All About Your Child

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Day 1 (4th Jan):

UNBELIEVABLE!!! My Primary One Teacher in 1984 is my KeatKeat’s PRIMARY One TEACHER TOO!!!

I did not expect his first day in Primary School could be THIS exciting for me! *laugh*

Time passed so quickly with all the In-And-Out of the house.
8am – Bring Binbin to school
10.30am – Prepare Keatkeat for school + Lunch
12pm – Fetch Binbin from school first, then Bring Keatkeat to school
12.45pm – Help my BIL to deliver his goods
2.45pm – Went back to School to see Keatkeat in Action at the Canteen

I felt so good when Keatkeat was assigned to hold the signage. Being the shortest in class and first in line, who else could be a better choice? *laugh* Keatkeat felt so proud of himself too. *smile*

After Keatkeat told us that his teacher called his name wrongly,  (as usual, Read this post to know why) I wrote his teacher (which was mine) that same letter but with a little twist. *wink* I scanned my Primary School Photo into that letter. Identifying who I was. *giggle*

I posted this photo up on Facebook, and NO ONE till this day could guess which one was I. *laugh*

This photo brought back lots of memories. The many occasions when I needed to stand outside the Principal’s office as a punishment for some misbehaviour or something, just makes me laugh. Ooooohhh yes, I was a school terror when I was 7. *giggle*

Can You Guess Which Little Girl Am I? *wink*

(Just in case you had missed those posts which have my face in it, you can go here to see ‘me’. *wink*)

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Day 2 (5th Jan):

KeatKeat and his buddy had become really close. Always chatting away. He is a very nice boy. Always putting his arms over Keatkeat’s shoulder. Really like a Big Bro! *Smile*

Keatkeat’s first sentence when we met at Recess time was “Today teacher call me ‘Zac’. And I eat Fishball again. Yesterday 3. Today 2. I got buy Milo too.”

First day he spent $0.30, second day he spent $0.20 + $0.90. So the $1.50 a day was enough. Great! *smile*

He was extremely happy that he has ‘leftover‘ everyday to *Kaching* into his piggy bank; and yet at the same time, he could enjoy what he likes to eat.

First sentence after school: “I Love Mrs L.!!! She scolded other people but didn’t scold me! I Love Her!”

*laugh*

Fetching him from school was AWESOME for me, cos Mrs L. walked over and chatted with me!!! I had butterflies in my tummy but held my composure, stretched out my hand to initiate a handshake. AAaaawwww….that moment was ‘Woah’!

Binbin in the morning session.
Keatkeat in the afternoon session.
The boys hardly get to meet each other.
This little separation has pulled the two siblings closer.

They HELD HANDS !!!

Its been a really long time since they last held hands without being told to.

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Day 3 (6th Jan):

Today was Red day.

Keatkeat had RED beard.

My untidy boy washed his lips but not the surrounding. I should have snap a shot before wiping him clean. “Mommy, I eat spaghetti today. $1.00.” My mind was going “Oh Yes, its so obvious! The evidence is still around your mouth!” *eyes rolled*

Binbin had RED toe.

He was playing with a big toy block  in school and it fell onto his toe, literally sliced off his skin.

My super-high-threshold-for-pain-boy, as usual, did NOT shed a tear. Other incidents include his head banged on steel , the 4cm slit below his jaws, the chipped off tooth…. none of these had made him shed a tear. *faint*

He limped the whole day. I hope it did not hurt any vein or nerve nor cracked a bone. *heart pain*

The boys woke up at 11.30am yesterday! *laugh* All thanks to the intense late night activity.

The parents were just as tired. One parent decided to do an extraordinary thing on the 1st day of 2010….

Allan: “Keatkeat, we are very tired. Can you please go down and buy our lunch?”

Keatkeat: “HUH??!!! Alone?!! Don’t want! I’m very scared.”

Binbin: “Don’t be scared! I’ll go with you!”

Allan: “See? Binbin will go with you.”

Keatkeat: “Don’t want!!!”

Allan: “Hey, you are big brother you know? Binbin is not scared, why are you still scared?”

Then the training of how to order the food in Mandarin began. It was obvious that Keatkeat was NOT as excited as his little brother, hence the ‘training‘ took way too long. Keatkeat just refused to cannot remember the correct words. In the end, Allan turned towards Binbin, who was hyped up for the adventure.

Allan: “Say ‘yi-bao-ya-fan, jia-fan. Hai-you yi-bao-shao-rou-fan’.”

Binbin: “yi-bao-ya-fan, jia-fan. Hai-you yi-bao-shao-rou-fan.”

Allan: “Say again.”

Binbin: “Cannot remember.”

*faint* Yup! That’s so typical of Binbin. *giggle*

I whispered into Allan’s ear. “Are you joking or are you serious?”

Allan: “Of Cos Serious!”

I knew he meant it. I was pretty nervous. So I decided to go down with them (since Allan was tired).

But Binbin FLARED UP!!!

Binbin: “Don’t Want! I want to go down with Gorgor alone! You and Papa stay at home!”

My boys were completely in disagreement with each other even after MANY minutes of ‘persuasion‘ from Allan. I knew I had to ‘satisfy‘ both desires and so I said, “Ok, the two of you will go down alone. You two have to walk ‘that longer’ path. Less cars pass by.  Papa and Mommy will walk the usual route to the coffeeshop. We will meet you there.”

Finally BOTH were excited!!! *giggle*

They set off first and we became P.I.!!! We were running and hiding behind walls and pillars. Just like the famous Japanese kids show. Where kids of age 4-6 goes to the market with a list of grocery to buy, all on their own; but little did they know that they were followed. It was super EXCITING for Allan and I! *laugh* I think we enjoyed it as much as my boys did!

Here’s the P.I. video. My phone’s video resolution was greatly discounted after zooming in at them from about 80m away.

Their first response when they saw us?

Binbin was GRINNING from cheek to cheek…..

and Keatkeat complained: “Papa, Binbin got Run!”

*laugh*

Today is the last meet-up between Keatkeat’s teachers and us. For some reason, his Chinese teacher chooses to go for her lunch instead of meeting up with us. Maybe there was not much to add on from the previous ‘negative‘ comments from her.

As for Keatkeat’s English teacher….

“Cheng Keat needs much encouragement, in all aspect. He is always in his little own world. Has problem paying attention during lesson time. Attention span is short and would choose to stand up in the middle of the lesson. He needs constant encouragement in order for him to complete his work. Gets distracted too easily and is often more interested in his friends’ work than his.

However, he is a very well-mannered boy, who look out for his friends often. Will initiate to help his friends who are in need. He is creative and always suggesting ideas. I consider him an active boy, who loves to move around, grabbing whatever that is long and start beating around as if they were drum sticks. You may want to consider enrolling him for drum classes or sports.

Yet, it is essential that he needs to put in a lot of ‘heart-work’ academically or he will have a hard time catching up when he goes to Primary School.”

Am I worried?
Not much.

I am so used to hear such comments. I know my child’s ability. Yes, I am prepared that he would fall behind during Primary School, whereby there will be even lesser one-to-one attention. But remember what happened to him when he was under Allan’s teaching? (Read here…)

Do I want history to repeat itself?
No.

I choose to go with Keatkeat’s learning speed. He learns AND remembers better when he is not under pressure.
Tried.
Tested.
Proven.

So what if he comes home with grades like 50/100?

To me, so long as he’s spirit for learning is not crashed, I am fine with it.

So long as he does not feel inferior, (IF) when he compares himself to his peers (which he had NEVER done it till this day), I am fine.

When inferiority complex kicks in, *giggle* the fighting spirit in him will do the work. Till then, I will just do what he can ‘handle‘.

A Child Learns Best when Pressure is Off His Chest.
~ Angeline Foong

Back-dated Post.
Happened on 14th November 2009, Saturday

I was asked to help out in the preparation (make-up, belting the boys…) before the performers head off to the stage.

Feels so good being with children! Its like back to the days when I was teaching in Child Care Centre. So Fun! *Grin*

(Left: Picture of me and the boy ‘B’, whom I fell in love with when I first set my eyes on him 3 years ago, when Keatkeat entered Nursery. *giggle*)

I would say it was less exciting as compared to the Full Dress Rehearsal. ‘Cos we could NOT run up to the stage and take photos or video-ed him like crazy. *giggle*

But all ‘h***’ broke loose at the grand finale. Parents started moving out of their seats. Cameras and flashes were everywhere. “Parents please sit down.” was repeated over the microphone several times. But NO ONE CARED!!! *laugh*

We joined in the rebellious majority and Allan started filming the beautiful finale.

My only regret was not being able to video Keatkeat’s EXCELLENT performance that day. After I told him the mini-changes needed, he danced SO WELL! OMG! After watching so many of his practices, his ACTUAL performance turned out to be THE BEST! Whoo-hoo!

He even WINKED at us (after he spotted us) AS HE DANCED!
Aaaawwww… isn’t he cute or what!!!?

When the whole graduation ceremony was over, he asked, “Mommy, did I do a good job? I hold my hand up until ‘hey hey hey’ then I start to jog. Is that good?”

“Its AWESOME! I am sooooooooooo proud of you!”

When we were on our way home to bathe and dress them for my niece’s birthday party. I held him up. Kissed him countless times. Spun him around. “Mommy is sooooooooooo proud of you!” And did just the same to my little ’selected’ Nursery Boy (Binbin) too…*wink*

Physical is Memorable.
Praise your Child
not with words alone,
but With Actions too.
~ Angeline Foong

Yesterday, Binbin’s classmate’s parents handed these photos to me.

It was such a nice thing to do isn’t it?

Because our sons love each other’s company so much, Y.J.’s Mommy took shots of them together again during the Full Dress Rehearsal on 7th November 2009 (Left: Y.J. Right: Binbin)

Though this is NOT the first time she has taken photos of the two boys together, but this round, she did something which caught me by surprise.

She was so super nice that she even took one shot which did NOT have her own son in it. This photo alone moved me deeply. (Left: Binbin Middle: Y.Z Right: H.S.)

I was busy taking photos and videos of my two boys during the Full Dress Rehearsal, but someone else was (secretly) in love with my son, to the extend of taking photos of him as well….. Aaawww…. my heart!

She did not forget to catch a shot of their teacher too, Miss N. (Left: H.S. Middle: Y.J. Right: Binbin Back: Miss N.)

Me: “Binbin, do you like Y.J.?”

Binbin: “Of cos! He always talk to me nicely. Play with me NICELY. Not like my other friends, play so hard and make me pain.”

Me: “So is Y.J. your Best Friend?”

Binbin: “No.”

Me: *Faint*

Binbin: “Y.J. is my Best Friend AND my Favourite Friend.”

AAaaawwww………

As for Keatkeat, his Best Friend was ‘forced‘ to change every year. Pretty ironical.

First year, Nursery was a boy named R. Unfortunately, his father passed away that year and the whole family had huge adjustments to make. So R. left the school.

Second year, Kindergarten 1 was a Malay boy named A. *Sigh* As if its a curse, his family was struck with a major financial crisis, the parents could not afford to put him in this school anymore. So A. left too.

This year, Kindergarten 2, last year in Preschool is a tall boy named K.Y. Their relationship was so close that K.Y. was extremely pissed with Keatkeat for not telling him that 2nd November was his birthday.

K.Y. came and complained to me when I brought the cake down to the school for mini-birthday-celebration, “Auntie, Cheng Keat didn’t tell me today was his birthday. I am very angry.”

Me: “Aaawwww…. why?…”

K.Y.: “I don’t have time to make a present for him! If I know today is his birthday, I can make him a nice card yesterday and give it to him today.”

Me: “Thank you K.Y.! You can always give it to him tomorrow. Look at J.W. he is making a Birthday Card RIGHT NOW for Cheng Keat. You can make one for him now too, if you want…”

K.Y.: “No I don’t want to make one now. I have nice stickers at home. I don’t have them here. I can’t paste it on the card for Cheng Keat. *Humph*” And the angry boy walked off with folded arms…

AAaaawww…..

Kids are still kids. They fight, they make up. At the Full Dress Rehearsal, they were seen with each other like shadows as if nothing has happened… (Front: K.Y. Back: KeatKeat) *Smile*

We adults should really learn this kind of mindset from them, ya? Let the bad feelings go…

A continuation from the previous post…..

It was super funny!
Because this was the ONLY CHANCE for the parents to take a video or photos of their children (read my previous post to know why), all the parents were right at the stage, kneeling and leaning on the edge of the wooden stage just to get the best shot.

I had to make the best out of this opportunity, so for my boys, we had 3 photographers! *laugh* However because Keatkeat was right at the end, none of the videos turned out Perfect, because he was blocked by others every now and then. *faint*

When everyone thought the rehearsal had ended, the emcee said: “We have a special announcement. Children who are dancing in the following 3 performances would need to ’stay behind’ for another round of rehearsal. The others are free to leave.” Keatkeat’s group was ONE of the 3, which needed ‘Remedial Lessons‘. *huge laugh*

What seemed like a terrible news turned out to be a Great News! Because of this, Allan got a chance to run up the stage and hid behind a curtain to get a SUPER SHOT at Keatkeat, with NO hindrance or what-so-ever. Awesome!

(The result of this video was STILL WRONG [at first], it was still ‘lying down’, until I found a ’special’ button in Facebook. One Click and the ‘Sleeping’ Keatkeat ‘Woke Up’ straight away!!! Fantabulastic!! *giggle*)

And Below was Binbin’s Extremely Short Special Performance. He was one of the 6 pupils selected from the Nursery class for this dance at the Graduation Ceremony. (For the benefit of my first time visitors: Binbin is the one on the LEFT of the screen.)

Lots more to write. But I am exhausted now… will continue the rest with another post…. *Yawn*