All About Your Child

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?

My 10 year old niece is usually camera shy. Today she is definitely different. She brought her recorder, sat infront of Allan and I and started playing ‘Mary Had A Little Lamb’.

“Video!” I suggested. Immediately she knew I was going to post it on my blog. *giggle* She rejected at first. Then her confidence in playing this tune made her say yes for the very first time!

Lest she changes her mind. Video on and recorded. *smile*

Good Job Girl! *clap clap clap*

Parenting my 7 year old has been nothing but a a bed of roses with untrimmed thorns.

Bed of roses ~ totally amazed at how independent he has become and how he used that to help out in the family.

As for thorns, they are still making me bleed every single day.

In fact, ever since he started Primary school education last year, it has been an uphill struggle. My patience were tested over and over again. My creative parenting ideas were slammed with failure.

Am I defeated?
Well, I am not throwing in the towel yet.
It is a stage that every child has to go through. I have been there and done that too. Yes, this stage will pass. But my question is, this is also a stage where parents have to start molding the child, how can I let my child makes the most out of this stage without burning myself out?

ATTITUDE is the focus for any parent parenting 7 year old.

Attitude of the child, as well as attitude of the parent, both are just as important. When you think badly of your child, he will react even worse. So parent’s attitude is crucial too.

For the very first time, he challenged me…

He was doing his comprehension worksheet. It was a long answer and the two lines given on the worksheet were obviously insufficient for him to write his answer, no matter how small (the wordings) my 7 year old could write.

So I suggested, “Draw one more line in between that two lines, so that you have enough space to write the answer.”

Totally ignored me.
Keatkeat started to write the answer in super small handwriting.

I continued, “If you choose to write without drawing the extra line and if the space is insufficient, you will need to erase and write again.”

Showing Extreme Frustration, he picked up the ruler, clutched his pencil and drew a ‘here!-give-you-your-line.-now-shut-up’ kind of line. Totally crooked, slanted line; even though the ruler was placed on the paper. Then he glared at me, “Nah! Here’s your line!”

“Don’t give me that attitude!” I snapped.
I erased the awful line and said, “Fine! If you choose to write without drawing the extra line. Go Ahead!”

In the end, he could not squeeze his full answer in. In fact, he needed TWO extra lines to be drawn.

He looked at me after completing his sentence and said, “Ok! So you were right. Happy now?!”

Me: “Why did I ask you to draw the extra line?”
Keatkeat: “So that I can write the answer.”

Me: “After writing so much and realised you do not have enough space. How do you feel?”
Keatkeat: “Angry.”

Me: “When you were erasing your half written answer, how do you feel?”
Keatkeat: “Angry!”

Me: “Why are you angry?”
Keatkeat: “Because you are right again!”

Wow! Do you see that? My 7 year old wants to be ‘RIGHT’ or rather ‘BETTER’ than his Mother.

A clear sign of growing up. Significance and achievements have become a priority to him, regardless who he is against with.

Me: “What is the difference between an adult and a child?”
Keatkeat: “Age.”

Me: “An adult is older, which also means an adult has made more mistakes than a child. Yes?”
Keatkeat: “Yes.”

Me: “And from mistakes, we learn. Without making mistakes, we cannot be smarter. Yes?”
Keatkeat: “Yes.”

Me: “So why do you think I am right most of the time?”
Keatkeat: “Because you learn from your mistakes.”

Me: “Yes, I was once a child like you too. I was once a 7 year old. I made the same mistake as you in the past. I learnt from it. So I could tell that you needed to draw extra lines between that two lines given on the worksheet. Who do I want to help? Myself?”
Keatkeat: “No. You want to help me.”

Me: “Good. So can I continue to help you now?”
Keatkeat: “Ok.”

Me: “You missed out two words in your answer. Please erase and re-write.”
Keatkeat: “…………………”

Keatkeat: “This is my portrait. It is made from plasticine. I did it in school during Art lesson. My shoes are brown because I like brown shoes, but my real shoes are not brown. Handicraft for kids

I am eating a lollipop not a leaf! My whole class said I was eating a leaf and I was unhappy. In the beginning I did not have the lollipop, but one of my leg was too fat, so I took some green plasticine from the fat leg and use it as a lollipop. So it became my green apple lollipop.

My nose is big. I think I have a big nose because I sneeze too much.”

*laugh*

When Keatkeat had his Kindergarten Graduation Ceremony in 2009, his 18months younger brother was selected to perform too.

This year, this younger brother was selected to do two performances instead of one. Some of his classmates were selected to give an Extra performance on top of the main dance ~ “Starlight Moonligh ~ Secret”

Here’s the appetizer:

I have always wanted a musically talented child, will he be the one? *shrugged*