look like a mullah. You will shave it today.’ The Dragon is beginning to sound more and more like her mother.

‘I will certainly not. I will keep a van dyke. I will also get one ear pierced and wear a gold ring like a pirate.’ I announce.

I hear snickering. I look in the rearview mirror. The Little Man is trying to hide his mouth with his hand. He knows what is happening, and he knows what’ll be the outcome. He is wise beyond his years.

‘I want to see you shaved once you come to pick us up in the afternoon.’ The Dragon finally breathes fire.

‘Okay.’ I admit defeat meekly. I am afraid of the fire.

The Father has lost the second round.

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ROUND - 3: Monday, 7:45 AM

We are on the way to school, and the Dragon is watching me closely. I can feel the heat scalding my left cheek. I ignore it and keep on nodding my head.

‘Please change the song and stop playing an imaginary electric guitar on the steering.’ She requests with cold politeness.

‘I need my morning dose of Pink Floyd.’ I keep on strumming the guitar.

‘I love Pink Floyd too.’ The Little Man announces.

‘I need my morning dose of Justin Bieber.’ She changes the song and then turns and addresses her brother, ‘You are too young to love Pink Floyd.’

I hate Justin Bieber, but I am helpless. I roll down the window as a protest.

‘What are you doing? It’s cold. Roll it back up, please.’ She requests again.

‘I need to throw up. I am allergic to Bieber.’ I announce victoriously.

The Dragon keeps on staring at my foolish and exaggerated gestures of gagging and throwing up, while the Little Man offers no support. After a while, I realize the futility of my actions. I smile sheepishly and roll the window back up.

The Father has lost the third round, too. I admit my defeat graciously.

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We have reached their school. I kiss their heads, and they both get down and disappear into the school gate.

I turn the car and take a deep breath. The car is filled with their young, vibrant smells. It is the smell of menthol from their toothpastes. It is the smell of lemon from their bath sponges. And it is the smell of their school books and stationery.

I inhale their marvelous smells and cherish them. I am already starting to miss their absence.

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The day is over soon. It is time to pick up the Dragon and the Little Man from school.

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‘Hello!’ I greet them both with a smile.

‘Hello baba!’ The Dragon is cheerful, and it makes me happy.

‘Hey!’ My son waves at me casually, trying to act all adult. It makes me happy, too.

The car is flooded with their smells again. I inhale their smells and cherish them. These are the smells of their childhood, and I want to save them somewhere.

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ROUND - 4: Monday, 2:30 PM

‘By the way, you are late again!’ The Dragon launches an accusation. She is right. I am late.

‘Yeah, I know. Please accept my heartiest apologies. I got busy.’ I know when I am wrong.

‘No, you forgot because you are growing old.’ She smiles at me lovingly and then examines my head. ‘You have got some white hair. Why don’t you dye your hair?’

‘I don’t think you are old.’ The Little Man tries to support me. I look back and acknowledge his bravery with a smile.

‘I don’t want to dye them. White hair has a certain character……….’ I prepare myself for a mildly philosophical lecture, but she has already lost interest. I swallow the lecture.

The Father has lost this round.

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ROUND - 5: Monday, 2:35 PM

‘Baba?’ The Little Man from the rear seat suddenly pokes his bushy head in between the two front seats.

‘Yes, sir!’ I run my fingers through his coarse hair.

‘I scored ten marks in the science quiz today.’ He declares proudly.

‘Ten out of what?’ I inquire.

‘Ten out of ten.’ He chews his words deliberately.

‘Why not eleven?’ I am curious.

‘Because you cannot get eleven out of ten.’ He sure has a point there.

‘You can if you have perfect handwriting. The teacher can always give you one extra mark.’ I insist.

He gives me an exasperated look. He is getting bored with my dry humor. He tries to pull back his head, but I grab hold of it.

‘I am proud of you, buddy.’ I kiss his head.

‘I am not proud of you at all.’ The Dragon says cruelly. ‘It’s no big deal.’

‘It is a big deal.’ I look at her sternly. ‘I believe it is a big deal and I believe we should all be proud of him.’

The Dragon doesn’t respond. The Father has won this round.

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ROUND - 6: Monday, 2:45 PM

‘I am changing the song. You know it very well that I don’t like these teenage singers.’ I inform the Dragon in advance and change the song.

There is an audible and desperate grunt from the back.

‘What?’ I peer into the rearview mirror and look at the Little Man.

‘It is Selena Gomez.’ He informs me.

‘Who is she? Perhaps, a relative of ours?’ I inquire sarcastically.

‘He has a crush on her.’ The Dragon points at her brother and adds to my knowledge.

I do not speak for a while. Then I change the song back to Ms. Gomez.

‘Why? I thought you didn’t like teenage singers.’ The Dragon is surprised.

‘My son has good taste.’ I don’t look back. I know the Little Man is blushing, and I do not want to add to his discomfort.

The Little Man has won this round.

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We reach home. The day passes quickly. They have their lunch and go for a nap. Their tutor comes, and a marathon starts.

It’s nighttime. They have their dinner and go for some more study. They have my sympathies.

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ROUND - 7: Tuesday, 12:00 AM

I softly open their bedroom door and peek inside. They are both asleep - the fiery Dragon and the proud Little Man. I tiptoe to their side.

The Little Man is dreaming a bad dream. He is grimacing, and his hands are shaking. I bend down and kiss his cheek. I correct his blanket. He senses my presence even from across the threshold of sleep. The bad dream recedes. His face relaxes and grows peaceful.

I look at the Dragon and her flaring nostrils. Her beautiful, luscious hair covers her face. I run my fingers through her hair and rearrange them. She murmurs something. I bend down and kiss her brow. Her lips move, and a small smile appears on her sleeping face. She, too, is somehow aware of my presence.

We have all won this round.

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In fact, when I look back, I have won all the rounds today. I won all the rounds every day. I won when they submit to my will, and I also won when I submit to theirs. They don’t realize this. But they will when they have children of their own. They will learn that there is never a war between parents and children. There is always love.