Mr I-know-what-I-want

There is a celebration of the mid-autumn festival in M's school every year where the older kids who attend the extended day programme get to perform on stage. M has just started his extended day a month ago so I was a bit surprised to get a note from school that he will be performing this year. 

This is the second time he performed at school events, the first being last Nov for the early Xmas celebration. Naturally we were all super excited, well.. at least I was. He needed to put on the Chinese costume so I took him to Chinatown on Thursday to buy it for his Friday performance. Yes, I am also the last-minute mum who does things at the very last minute. Oops.. I blame it all on the lack of time. Hah! 

At the various shops in Chinatown, we browsed the selections and I asked him for his opinions on what he likes and my, oh my, he sure has his preferences. 

"I only want it in black. Not red or blue, mummy! Black, I say!"

"This is ugly! What about that one?"

"This is uncomfortable! I want something more comfortable!"

"I want sleeves to cover my arms! I don't want to be cold!"

"Err.. I change my mind. Yellow is nice. I want yellow now."

"This is too short.. That is too long.. I cannot wear this!"

and it just went on and on... and we walked all over Chinatown to so many shops and looked at every piece available. It got to a point when some shop owners even advised me "just ignore him and choose something. He is only a child, he doesn't know what he wants." I just smiled politely and ignored the well-meaning advice. Of course I couldn't be bothered to explain to the strangers that this is not my parenting style and nope, he knows what he wants and I intend to let him voice his opinions and make decisions whenever possible. 

So in the end we bought a 100% cotton, cream colour short sleeve suit which he chose. He looked rather cute in it, though to be honest, I would have preferred a different colour. But oh well, he is the one who has to wear it and I want him to like it. 

On the day of the performance, he stood in the front row with another 30 kids or so but he didn't sing a word! He was supposed to sing 2 chinese songs but I am sure he only knows the lyrics of one. 

He looked a little overwhelmed standing in front of the big crowd of adults and his eyes darted to and fro searching for us. He didn't smile nor frown, but just stood expressionless on stage while his schoolmates sang the songs.



Well.. that in itself is some experience for him which is always a good thing to have. Come Nov, he will have another major performance and I am sure by next year, he will be so familiar with stage performance that he will even be enjoying it.