Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Recent Photographs
Took a picture while waiting for Papa after music lesson
Doing work at Papa's office
Birthday Celebration at Japanese restaurant
With Gong gong and Po po
24 Oct 2012
Giving the children a break now... means letting them play after bath and before sleep.
Before I went into the bathroom, they were doing work in the room, but when I came out from the bathroom, they were gone ! Hiding beside the bed...hmph..
Ok, let them rest for now since they have to go Berries tomorrow.
Tomorrow is my common marking day and I asked for permission to leave for 20 mins to send them. Hopefully no hiccups tomorrow (from Ryan), otherwise I will return to school later than expected, which is not very good.
Today I left school at about 5.30pm. Headed for the supermarket to get cabbage and old cucumber. Next, bought char siew from the chicken rice stall outside, needed them to fry rice. I wanted to cook in peace (without listening to complains about each other or crying etc), so I came home to cook dinner before fetching them.
Fried the rice and cooked old cucumber soup before I walked to pick them at 6.50 p.m. Once we reached home, I asked En en to go and bathe since I still need to cook a bit. She eats very slowly, so I have to get her to bathe before having dinner, and since she can bathe on her own, I can continue cooking. When she comes out, dinner is ready.
Ryan usually finishes dinner faster, so I can bathe him once I am done. I am always the last one to bathe... that's the life of mummy.
Before I went into the bathroom, they were doing work in the room, but when I came out from the bathroom, they were gone ! Hiding beside the bed...hmph..
Ok, let them rest for now since they have to go Berries tomorrow.
Tomorrow is my common marking day and I asked for permission to leave for 20 mins to send them. Hopefully no hiccups tomorrow (from Ryan), otherwise I will return to school later than expected, which is not very good.
Today I left school at about 5.30pm. Headed for the supermarket to get cabbage and old cucumber. Next, bought char siew from the chicken rice stall outside, needed them to fry rice. I wanted to cook in peace (without listening to complains about each other or crying etc), so I came home to cook dinner before fetching them.
Fried the rice and cooked old cucumber soup before I walked to pick them at 6.50 p.m. Once we reached home, I asked En en to go and bathe since I still need to cook a bit. She eats very slowly, so I have to get her to bathe before having dinner, and since she can bathe on her own, I can continue cooking. When she comes out, dinner is ready.
Ryan usually finishes dinner faster, so I can bathe him once I am done. I am always the last one to bathe... that's the life of mummy.
My Char Siew Fried Rice with Cabbage, Eggs and Prawns
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Busy Sunday
The part-time maid did not come today.
Since I do not have a lot to mark (but still have one pile) , I decided the clean the house a bit because it is reallly toooooo messy.
The kids are painting now, so I give myself a short break while waiting for water to boil and make a cup of tea. Papa is watching that Korean drama which I am too afraid to watch as it will make me cry...haha.
Ok... back to my kids.
Ryan woke up the earliest (on weekends only). I was awake but I lazed on the bed with them. So when boy woke up, the first thing he did was to turn his craftwork (clock) to show 'day time'. He did this craftwork in school, using the paper plates, pictures and fastener. It could be rotated to show the time of the day - day or night. I discovered that every morning, the first time he did was to turn that 'clock' to show day time. At night, I did not know when he turned that to 'night time'... when I was too busy outside the room I suppose. It is amusing to see how dedicated he was at something -- something he wanted to do himself. Haa.. :p
Yesterday, I read the cards with him again. I was glad now he can remember some words from the cards. Even the Berries Textbooks, I went through with him and asked him to do some work, he was able to finish all that I asked him to. Of course, he was still bumping around while doing. He could finish one word or even one stroke and turned around and jumped onto the sofa (at Papa's office). Or he would "throw" the pencil away happily when he THOUGHT that he had finished the work.
Oh ya.. he tried to use the ruler when he had to write the chinese character "heng". I told him no need to use ruler, use hand will do! He looked upset and put away the ruler. But after that he used his left index finger and placed it along the line while his right hand was holding the pencil. He wanted to use his finger as the 'ruler' !
The girl read the whole Book 1 of her K2 Berry course. I registered her only recently, so they are at Book 4. Kia su mummy bought Book 1 to 3, as well as the Workbooks. She could read all the stories in Book 1, and is doing the Workbook 1 on her own.
They finished painting..and daddy is treating them to Yam Yam - Biscuit stick with chocolate !
Since I do not have a lot to mark (but still have one pile) , I decided the clean the house a bit because it is reallly toooooo messy.
The kids are painting now, so I give myself a short break while waiting for water to boil and make a cup of tea. Papa is watching that Korean drama which I am too afraid to watch as it will make me cry...haha.
Ok... back to my kids.
Ryan woke up the earliest (on weekends only). I was awake but I lazed on the bed with them. So when boy woke up, the first thing he did was to turn his craftwork (clock) to show 'day time'. He did this craftwork in school, using the paper plates, pictures and fastener. It could be rotated to show the time of the day - day or night. I discovered that every morning, the first time he did was to turn that 'clock' to show day time. At night, I did not know when he turned that to 'night time'... when I was too busy outside the room I suppose. It is amusing to see how dedicated he was at something -- something he wanted to do himself. Haa.. :p
Yesterday, I read the cards with him again. I was glad now he can remember some words from the cards. Even the Berries Textbooks, I went through with him and asked him to do some work, he was able to finish all that I asked him to. Of course, he was still bumping around while doing. He could finish one word or even one stroke and turned around and jumped onto the sofa (at Papa's office). Or he would "throw" the pencil away happily when he THOUGHT that he had finished the work.
Oh ya.. he tried to use the ruler when he had to write the chinese character "heng". I told him no need to use ruler, use hand will do! He looked upset and put away the ruler. But after that he used his left index finger and placed it along the line while his right hand was holding the pencil. He wanted to use his finger as the 'ruler' !
The girl read the whole Book 1 of her K2 Berry course. I registered her only recently, so they are at Book 4. Kia su mummy bought Book 1 to 3, as well as the Workbooks. She could read all the stories in Book 1, and is doing the Workbook 1 on her own.
They finished painting..and daddy is treating them to Yam Yam - Biscuit stick with chocolate !
Thursday, October 18, 2012
En's perseverance increased !
As I am typing, En is practising her new song in the room. In the past, she would give up easily if she could not play correctly in a first few tries. I told her, practising piano takes time and patience and not to expect to get what you want immediately -- Need to spend time practising and practising...even after you think you are able to play it...still must continue practising.
Nowadays, I see her showing more perseverance while playing piano. I am so glad playing the piano teaches her a value.
Getting ready for her Primary One school life next year.
Got to think - how to look after her / find a place for her to wait for me if I cannot leave school yet....
Busy mummy next year.
I had to take more job of level co-ordinator next year somemore... means lot of admin work !
I don't like admin work!!!
Ok, I better stop, it is 5pm now.
Can play a bit more piano before I start cooking!
Nowadays, I see her showing more perseverance while playing piano. I am so glad playing the piano teaches her a value.
Getting ready for her Primary One school life next year.
Got to think - how to look after her / find a place for her to wait for me if I cannot leave school yet....
Busy mummy next year.
I had to take more job of level co-ordinator next year somemore... means lot of admin work !
I don't like admin work!!!
Ok, I better stop, it is 5pm now.
Can play a bit more piano before I start cooking!
Yippee !! No crying today!!
I have been praying hard that it will be easier for me to drop him at Berries today !
He went in after circling near the door, walking to me, clinging to me... but his teacher held his hand and he walked in with her after I promised him his lollipop.... ( got to wean off this lollipop reward)
Over the past 7 days...I have been telling him that he still has lessons at Berries.
To make sure that he does not cry or refuse to go in for the next lesson, mummy has to keep thinking of ways to coax him.
Strategies used :
- talking to him about his teacher Guo Lao Shi
- asking him to choose his own clothes which he wants to wear to Berries
- praising him when he sings the song he learns during Berries lessons
- letting him play with the 'magic' marker from Berries
- reading the Berries textbook and PRAISING him for reading the words
since last week.
Today, I picked them up earlier from school, to allow more time to be wasted if he still cries and refuses to go in. Surprisingly, he did not cry when he left his Childcare centre. Last week, he cried as he did not want to go Berries and even tried to go back to his Childcare centre. He asked me, "Mummy, where are we going?"
While I am thinking how to answer him... he actually answered his own question "Go Berries?"
Phew... ok, at least he is more prepared.
But once we reach the top of the escalator, he tried to back off and walk away from Berries. I held his hand and talked to him. Last week, I scolded him when I saw that refused to go in. I reflected on my actions after I saw how Daddy actually TALKED to him and asked him why he did not want to go Berries.
I followed them in (usually parents do not go in), to pay for the cards that I wanted to get for En en.
As we were still early, they had to wait outside and entertain themselves with the books on display.
He happily chose a Dinosaur book and started flipping. Next, I saw him lying comfortably on the floor, which I told him not to do so. :p Minutes later, he was walking in and out of the 'story-telling' room, twirling around him, and playing a fool. Finally, his teacher appeared, so I had to send him in. He refused initially, but luckily the Teacher assistant managed to coax him in. Of course, I still had to promise him his lollipop ! Argh ! I had to stop this lollipop reward, otherwise he will be eating lollipop every week !!!
I was happy with what they are learning there.
Ryan left his lesson reciting a 'song' :
Bing Gan Yuan Yuan
Yuan Yuan Bing Gan
Yong Shou Yi Ban
Bian Cheng Xiao Chuan
En learnt a few Cheng Yu. They have one or two from every week's lesson.
She could say : Qi Xin He Li, Si Jiao Chao Tian, Ying You Jin You...
From Ryan's book: I taught him Jin Jin You Wei and Mi Mi Ma Ma....
Regretted not sending them since Jan !
He went in after circling near the door, walking to me, clinging to me... but his teacher held his hand and he walked in with her after I promised him his lollipop.... ( got to wean off this lollipop reward)
Over the past 7 days...I have been telling him that he still has lessons at Berries.
To make sure that he does not cry or refuse to go in for the next lesson, mummy has to keep thinking of ways to coax him.
Strategies used :
- talking to him about his teacher Guo Lao Shi
- asking him to choose his own clothes which he wants to wear to Berries
- praising him when he sings the song he learns during Berries lessons
- letting him play with the 'magic' marker from Berries
- reading the Berries textbook and PRAISING him for reading the words
since last week.
Today, I picked them up earlier from school, to allow more time to be wasted if he still cries and refuses to go in. Surprisingly, he did not cry when he left his Childcare centre. Last week, he cried as he did not want to go Berries and even tried to go back to his Childcare centre. He asked me, "Mummy, where are we going?"
While I am thinking how to answer him... he actually answered his own question "Go Berries?"
Phew... ok, at least he is more prepared.
But once we reach the top of the escalator, he tried to back off and walk away from Berries. I held his hand and talked to him. Last week, I scolded him when I saw that refused to go in. I reflected on my actions after I saw how Daddy actually TALKED to him and asked him why he did not want to go Berries.
I followed them in (usually parents do not go in), to pay for the cards that I wanted to get for En en.
As we were still early, they had to wait outside and entertain themselves with the books on display.
He happily chose a Dinosaur book and started flipping. Next, I saw him lying comfortably on the floor, which I told him not to do so. :p Minutes later, he was walking in and out of the 'story-telling' room, twirling around him, and playing a fool. Finally, his teacher appeared, so I had to send him in. He refused initially, but luckily the Teacher assistant managed to coax him in. Of course, I still had to promise him his lollipop ! Argh ! I had to stop this lollipop reward, otherwise he will be eating lollipop every week !!!
I was happy with what they are learning there.
Ryan left his lesson reciting a 'song' :
Bing Gan Yuan Yuan
Yuan Yuan Bing Gan
Yong Shou Yi Ban
Bian Cheng Xiao Chuan
En learnt a few Cheng Yu. They have one or two from every week's lesson.
She could say : Qi Xin He Li, Si Jiao Chao Tian, Ying You Jin You...
From Ryan's book: I taught him Jin Jin You Wei and Mi Mi Ma Ma....
Regretted not sending them since Jan !
Thursday, October 4, 2012
天不怕，地不怕，只怕他爸爸！
I started sending En en to Berries (Bai Li Guo), as I heard that they are very good. It is a Chinese Enrichment Centre for all levels , starting from N1. They can be quite expensive, but I think my kids will learn a lot there. I attended one lesson (not willingly) with Ryan. It was his first trial lesson there, I thought I could leave him alone. I think too highly of him..haha. He did not want to go in and held on to me tightly. So in the end, I had to go in with him, and had no chance to sneak out. Oh yes, I did, towards the end when they go to another room for story telling, I slowed down and let them go in first. He was very much settled, so I left him alone.
Yesterday was not his first lesson, but he cried loudly in the room. I think it was because it was a different time slot, so the classroom and teachers were not the same. He was prepared to go into his 'old' classroom ! I forgot to pre-empt him that it will be a different classroom and different teacher. Ops! Hopefully the next lesson, he will perform better. I have not registered him yet. I thought I want to monitor him a few more times before I really pay the full term's course fees. So for now, I pay trial lesson, each time he attends. But I cannot do that for long. I need to make up my mind by next Thursday as it will be his 3rd trial lesson.
Mummy thought this boy 天不怕，地不怕，只怕他爸爸！How would I expect him to cry in a new class, new teachers and new classmates!
Last week, when I went to fetch him, he actually took the initiative to say bye bye to his last year's form teacher who is also the centre supervisor. I thought it was unusual. This teacher was always complaining about his behaviour last year. He was really mischievous last year. This year, he was better, but being a BOY, of course, he still misbehaves at times. When he does that, and it is serious, the supervisor will still inform us. So she was not really one of his favourite teachers. Therefore I was surprised that he said bye bye to her! Usually, he will be so eager to run off once he puts on his shoes.
It was then that Jasmine, the supervisor told me what happened at the earlier part of the day. The teachers brought them outdoor for lantern walk and the kids were instructed to wash their hands and legs immediately when they go back to the centre. But, being him, Ryan went to touch the toys and forgot to wash himself. So his favourite teacher, teacher Sabrina, reprimanded him and told the supervisor about it.
That's not the end of the story.. he hilarious part is... he actually went to the supervisor (Jasmine, whom he knows will tell papa about him being naughty in school) and asks her " Today, you work until 7 ?"
I tried very hard not to laugh when teacher Jasmine was telling me this. I cannot imagine he actually thought of that ! Everyday, only 1 or 2 teachers will be on duty to stay till 7pm. If Jasmine is on duty that day, it means that she will have a chance to see Papa and will definitely tell him what happened. So he was worried about that and had the cheek to go to Jasmine to ask if she works till 7pm that day.
Ryan Lee ah Ryan Lee... that's why mummy always think that you 天不怕，地不怕，只怕你爸爸！
Yesterday was not his first lesson, but he cried loudly in the room. I think it was because it was a different time slot, so the classroom and teachers were not the same. He was prepared to go into his 'old' classroom ! I forgot to pre-empt him that it will be a different classroom and different teacher. Ops! Hopefully the next lesson, he will perform better. I have not registered him yet. I thought I want to monitor him a few more times before I really pay the full term's course fees. So for now, I pay trial lesson, each time he attends. But I cannot do that for long. I need to make up my mind by next Thursday as it will be his 3rd trial lesson.
Mummy thought this boy 天不怕，地不怕，只怕他爸爸！How would I expect him to cry in a new class, new teachers and new classmates!
Last week, when I went to fetch him, he actually took the initiative to say bye bye to his last year's form teacher who is also the centre supervisor. I thought it was unusual. This teacher was always complaining about his behaviour last year. He was really mischievous last year. This year, he was better, but being a BOY, of course, he still misbehaves at times. When he does that, and it is serious, the supervisor will still inform us. So she was not really one of his favourite teachers. Therefore I was surprised that he said bye bye to her! Usually, he will be so eager to run off once he puts on his shoes.
It was then that Jasmine, the supervisor told me what happened at the earlier part of the day. The teachers brought them outdoor for lantern walk and the kids were instructed to wash their hands and legs immediately when they go back to the centre. But, being him, Ryan went to touch the toys and forgot to wash himself. So his favourite teacher, teacher Sabrina, reprimanded him and told the supervisor about it.
That's not the end of the story.. he hilarious part is... he actually went to the supervisor (Jasmine, whom he knows will tell papa about him being naughty in school) and asks her " Today, you work until 7 ?"
I tried very hard not to laugh when teacher Jasmine was telling me this. I cannot imagine he actually thought of that ! Everyday, only 1 or 2 teachers will be on duty to stay till 7pm. If Jasmine is on duty that day, it means that she will have a chance to see Papa and will definitely tell him what happened. So he was worried about that and had the cheek to go to Jasmine to ask if she works till 7pm that day.
Ryan Lee ah Ryan Lee... that's why mummy always think that you 天不怕，地不怕，只怕你爸爸！
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