Tuesday, March 29, 2011

When Work is Too Easy

Recently, M remarked that school lessons can be really boring. On most days, that is. 

He finds the schoolwork, specifically for English and Maths really easy and wishes he learns something new in the long hours he spends in school. The Chinese lessons are slightly better, in his words, because there may be occasional difficulty which requires him to think a little. But they are still not as tough compared to what he learns at home. He asked me tonight why I only spend time on difficult stuff whereas his school teachers teach such simple things. Duh. I had to explain the logic behind it.

Actually I am not even going ahead of curriculum. I recognize his strengths and weaknesses so I only revise areas where he is weak at. As always, I also concurrently provided opportunities to stretch him further in areas where his strengths lie.

He even mentioned several times this month that he wants to do lapbooking with me again, so he could learn something more challenging and interesting again. We have taken a break since last December and I have since concentrated my lapbooking efforts on N. I still spend time with M daily but our focus has shifted. 

I have expected this comment (about schoolwork being too easy) from him and also accepted it as inevitable, at least for the first few months of Primary one. Which was why I was hesitant to send him to local school before. But I realized quickly that unless I homeschool him, it will be 'boring' in the beginning no matter if he enters local or international school after K2, so it is a moot issue. 

Though, I must say, it is not entirely true that there is nothing for him to learn now. There may not be new concepts, but there are certainly skills to pick up. Skills such as how to ace the assessments, how to avoid careless mistakes and not to be complacent etc...  

Even when there are new concepts, he learns them very quickly because he is a fast learner to start with and has a strong foundation. I'm certain his ability to categorize the new info and recalling at ease, plus his good memory helps him a whole lot (thanks to all the practice and training during our lapbooking classes). Perhaps this gives him the impression that there is nothing to learn. 

But I am sure at some point, schoolwork will become more interesting and challenging as the pace picks up, especially after P2. For now, I try to stimulate him at home, as much as he’s willing.

Some asked me recently if it would be better for him not to already know so much, so that he would have something to learn now. I find this a very odd question. 

If a child is interested in learning more before he is 6 and has the skills, attitudes and abilities to keep up with his interests, it would seem unnatural to discourage him or slow him down. Especially if our sole reason is just to leave him something to learn in future when he enters mainstream school. Doing so, will only kill his interest to learn as I have mentioned before. The constructive approach should be to teach the child to manage his own perspectives, adjust his attitudes and still meet all learning objectives. 

The fact is, primary one work is really simple since the bulk of the curriculum is just a revision of K2 work. Many schools aren't even teaching much in P1. According to M, his teachers just handed out the work with basic instructions and kids get on with them. All tests and assessments are on ad-hoc basis without advance notice and by the time we get the marked assessments back, it is too late to revise for the next test. I suppose one would consider his school to be a really relaxed one that promotes a holistic education (read: kids are not pushed academically, at least not at this level). 

So if a child doesn't already have a strong foundation by the time he enters P1, it is most likely that he would find himself among the minority who struggles with daily work. Not good for the kid's ego. 

Worse, if the child is in those schools that are ridiculously academically focused. Some, I have heard, hand out worksheets 25% tougher than typical P1 during lessons, assess the kids every two weeks to track progress, start remedial classes for P1 kids in February for those whose assessment marks are below 90 (out of 100) and the kids have to complete between 200 and 300 pages of additional worksheets prepared by the school annually for each subject. 

Naturally, these schools place immense pressure on the parents who have all turned super-kiasu, comparing scores of every assessment and making a mountain out of every molehill. From calling the teachers to bargain for an extra mark for the kid's journal writing to sending the teacher a home video of the perfect show-and-tell home practice by kid who fumbled in school; it has all turned into a circus. Ok, now I am digressing.... I shall ramble no more. 


Monday, March 28, 2011

Baby #3: From Conception to Morning Sickness

The recent months have passed in a blur. Already, April is just round the corner. There is now an increasing pressure to accomplish more in these remaining months before I get even busier. 

Since the day I found out that I am expecting, I have felt a sense of urgency. Though we had discussed and decided to try for another baby, we were really surprised to conceive so quickly. In fact, if my EDD by ultrasound scan is anything to be trusted, the baby was conceived within a week after our decision to begin the baby-making process. There was hardly time to mentally prepare myself for the change, though I had toyed with the idea of mothering another child for a long while. 

When I shared the good news with E, his first reaction was 'Are you sure? So fast?' To which I replied 'yup, your super sperm!'. :> We had a quick laugh before he pretended to hold a little one in his arms, stroking and kissing the little nut (head), just like this. I just know that he is going to be such a wonderful daddy to this baby, in the same way he already is to the boys.

When we broke the news to the boys, they looked a little confused at first. Perhaps they weren't sure if we were pulling their legs. While we had occasionally chatted about the possibility of another sibling in the household, it was always in a very light-hearted manner and we had never really pursued the idea with them.

For a few years, the boys had even unanimously voted NO when asked if they would welcome another brother or sister. However, for some unknown reasons, they both had a change of mind late last year and decided they don't mind another boy in the house. 

In the days following the news, the boys warmed up to the idea and began discussing their thoughts with me, though they maintained their preference for a brother. :> 

Sometimes, they would touch my growing bump and ask me what Baby is doing. They were intrigued and tickled to read my pregnancy books with me about the development of Baby by the weeks. It is really meaningful and sweet to have the boys accompany me so closely through this pregnancy and to be around me on a daily basis to witness the change that I am undergoing. 

Luckily, just like my previous pregnancies, I have none of the horrible episodes of morning sickness that plagued so many women I know. Besides the period of about 10 days during Week 6/7 when I felt incredibly tired and another 2 weeks or so during Week 10/11 when I was hyper sensitive to smells of many food and had to avoid all food courts, I hardly felt any discomfort. There was also no special cravings, though like my second pregnancy, I felt a preference for fruits over meat, particularly oranges. But this preference didn't last two weeks either.

Now that I'm in the second trimester, and sporting a growing and definitely visible bump, I am rather full of energy. I do try to put my legs up as often as possible and have small breaks whenever I can. But my mind can't stop racing. There is so much I want to do, so much that I feel I need to do with the kids before Baby arrives.

And last weekend, for the first time, I felt a slight numbing sensation and also part of my uterus hardening. Mostly just around the rib cage area. At least 15 times, or maybe more each day with each lasting just a few seconds. I have felt this before in the previous pregnancies but I thought they only started in the last trimester. 

At my last scan recently, Baby was super active and when I saw him/her on the screen, tears welled up in my eyes as I whispered a quiet 'hello Baby'. There's my teeny tiny one and soon he/she will be in my arms. Very, very soon.  







Sunday, March 27, 2011

Portrait


Drawn by one of my nieces.

At her 6th birthday party last month, she drew my boys and presented it to me as a present. What a sweetie! 

I love how she had also included a little Piglet because N is always seen with his Piggy. :> 

Like most kids, she is so full of potential. Unfortunately, there is a lack of opportunities for her because of her parents' own beliefs. Sometimes I would entertain the thought of taking her under my wing and nurture her as if she was my own. I can just imagine how she would thrive. Then again, it can be an uphill task if my efforts get undone in her home environment, which has a crucial role to play in her ultimate development and progress. And how much would be appreciated at the end of the day? 



Saturday, March 26, 2011

Escape Theory

Picked this up from a friend's Facebook.

Quite a theory.

My guess is most of you have not met or known suicidal people. I have. 

Read it anyway. It could mean the difference between life and death. 

Friday, March 25, 2011

Daily Magic



My 4-year-old has been leaving handwritten notes like this all over the house. 

They never fail to bring a smile to my face whenever I chance upon them. 




Thursday, March 24, 2011

The Curious Mind of a 4-Year-Old

It suddenly occurred to me recently that I haven't made any effort to take note of the kind of questions my inquisitive boys have been asking, like how I used to. I know how much I always enjoy reading such posts months and years later.

So here is a quick list of what N has been asking .... 

***
What makes the willy (penis) move? Why does it go up and down sometimes? 

What makes the heart move? What makes the heart beat faster or slower? 

When someone lost his arm, will his hand still move? 

Can a jellyfish still survive if it lost some tentacles? What about all the tentacles? 

Can you still see if someone cuts a piece of your eye out? Can you still see if that missing piece is sewn back? 

I wonder if there is a family of fairies somewhere and what will they be doing? What will they eat? 

What do robots eat? 

How do people make toothpaste? 

Are there tables that are made of other materials? Or only wood? 

How do the travalators work? Are they the same as escalators? 

Which part of the ocean do king crabs live? Midnight zone? 


etc... etc...  

 

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Time Machine

Working together to calibrate the parts and programme the brain of the time machine.



Testing it. Will it take me back to the our vacation at Phuket where I ate too many pancakes? 



All set. Raring to go. :D 



The fun went on for over an hour.  

It all got started when they saw this box which we were going to dump anyway and decided to make something with it. 

Love their imagination!

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Daily Chanting

For a long time now, I have been serving the same portion size to both kids for all meals. 

Usually one plate will be cleaned up in under 30 min while the other is only 1/4 eaten in the same time. 

The irony is, the boy who finishes his food fast is the younger one, who can chat, laugh and eat at the same time. His mealtime companion finds it challenging to multi-task at the dinner table, yet he can't resist daydreaming, chatting and laughing. Which means chewing and swallowing get forgotten. By the time everyone is done with their food and ready to leave the table, M will still have a near-full plate. 

The next hour is spent with me or E (and sometimes both of us) annoyingly chanting 'Chew', 'Swallow', 'Hey, chew and swallow', 'Why is it still the same mouthful?!' etc... etc... 

This is an extremely frustrating time of our daily routine. 

We have tried every trick we can think of: 
(1) setting a time limit of 30 min to finish a meal and any unfinished food gets taken away. The boy is not given food till next meal. The idea is he should be hungry enough at the next meal. 
(2) same as above and the unfinished meal is served at the next meal, so he realizes that he doesn't get new food until he finishes up his current portion. 
(3) give half the portion. While boy may finish the food faster, but he also gets hungry sooner and we ended up having to go through the routine more times daily. 
(4) serve only easy to chew and swallow food like porridge and sandwiches but after a few attempts, the problem returns. 
(5) set a time limit and boy gets moved into isolation to eat alone. 
(6) take away privileges if food is not finished by a certain time
(7) praising the brother who finishes faster
(8) giving a reward to the one finishes first
(9) let the boy take as long as he wants/needs to finish, so he learns the natural consequences of ending up with lesser time to do other fun stuff. He can take 2 hours to finish a meal if we do that and still he doesn't seem to learn the lesson!!! 

The only days when he seems to eat faster than normal is on his tennis days. After two hours of training, he may finish his dinner within 30 min without much 'persuasion' from us. While I try to incorporate some physical activities outdoor everyday, I can't fit in something as gruelling as his tennis training everyday too. 

The only food which he will always finish in record time is MacDonald's Fillet-o-Fish, which he eats once in a while. But I am not going to serve him this more often just because of this reason. 

Urghh! I know this situation will improve in time to come, but in the meantime, it is driving me nuts! 


Monday, March 21, 2011

Morning Buzz: Electricity and Electronics



On one of those mornings without his older brother (who was in school), my 4 years old was seen playing with electricity. :> 

From making circuits to understanding how switches work, he went through a series of experiments that opened his eyes and ignited his curiosity. 







Friday, March 18, 2011

Boys, Swords and Demons

I have been very lazy when it comes to taking photos of my kids and what they have been up to. Which is why there are few recent photos of them. Anyway, here are a few interesting pieces of M's drawings accumulated from the recent months. 

A maze. He started drawing one power star (inspired by Super Mario games) in the middle. When E told him that of a special star symbol that protects people from evil, he decided to fill the paper with stars so the whole extended family could be protected. 

Robo-Mall. Here he listed the different types of new robots which he had invented and their unique powers. They all have cute names. The leftmost panel shows instructions to operate some form of remote brain. 

A code that he created two months ago. The symbols are from a new language that he had invented. He called this special language Hyperhosen. Instead of letters of the Alphabet, it consists of symbols that bear some resemblance to those of the hieroglyphics. He urged me to crack the code which I did. 

The code: 
1. ALLWAYS KEEP THE COMIC BOOKS IN THE PP.
2. KEEP MUM AWAY FROM PP.
3. KEEP THE PP T... 

He didn't finish the code for reasons I can't remember. But he is really into creating new languages and codes now. More on this later... 

The two boys created a club a few months ago which they called 'Gross Get Rid of Slimy Girls'.

They are the only human members of the club, both holding important roles that decide the rules of the club. The remaining members are their cuddly stuffed animals which are plain followers. 

Since I am a 'girl', I was fervently denied entry. Haha! 

This sign, which M drew, was put up outside their tent (made with bedsheets, blankets tied over their beds) whenever the boys held private meetings. I tried eavesdropping during one of their meetings and overheard something that sounded like a plan to get rid of nasty mum and let the boys rule the world. Cheeky! 

A secret map leading to the Peaceful Spot. The whole 'peace place' idea was inspired by Winnie the Pooh's Peaceful Spot. 

This one was drawn at least 5 months ago. A random robot.



This one was drawn a while ago too. Kind of childishly sinister. I like it. :> 


Thursday, March 17, 2011

The Fruit with Oomph



Whenever I think of baby food, the first thing that comes to mind is avocado. 

Not breastmilk or cereals. Definitely not porridge. 

Before I turned mum, I wasn't a big fan of this alligator pear. Besides the occasional slices in the California Roll that I would order at the Japanese restaurants, this fruit and I rarely met. 

If I remember correctly, the first time when I actually learnt to enjoy a whole avocado and all its goodness was when I was living in London. My mother-in-law was having the fruit for breakfast and had kindly offered me some. 

A decade later, I still can't get used to this breakfast alternative, but have fallen deeply in love with the gorgeous fruit. 

I love the smooth, buttery taste so much that I can eat it daily, just on its own, without the need for frivolous dressings or accompaniment. But I have also learnt to incorporate it into my salads whenever I have a ripe one in my kitchen. 
 
Avocado is such a nutritious fruit that some experts even deem it to be a complete food. So when my boys were first weaned, avocado was one of the feature items in my weekly menu. 

There was a time when I would buy 2 to 3 avocados on each shopping trip, several times a week. This way, I would have a ripen fruit to offer the boys almost daily and we would get through at least half a dozen a week. 

Unfortunately, the fruit is not cheap at all and had never been compared to other fruits. It's worse now with the crazy inflation, with some places charging as much as $2.50 for a tiny fruit! And I am not even buying organic varieties! But given its goodness, it is a price I would grudgingly pay. 

I used to refer to it as 'brain food'. With each bite that my babies took, I would imagine all the goodness making its way to strengthening up their little brains. Haha, it's so goofy I know!  :> 

Come to think of it, my boys have eaten more avocados than any other fruits! Perhaps there is a relationship between this and their good memory (in addition to whatever else that I did with them before) after all, though I can never prove it. :> 

Now, M would eat it still, but his interest in the fruit pales in comparison to N's, the real avocado-lover, who once upon a time, would happily finish two avocados in one sitting. Until that one unfortunate day, when he had a taste of a yucky piece of overripe, stringy avocado which put him off for quite a few months. I stopped buying avocados during that period too, after numerous bad experiences with the lousy quality available. 

In the recent months, because I am technically eating for two, I have taken a greater interest in what I put into my body. Upon closer examination of the varieties of food I do eat/not eating enough/should avoid etc... I am placing more avocados in my shopping basket again. 

My favourite way to enjoy the fruit now is simply with an abundance of baby romaine, tomatoes and sunflower seeds, topped with a drizzle of the Japanese salad dressing. Yum......   


Monday, March 7, 2011

To Be Number ONE


One afternoon, the kids and I were chatting about school work and the importance of having a positive attitude towards learning and life in general. 
I shared examples of how and why some kids are self-motivated and others are not. 

I do this quite often with my boys, not as a routine but more as a general conversational topic. Sometimes we were discussing related issues and it seemed apt to bring this up. At times, when I feel there's a need to, I weave it into our casual conversation. 

Adults need pep talk, so do kids! But unlike some parents who think that pep talk must always be softly-spoken and laden with sugar-coated lines, I normally deliver mine with different styles.

Sometimes casually with plenty of anecdotes and jokes to make the kids laugh. Alternatively, I would tell a grandmother story that has a moral behind it. At times, a more sternly tone with an unmistakable portrayal of my displeasure (with the kids' behaviour or attitudes) is called for. So the kids may get a high energy pep talk that leaves all of us breathless for a while. 

More often than not, I give pep talks with a combination of soft and hard approaches. And always with PUNCH! 

Are they effective? I like to think they are largely useful in moulding my boys' behaviour and influencing their attitudes. Of course there are still many areas that I know I have room for improvement and I am constantly working on it.

So anyway, back to the chat we had which was started by M, who out of the blue, wanted to know more about the schools that I went to. Were they good schools and if I was a good student etc....  I was happy to fill him in on my experiences and thoughts as a student. He was so intrigued to learn that I received a scholarship every year, from Primary one to my last year at the University. So we started talking about the reasons scholarships are handed out, who and how to qualify for one and etc....  

I have never spoken about rankings in schools before, which was probably why he was surprised to be told students in the past were openly ranked in terms of their academic achievement. As a student, you would know your own ranking vis-a-vis your peers in your class and the whole cohort of your school. What he didn't expect, but was really proud of later (maybe I'm not that smart in his eyes), was the fact that I was always one of top five kids in my whole school. I swore his eyes almost popped out when I told him I was number one for a few years too! Those were the 'glory' days. Haha! 

After a few moments of pondering over what he had just heard, he asked me in the most innocent manner if I think he could be number one in his school too and if by doing so, he would also get a scholarship every year. I must admit that I was already beaming with pride by his interest. He need not even get the 'prize' for me to be so proud of him! :>

Though I will not dangle a cash reward as a carrot for the boys to strive towards academic excellence, I won't dissuade them from aiming for a scholarship if that goal alone is sufficient to motivate them. Why not? It is, after all, created for this sole reason. 

While I am rattling on about setting goals and being number one..... coincidentally, M's primary school has made it compulsory for all students to subscribe to a Maths online learning website. I have never heard of it till the school informed us. Here is the gist: it comprises 480 skills from primary 1 to 6 (each with 99 variations) and houses over 27,000 questions for students to practise at their own time and pace.

Basically, the kids get to do the Maths questions in varying degrees of difficulty and are awarded stars for each correct attempt. These stars are accumulated and impressive titles are bestowed accordingly. 

For kids who have a competitive streak, this is a great portal because there is a Hall of Fame which ranks the kids on the inter-class, school and class levels. The healthy competition is great in motivating kids to aim higher. 

Once M discovered from the Hall of Fame the names of his peers who are listed there, he has been so motivated to outdo them. The questions are mostly easy for him but he has yet to complete the whole set of P1 questions because I limit the time he can spend on it on a daily basis. 

After just a few days, he has successfully attempted over 500 questions and attained the 'Master' title. Already, he is aiming for the next title which requires him to complete another 300 questions. Though he didn't say it, I know he is also secretly eyeing the number one position in his class, which is why he has been comparing his own achievement with the current title holder. 

From what I've gathered, this has become a hot topic during recess among his peers even though the Maths teacher has not mentioned a word about it yet. It goes to show that we should never underestimate the power of peer influence! 

And of course I like to think that my grandmother story has also inspired him a little more... 



Thursday, March 3, 2011

Baby #3: One More Time

Yesterday, I spent a long time going through our stash of digital photos. The last time I did that was probably a year ago. 

It is a love-hate process, I tell you. Utterly laborious but yet so enjoyable. I know, I am a confused person at times. 

There are so many gems which reminded me of the beautiful moments that I've forgotten. It is yet another reminder that I should whip out my camera a lot more frequent. 

Then I came across a series of baby photos.... ohh... 

When I laid eyes on this awesome photo of my cute first-born, I chuckled so loud that my boys dropped everything they were doing and dashed to be my side. 

We oohhed and ahhhed together for a while as we marveled at the evidence of their various stages of babyishness. Needless to say, the boys were so tickled to see their own transformations. 



My adorable poshie when he was a wee 4 months old. Taken in Jan '05.

I LOVE his expression in this photo. It was as if he was thinking 'I know I am loved and I love you too, mummy'.

I can still remember that gorgeous day and what we did with baby M while Karen K took over 100 photos of our little family.

I can still remember how he felt against my skin when I cuddled and kissed him after. 

I can still remember this cute white tee which I bought from Mothercare. He had a newborn size in blue that said 'I (heart) dad' from my sis-in-law. But he outgrew it in 3 weeks. When I saw this shirt in white, I just had to buy it. It's only fair....  :P 

And as I am typing this, I am smiling .....  

In another few months, I will be holding another of my very own newborn. *big grin*

Ohh... the intoxicating sweet smell of a newborn!  I can't wait to hold the little fingers and feel the teeny tiny toes.  And the soft silky skin which I will be planting millions of kisses on.... 


 

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Gluttony and Partner in Crime

It makes me laugh when I think of how the hubby will light up at the mention of food.  

Here is a sample of what I drooled over today.




More over here and here which have absolutely alluring pictures of the best sushi and sashimi in Singapore - Standing Sushi Bar, my all-time favourite Japanese restaurant. 

I always count my blessings that I married a man who loves food as much as I do. 

There is no mockery or eyes rolling when I confess my cravings or obsession for most food, no matter how frequent that may be. The only responses I get are smiles of approvals and invitations to indulge together. 

Umm.. with the exception of salads and desserts, which the hubby doesn't consider as real food. The former is fit for goats and cows and most sweets are for girls and wimps, or so he thinks. Haha! :> 

You see, when my life partner has a profound and everlasting love for gourmet food, it does make my pursuit of gluttony way too easy and guilt-free. 

Thankfully, my body does a good job at reminding me of the virtues of exercising some restraint when it comes to helpings. Though I must say that sometimes shunning mirrors can be an effective self-deluding tactic too. 

I can't stop thinking of food these few days. No, I am not starving or deprived in any way. I have my meals and healthy snacks and more unhealthy snacks. 

I guess I am just feeling a wee bit greedy. 






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