All About Your Child

It is so easy to get frustrated while teaching your child to understand a concept or simply to comprehend a Mathematics problem sum. Even after explaining more than three times to your child and he or she still remains clueless will definitely add oil to the fire.

“Why are you so stupid!”
“This is so simple. So easy. Why your stupid brain cannot understand?!”

To me, the word ‘stupid‘ is a terrible insult to any human being and its worse when its used on your child.

My believe is always :
“Your Child Is Not Stupid,
Its You Who Does Not Know How To Teach Effectively.”

That is a constant reminder to me too whenever Keatkeat does not understand what I am trying to explain. Then again, I am very blessed that I hardly have to deal with this issue, rather I have more problems with his lack of concentration and forgetfulness.

I gave tuition during my school days to my peers. My students’ parents would usually highlight their child’s weaker subjects and followed by some awful remarks about their child’s level of intelligence. *sigh*

All parents should be more considerate towards your child’s feelings than the ‘A’s on that piece of paper.

Anyhow over the years, I realised that the mistake which most parents make is repetition.
Using the same way, same words, same style to explain the same thing. If you keep doing the same thing, how do you expect to get different results?!

Yes, they just keep repeating and after 3 to 4 times of repetition, they started yelling, “Why are you so stupid?! This is so easy! I have explained so many times, how come you still don’t understand?!”

Oh please!
If your child is unable to understand after your first explanation, what makes you think that by repeating the same words over again would make any difference?!

If first attempt to explain has failed, then the second approach must be totally different. If that fails too, then the third approach must be more far-stretched than the first and second explanation and so on.
That is how it should be done, instead of insulting your child.

I believe this one week school holiday would be a time for most parents to drill their kids on revision, in preparation for the final year examination after the short break is over.

So please, while you teach your child, stay away from saying hurting words, rather focus on improving your teaching skills. When you are able to teach effectively, it will help your child to have better understanding and prevent you from reaching your ‘boiling point’.

While study may seem important, do remember to balance this school holiday with play time too! Cheers! Happy School Holidays!

I have lots of way-over-due drafts waiting for me but I am not going to post anything till this exciting blog post is up and running!

FINALLY!!!!

Keatkeat knows how to ride the bicycle on two wheels! The training wheels were removed. We had been waiting for the ‘not-growing-tall-enough-fast-enough‘ Keatkeat’s feet to touch the ground firmly before the training wheels were taken out.

Today was his THIRD day practising on two wheels. Just 10mins before the video below was taken, he was still struggling to get his 3 full cycles on the pedal. Somehow we felt that the original place, which we were teaching him how to ride, had a short distance, so we changed the location.

First time at this new place, Keatkeat and Binbin climbed on their bicycle and Keatkeat ZOOMED AWAY before anyone of us could react!!!

*Eyes Widened and Jaws Dropped*

Chasing behind him, Allan and I were shocked, excited and fearful, our emotions were like the debris from a Tsunami. Total Mess!

Shocked because he was still struggling to cycle a few minutes ago.
Excited because he finally accomplished something ‘big’ on his own!
Fearful because he may forget to brake! *laugh*

So Allan ran after him, ready to catch him if he falls. In the end, he was able to stop his bike as if he had been riding for months! *clap clap clap*

Then we asked him to do it again, just to make sure that it was not by chance that he could do it. At the same time, we had our phone video camera switched on. *smile*

Look at that HUGE Grin filled with full of Pride between his teeth at the end of the ride. The cutest thing was he did the double thumbs up for himself so naturally! *laugh*

Keatkeat: “Mummy, do you know why I can do it?”
Me: “Why?”
Keatkeat: “Because it is a surprise gift for Papa. He helped me to ride the bicycle when my body was injured, when I fell at the canal.”
Me: “Have you told Papa that?”
Keatkeat: “No.”
Me: “Go tell him now.”
Keatkeat: “OooooooooKAY!” and he rode off!

In the beginning, we chose to let him practise at the long path beside the canal. But the ground was too rough for the unprotected young cyclist. So we decided to train him below the estates on the Second and Third day.

And he did his very first overtake like a Pro!!!! See video below.

Keatkeat is usually the scaredy cat in the family. His usual phrase, “Don’t want. Very scared. What if this or that happens?” So we were expecting him to stop when he was approaching the lady. Instead he overtook her like a Pro!
*clap clap clap*

For the very first time, Keatkeat mastered a skill earlier than his younger brother. Typing this sentence down feels strange to me too. Whenever we teach the two children a skill at the same time, the younger one would always do better and excel in it much earlier than his 18months older brother. Weird but true.

Great Job Keatkeat!
*clap clap clap*

This significant day is so easy to remember because it is Hari Raya Puasa too. *smile* So if ever anyone were to ask, “When did your child learn how to ride a bicycle with two wheels?” I would reply, “2011 Hari Raya Puasa!”
*wink*

This is how we teach our child to ride a two-wheeled bicycle:

1. bring the right pedal up to (almost) the highest point. Right pedal’s direction is leaning more towards the front.
2. place right foot on the right pedal.
3. left foot remain on the ground.
4. arms on handle.
5. front wheel direction is straight, not turning.
6. eyes focus on destination.
7. Step HARD on the right pedal.
8. Bring the left foot up onto the left pedal QUICKLY.
9. Remind the child to ‘Look For Empty Space’; because it it normal that in a fearful or uncertain state, the child would have thoughts like, “what if I knock on the wall or the pillar or people.”

When that happens 99% of the chance is the direction of the bicycle would go towards what they wish to avoid the most. Which is also known as the Law of Attraction. What you focus on, expands and you WILL hit onto it.

So when you tell him or her to ‘Look For Empty Space’, he or she will keep looking for empty space to ride his or her bike on, thus avoiding all obstacles.
*smile*

I wanted my 7 year old boy to master two-wheeled bicycle when he was five year old, but his scaredy-cat nature outwin his desire to master the skill.

When did your child learn how to ride a bicycle with two-wheels?