We were enjoying some sunshine on a nice winter day at a park. The boys, as usual, knew how to amuse themselves. They decided that they want to “make fire” by collecting dried leaves and sticks and a piece of something that they put under the sun in the hope that it would be hot enough to become fire! Talking about imagination ….. Here’s a very proud individual :
Hope you all had a good weekend!
These are my *crazy* boys playing in the pool after their swimming lesson. It is hard to get them out of the pool to go home. Mr A usually throws tantrum at the pool when I announced that it’s time to go. Sometimes I have to bribe him with lollies! These days I just make the boys agree to a time that we go home (which about a 15 minute play time after lesson). It works better this way.
It was after dinner. The boys were playing. Calvin decided to read a book. The father turned on the TV and parked himself on the rug with legs out stretched. Mr A conveniently sat on his dad as if he was sitting on the couch! He is really cheeky. Funny too. Btw, the dad did not seem to mind at all.
We do realise that such times with Mr A will be over soon — when he is a little older like Calvin. I think the husband is trying to treasure every moment with his 5-yr-old. He should.
The scene: The boys were playing, well, more like wrestling while I was preparing their dinner. I overheard this conversation between them:
Calvin: Athan, what’s 10 + 10?
Athan: 20!
Calvin: Good, and what’s 10 + 11?
Athan: ummm….. I don’t know.
Calvin: It’s just one number after the answer you said just now.
Athan: 11?
Calvin: No, its 21.
Calvin: Ok, now try this: what is 10+12?
Athan: I dunno know.
Calvin: It’s just the number after the one that I just said.
Athan: 13?
Calvin: *getting a little impatient* No, its 22! OK, then what is 8+2?
Athan: 10!
Calvin: Finally!
I was silently smiling to myself throughout the conversation. I am not sure if Calvin realised that Athan can only add/subtract within 10 at this stage. 🙂 Love the idea that he is trying to teach his little brother!
I like to chat with the boys everyday after school. I ask them what they learn/do or who they play with at school. I find this a good way of helping the boys to practice their speech as well as catching up with their activities. I hope to connect with them. Calvin used to tell me everything even without me asking. However, as the years go by, he has become quieter and quieter about his day. It seems like there’s a lot to tell and he does not know where to start. Its either that or he has become lazy. This does not deter me to ask him — in fact, it makes me want to talk to him even more. Boys have a tendency to be silent about their day at school or about anything, especially when they grow older. At least that’s what I think. I do hope to keep up my daily chat with the boys as a way to stay in touch with their lives.
The other day, while getting ready to go to swimming lessons, I asked Calvin this:
Me: So, Calvin what did you do today at school?
Calvin: Why do you always have to ask me this question?
Me: Well, I would like to know what your teacher has been teaching you.
Calvin: Its too much to tell ….. *whining away*
Me: Then tell me who you played with today ….
Calvin: *long pause*
Athan, out of no where, jumped out from a corner and said to me : “we learn all about Easter eggs today!”. That really set me laughing.  He must have heard me asking his brother about his day at school and decided to offer me his side of the story before I even asked him. He makes me laugh.
Methinks I should keep up with the conversation. 🙂
Yes, I made these cupcakes — they don’t look very professional but its the effort that counts, right? 🙂
The little-est person in our family has turned five. In fact, his birthday was just a few weeks ago. During the days leading up to his birthday, Mr A has been asking me when he will be turning 5 every single day. He just couldn’t wait for another day! Most of his good friends in class have already turned 5 and they will be turning six after their birthday later this year. And so, Mr A can never catch up with them — this, of course, is something that he cannot grasp at the moment. The entry age for school over here is not by the year in which the child was born, rather, one has to turn a particular age by 30th June of that year to be able to enter a certain grade at school. In Athan’s case, he has to turn 5 by June 30th this year to be able to enter pre-primary. And so, there are kids who have already turned 5 and will be turning 6 later this year. Anyhow, Mr A thinks this is totally unfair. Such is life. Live and learn, my boy. 🙂
 
Athan’s birthday fell on a school day. There was a big sign wishing him happy birthday posted on the door of his classroom. When he entered the class, his teacher even gave him a special badge to wear. Birthdays are special in this class. :) Mr A was all smile. We brought the cupcakes to school to share with his little friends and teachers. I believe he felt very special that day.
This year’s celebration was low key — yet again! He invited 5 friends to a local park for a play and I prepared the food. The whole party was simple and nice. Really nice. We knew all the parents and so we had a good time chatting (and eating). The children played very well together. In fact, I think it was a very good idea to invite just a handful of good friends so that the children could truly enjoy each other’s company. Calvin, being the oldest, was charged with the responsibility of looking after the little ones. He did a good job, I must say.
The other highlight was of course the presents! Mr A received many presents that day which made his day even more special.
Hope you enjoy being 5, my boy!
Check out the cheeky Mr A. The husband has scooped the boy up with one arm to remove him from the water and I think the boy is enjoying the moment.
The boys and I were taking a walk around our estate one warm evening. Amidst the peaceful evening, the boys were as usual fighting to walk in front of each other as well as fighting who should be the leader of the walk. I just left them to sort the problem out themselves. Somehow after a while, they settled. They seemed to have reached an agreement. And we continued to chat happily while we walked until Athan asked me this question:
Athan: Mum, how come birds can stand on the power line and be alive?
Calvin: yeah, why mum?
Me: You mean how come the birds are not electrocuted, meaning killed by the electricity?
Athan: Yeah.
Me: *trying hard to form an answer for the boys when I honestly did not know the correct answer* Why do you ask this now?
Athan: Because I want to know.
Calvin: Maybe because they stand on their claw?
Me: Maybe …. but I will go home and use google to find the correct answer because I don’t know why as well (at least I was honest!).
Calvin: What’s google?
Me: Its something on the internet that helps people to search for answers to all sorts of questions.
Calvin: Oh mum, then you can google to find out if God made himself! Yeah, mum, I want to know how did God make himself!
Me: *totally not ready for such questions* Well, I thought we already know God did not need to make himself? He has always been there.
Calvin : But how?
……………………..
I know Calvin is still very bothered by his own question. The husband and I have tried to explain to him many times that God did not make himself but he just can’t seem to accept it just like that. I guess his little brain is inquisitive at this stage of his life. Hopefully as he grows up he will be able to accept that there’s some mystery in the Christian faith that cannot be explained.
I am also quite surprised by Athan’s question. This little man has never asked me such a question. He surprises me sometimes. I did go home and google for the correct answer. However, the answers I found were quite complicated and I am not sure how to simplify it. I just told the boy that birds do get shocked by the electricity when they stand on the power lines, but their bodies are able to take it because it is not live electricity on the power lines. They seemed happy with my answer — for now!
When I recounted the conversation to the husband, he laughed out hard and said that that was the best conversation he has heard so far! 🙂
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Calvin has always been fearful of darkness. He is afraid of going to the toilet by himself if the hall is not lighted. When we got home from our walk, I asked the boys to go wash their hands and feet. By this time, the sun had nearly set and the front living area was in semi-darkness. Athan went straight to the bathroom and cleaned himself while Calvin went to talk to his dad. When I reminded him to get washed, he said:
Calvin: But I am scared to go to the bathroom by myself. Its dark there.
Me: Just turn on the lights and you will be fine.
Athan: Ya, “gor gor” (big brother) you have to learn!
*really sounded like the husband!*
Me: *trying very hard not to laugh*
Calvin: *growled at Athan* I want you to come with me!
Athan: You are big now, you have to learn!
Calvin: If you don’t come with me, I will never build you another spaceship, but if you come with me I will ……
Athan: *no response. He did not seem to care what his brother was saying*
Me: *going to laugh out loud* Athan just go with your brother. Be good.
Athan: O….K…!
Both boys ran to the bathroom and within less than a minute, I heard Athan said: ” bye! I’m off!” That really set Calvin on *fire*! I think Athan knows his brother weakness and simply enjoys making fun of him. I hope this is part of their brotherly love. 🙂
Not too long ago, I decided to re-introduce the reward chart system to the boys. Main reason being that I wanted to try to be a positive parent — well, it is my new year resolution! I have also decided not to yell/shout at them too much when I am angry/frustrated at them. I am hoping that I can use the chart as a way to encourage good behaviour. When they have collected 10 stars , they can each get a small prize. This system can work well for young children if implemented correctly. I hope this chart will encourage good behaviour and in time to come the good behaviour can become good habits. So, what good behviour am I looking for? Being able to go through morning routine (brush teeth, change to uniform, have breakfast etc) by themselves without me having to nag, putting in effort to speak mandarin at home, no tantrum at swimming pool when it is time to go home, pack up all toys after play are just some examples. They have earned a little prize each so far. Once they see how their good behaviour can earn them a prize, they are motivated to be obedient, especially Athan. This boy still tend to throw massive tantrum at swimming pool. By the way, Mr A decided to start a new chart after completing the previous one. This is what our chart looks like now:
He wrote the names all by himself and when he could not draw a star, he decided to draw a sun instead! Cute. By the way, he decided to give himself and his brother a “sun” as he reckoned that they have behaved very well. 🙂 What a good helper I have!
What other “clever” thing has Mr A been up to? Well, he has found himself a corner in the house which he calls the “naughty corner”. No, it is not for those who misbehaves. It is for him to sit and enjoy his favourite cheese and cracker after school!
Mr A brings much joy to our family each day. On the other hand he brings many frustrating moments too. As his parents, we love him as he is, and teach/discipline when we have to. We hope he will always be cheerful. All by God’s grace.
Over the last school holidays, I brought the boys to our local museum to join in the fun at a “Lego” event just for kids.
Many tables were set up inside the museum open area, and on each table, there were hundreds of white lego bricks waiting to be built. The kids were encouraged to build buildings that were inspired by olden times. But one can also build anything he/she fancied.
Calvin is a big Lego fan. He loves to build with the bricks since he was very young. When he saw the hundreds of pieces of white bricks on the table, he was simply amazed. So was Mr A.
The boys were at a lost at what they wanted to build at first. Somehow, piece by piece and brick by brick, I began to see some structure taking shape. Athan was only interested in building his “fighter plane”. :) Well, that’s what he loves to build with Lego bricks at home. As for Calvin, this is what he came up with at the end:
Athan’s plane is the one on the left. I am pretty proud of the boys at what they came up with within the time limit. Most of all, they had fun. However, when they saw what others have built, they, especially Calvin, was so disappointed at his own creation. Here’s a picture of some amazing structures that people have built using the bricks:
What do you think? I can hardly imagine someone able to build such complicated structures using only the white Lego bricks. Of course Calvin’s creation cannot be compared with those in the picture above, but I think he has done really well. Me thinks he has *secretly* decided to play with his Lego more at home in order to improve his skills!