Showing posts with label kindergarten. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kindergarten. Show all posts

走过2020,迎接2021

时间基本上过得不算太快,长时间埋怨2020,MCO的新常态,让我郁闷,甚至有些时候还有点窒息。问我2020做过什么,我有点答不出来。宅在家潜水吧!难得有这种机会“相夫教子”,可是教没两下,我血压飙升了。百年一遇啊,应该好好记着跟孩子的每一分,每一秒呢!回首2020,我想起很多时候的身不由己。陪小瓜上网课从最初的新鲜感,到后来的烦躁,再到后来的好自为之,一切随缘,我算是看破了吧。陪太子读书真不容易呀,仿佛自己又回到了幼儿园、置身于小学。监督3个小瓜做功课更是难上加难了,我是一个头两个大,因为功课是3个人的、各自又有很多不同的科目,那些孩子遗漏的,我得一一记下,之后提醒了再敦促、然后再检查。2020年3月18号开启的MCO 1.0刚好落在学校假期,本来应该开学的时候,学校却关闭了。网上教学其实也没有怎么真正的开始,大家却争相的给功课,有点乱水了,苦了我这个做妈的。当初日子怎么过的?好像每天都上演母子吵架的戏码,一个用藤鞭像母老虎一样的喊打喊杀,一个动不动就想离家出走的家伙,后来的我们抱着一起哭,然后就慢慢地习惯了人人口中的新常态。功课要是做了、线上补习也上了、你可以玩你的充气游泳池,我继续看我的小说。这画面每天都不断的重复再重复。7月22号的开学日,大家都是忐忑的。孩子难免有点伤感,可是日子总归要继续的。他们对我这个妈是感激不尽了。返校后,老师把MCO期间的功课重新温习一遍,同学们需要回家做功课的时候,那两兄弟在家尽情的玩耍,只因为功课早在MCO期间完成了。之后的10月12号,学校又开始关闭了。那一次学校做足了准备功夫。除了校外的线上补习,学校规定一天一个小时的网课来得真是太好了。主科和副科的功课也分配得很到位,我想应该很多家长会像我一样,喜欢这种安排。听着老师线上教学,我很讶异!先不说要学着新的教学方法以掌控学生的集中能力,避免孩子闷的慌,单是要控制班上30-40名学生已经不简单了,还有那些一年级的,老师我要上厕所,老师要4点半了,为什么还没有下课,等等,这压力也真够大!到后来年尾假期开始了,我决定让孩子好好休息,给予他们我和老公小时候记忆中的假期,那就是24/7在父母身边,没有补习,不用上课,睡醒了就吃,吃饱了再玩,天亮玩到天黑。同时也属于我自己的假期。于是,我们回去了吉兰丹一趟。踏入新的一年,学校假期结束后,国家又开启了MCO 2.0,孩子还是一样没机会重返校园。


新的一年,网课从一天一个小时变成了一天两个小时。儿子已经习惯性地自动自发开启电脑做功课,上网课。那两个家伙没有很专心,有的时候一边上课一边聊天,有的时候电脑前坐着就缩成了一团,也有一些常常找机会下来喝水。线上教学专注力有限,没办法了。到最后检查作业的那部分还是少不了的。这时妹妹的幼儿园也重开了。为了公平起见,我们献议妹妹上半天的课。由于我有睡眠障碍,没有这么早起,老公就载她上学,我负责接她回家。大家皆大欢喜!


这样的新常态,我还学了些什么吗?刚开始的MCO,我下厨的频率是很高的,到后来偷懒了,负责准备食材,让老公来煮是常常发生的状况。有时候打包,很多时候去妈妈那里蹭饭,没办法,天生不是厨房的料。最喜欢的就是,老公说你准备好了材料放着,我放工后下来煮。更喜欢妈妈打包好的菜肴,我把它冷藏。想吃时,弄烧就可以了,然后炒一样菜、煲个汤,一餐就这样解决了。这种情况多数是晚餐,午餐很多时候是简单的米粉、炒面、意大利面等。这次的MCO 2.0,更是直接叫外卖,太累了。不是累在准备食材,而是累在太费心思。每一餐该吃什么,是西餐还是中餐,西餐是粉、汉堡、披萨还是快餐,中餐是面还是饭,面是什么面,干还是湿,饭又要配什么菜肴,孩子吃不吃等,都变成了我该考量的问题,所以就一个字—累,压力比山大。


昨天政府公布孩子3月起要重返校园了。孩子应该不会很开心吧,那3个小瓜在家的时间太享受了,除了课业,有看不厌的卡通,从bugs bunny到ultraman,还有吃不玩的零食。趁着我还没重返职场,大家尽情的享受吧!我的硕士课程也已经走到了尾端。有机会重返校园,再尝试网课,这感觉太奇妙了,心里总是装着满满的感恩。不像有些人从德国回来已经习惯了work from home, 所谓在家工作的新常态也不过尔尔。


年初九了,新年新希望,愿大家幸福美满,一年过得比一年好。

MCO

It’s been more than two weeks since the movement control order (mco) started to avoid the outbreak of covid-19. While people have been saying that the mco allows more quality time with kids at home, I’m feeling so burned out with so much house chores, particularly cooking and monitoring homework. On the other hand, I’m feeling grateful that this is happening when I’m on study leave. I wouldn’t know how to manage all these if I’m still at work, coming home to cook and watching the kids complete their homework.

So the schools and tuition centre made it another level by having online classes. It’s the efforts from the teachers that we appreciate a lot. The first week of mco collided with school holiday so the kids were merely spending their time playing paddling pool and watching tv. Soon, we got messages from the teachers telling the kids to complete their activity books. It was easier for Xuan because he has got an online account with google classrooms since he was at P1. However, it was a little harder for Cheng because the school hadn’t provided him with the account. The things-to-do list was sent to me daily by the class teacher. I thought I would go into depression soon as I couldn’t bring myself to find the passion in cooking and patience in guiding Cheng. Then, Cheng’s class teacher sent me a login ID saying that his class would list down the school work by using google classroom. It was a relief for me because the kids are happy to keep their hands on laptop and excited with quizzes or games online, besides completing activity books. The next one I would really appreciate is the tuition centre which printed out hardcopy of exercises and took the troubles to send to the kids. It then holds online classes to guide them thru for 2 hours daily. It was the first time we watched them sitting in front of the laptop, listening to the teacher attentively while completing the work.

And for Xin Yi, this is the funny part when her kindergarten decided to start an online class daily. We did not expect any online lesson for kids at her age but it’s the kindergarten’s effort that counts, so Xin Yi has been sitting in front of the laptop everyday too and I have 3 sessions each day via zooms, which I could really laugh myself off and also roll eyes for that. Yes, I’m a super busy mum because hubby is rushing his project at work and he has got no time for us. And I guess the only me-time that I get to get breather is when I leave home for grocery shopping, minus the spike in bills that I have to deal with because I generally buy everything we eat.

Above all that, I must say that it drains me out easily. I do not have extra energy or attention to focus on my work. Thanks goodness, we do not have any online classes organized by the uni right now because once again, I wouldn’t know how to juggle if it really happens. Yet again, if I wish this mco could end soon, it is probably not for the risk that we would expose ourselves to. So stay at home and stay safe!

Graduation

Cheng has finally finished his preschool years and is going to Primary 1 next year. He went to daycare cum kindergarten since he was 2.5yo. And this year he finally graduated. I’m so proud of him that he has been such an independent kid since young (probably due to the fact that he is a second-born baby). He was chosen by the kindy to be representative for his school to deliver farewell speech in English. It took him some time to memorise because he was not interested in it. As a result, daddy, mummy and even Xin Yi could memorise the speech with him. He was the first one to present last weekend and he wasn’t scared at all. He forgot a small part of the speech, stopped for a few seconds trying to recall and continued with full confidence. The audience gave him a big clap. It moves my heart whenever the kids perform, they grow up too fast!

Headache solved

So we were looking for kindergarten and daycare centre for Xuan and Cheng since theirs were closed down permanently. I feel sorry and sad for it because they both went there since 5yo and 2.5yo. I had never thought Xuan would continue to stay there for daycare before going to school in the afternoon. But the kindergarten was run as home-based and the tuition they offered to primary school children was more like homework coaching so it suited us that we subscribed Xuan. Also, the principle is a kind lady with a few words that always gives children full trust. And not to mention, they were so tolerant with us who had been late everyday. So we were on a lookout. The kindergarten offered Cheng a place at the sister outlet somewhere in another township, together with transport. But they have none for Xuan. It may sound convenient but we have to be really early because transporter will pick Cheng up at 730 at the nanny’s. In the end, we found one that’s to send Cheng to somewhere near the nanny’s. Just as we thought we are almost done with the arrangement, checking out daycare centre for Xuan wasn’t as simple as we thoughts. In fact it is quite sad to see the education has been made too commercialised these days. While I do not really look at the syllabus or methods used for Xuan since he will just be P2 next year, most of the centres offer tuition and are run like centres I attended when I was in secondary which they provide different set of activities books following public school syllabus. Yesterday, we scouted around the area we wanted and finally found one for Xuan. We hope it’s doing good for Xuan because Cheng tested the principle’s patience by dropping her phone on the floor and very patiently, the principle assured him everything’s ok! My boys are just rough as such. So not hoping for an extensive program, we only want them to enjoy the learning process. Having a full time working mum, we have no choice but the kids to bear with us!

Hunting a new learning centre

Upon returning home, we got news that Xuan and Cheng’s kindergarten will be closed down and merged with another branch which is quite a distance to us. No matter how upset we are, this day has come and the job of scouting around a new kindergarten and daycare centre begins immediately. Sometimes I do not understand how parents can or are willing to pay for their children’s education. But everyone is different. There, we made some comparisons to find that the difference can actually fund one adult’s airfare ticket on holiday and we are still thinking whether we can take the bet.

On being kiasu

Xuan got no 3 in his class and there is a prize giving ceremony at the school that allows us to attend and take photos of him. Unfortunately, we have planned our holiday ahead and we won’t make it. He probably is being deprived from going up the stage which I feel slightly guilty. But the father takes it easy! He had never gone up to the stage during his primary school days so that’s fine that we do not have to feel guilty or sorry or whatsoever. The most important thing is character building and the eagerness to learn (which I think I do not have this at all so I’m a salted fish except when it comes to travelling). I always hope my kids to take after their father’s attitude that he is always hungry for knowledge, not because for the career advancement but just because he is eager to learn. If they are going to be kiasu, they must be one that competing against themselves and trying to be better all times rather than competing against others because that’s just too tiring and it won’t make them happy.

On another note, Cheng went for a field trip in Semenyih and managed to answer a question among his peers and got a small aquarium back! He came home and asked for some small fish from nanny to put in the mini aquarium. While I thought he is still mischievous and ignorant, he is slowly picking up and quite a focused boy in things he does!

our sons

My two boys constantly challenge my patience and drive me up the wall. While I’m short tempered dealing with them, I feel grateful to have them in my life that they teach me to be a better person. I raise two boys of very different souls who teach me that I can have many approaches to reach the same goal.

The beginning of July signifies that Cheng is going to start his spellings in 3 languages at the kindergarten. Cheng is not as tame as Xuan so the approach of teaching him is also different, although I know his attention and focus can be very good. He will cry and refuse to write if he is forced to. But he can spend a really long time building lego, which previously, he would get angry and destroy the lego when things didn't go his way (when he was younger). Now he has learnt to calm down but still hot tempered when he is tired or sleepy.

Cheng will take shortcuts in doing his things. I don't mean to compare both of them, but if I'm asked to comment, I will say, Xuan follows rules strictly while Cheng breaks the rules. He is a street-smart boy that probably can survive outside the house. I tested his 听写 to find out he never follows the strokes, at all.

So I sat down with the boys and practiced with Cheng for his first 听写. He was asked to write 男, so I said, "didi, you can only close the door after everyone comes in. Chinese writing doesn't allow us to invite guests to get into our house after the door is closed." That’s referring to writing 田 following the correct strokes.
Xuan: Mummy, 廖老师 also said the same thing to my classmate XXX. He simply writes the words without following the strokes. 廖老师 asked XXX, can you come into this class after I lock the door?
Didi: Why must I write? I don't like writing you know. I only want to play.

Ideally, I didn't have to sit down and practice with the boys at home because they have practiced a lot at the daycare. With Cheng, I have to change my routine that's to watch him write because Chinese writings requires some basic. He can't be writing 口by just drawing a square. The bad habit is going to continue if we don't change it right now. So I know why my mum always sat down with us when we were in primary school. It's a lot of hard work. But I guess the hard work today is little compared to add-maths and sciences many moons later. I will pass the baton to the man of theirs who knows everything.

Cheng’s exam

Cheng came home to ask me not to scold him because he got 0 in his moral. I couldn't believe my ears since I didn’t think the teachers would be that cruel. And this is just kindergarten, the teachers might be pulling his legs. So I asked him further, he sounded very serious. “I couldn’t score because I didn’t get the answer correct. I should help mummy after I came back from school, but I chose to play.” Ok, He wasn’t entirely at fault, hubby and I advocate free play. They have their whole life studying, so please go ahead to climb, jump and play as much as they can. But I still argue that, “you do help mummy, you put your dirty clothes in the washing machine, you carry your bag and tumbler and put them back to their places, you help me feed mm, don’t you remember? Silence. Cheng was guilty, “I forgot.” So as my siblings said, it’s not easy to get 0, they asked me to take a chill pill, it’s just a moral. I don’t know if I should be concerned but he still writes in mirror image. I guess I just have to wait until report card day to know his progress.

today’s lesson

Parenting is a long journey. As we watch the kids learn and grow, we also must constantly keep up our pace to grow with them. Today, hubby and I learn a lesson. So Cheng came home to tell us that the school will have a pre-cny celebration and everyone is asked to put on nice clothes. Since I couldn’t find the memo in his message book, I chose to believe him. This morning, he got up feeling excited. I put on a reversible sequine shirt and a pair of short for him. But Cheng always has a mind of his own and insisted to have a pair of long pants and button-up shirt instead. He looked very smart. Then, he asked the father to style his hair. He was really excited and happy about the party. But we only realised that the party is tomorrow after we reached school and Cheng was really embarrassed. The friends were laughing at him. We felt bad for him to go thru this, so hubby went home to take his uniform and change him again. Cheng still couldn’t get over the shame and looked really unhappy. I feel sorry for him. I never once ask my kids to be academically excellent but I’m all for promoting children’s positive social and emotional wellbeing. It’s ok for them to go thru this, it should serve him and everyone of us a positive lesson that we make mistake in life. I hope he will forget this incident and be happy again for the party tomorrow.

Saying good bye

I came home feeling sad to know that one of Xuan and Cheng’s favourite teacher is leaving. A new kindy has just opened at the other end of the road. It’s newer and bigger and poses a threat to the kindy they go. What hubby and me foresee becomes trues, the new intake is getting so much lesser and the kindy is trying to cut its cost. Last week, the teacher was hugging and kissing the kids to bid good bye. We just gotta be thankful that we met her and she is very loving and caring. Xuan told us, the teacher we adore is leaving, I feel sad...

Kindergarten

Yesterday was the kindy’s report card day. As usual, I went to collect the cards. I usually won’t have a long chat with the teachers because I have no expectation over the kids especially on academic. The teachers will briefly tell me their progress and as long as they are happy and not being bullied or they don’t bully, we are all fine. Xuan only went to kindy when he was 5, so hubby and I feel that Cheng should enjoy the early childhood just like Xuan. The only thing that makes it different is, we have no choice to send him to daycare when he was too young. Everything went well until last night that hubby found out Xuan hasn’t really mastered the basic mathematics yet. So he sat down and explained the theory to him while Cheng was playing alone. Out of a sudden, Cheng got bored and asked the father, is he (pointing at the big bro) your only son? Am I not your son? Why don’t you talk or play with me? Hubby got a shock but remained his cool. He looked at me, faked a smile, and went to hug the boy and apologised. While we felt guilty that we neglected him throughout, we were happy and proud that he is very expressive. He could be very crude but we love to see where he speaks out his mind.

Hey October!!

We have been really looking forward to this month. Entering October, it just tells us that 2017 is coming to an end soon. We were getting stressed with Xuan for he was gonna deliver a farewell speech for his school on their concert and graduation day. Thank goodness everything went well, hubby and I were really nervous because Xuan has been a shy boy and we were scared if he backed off. Then we are going onboard to our vacation of the year. Coming home, the kids will sit for exam and go off for a long school break before the 2018 comes in. It is gonna be a new term for Xuan and Cheng!! It's full of excitements, but before we celebrate each, I just have to bear with working overtime these days, gotta keep my head above the water!!

One of the candidates

The boys' kindergarten is small considering the number of children they have in each class. I have been having an instinct that Xuan will probably be chosen by the teachers to deliver farewell speech for his school on the graduation day. That's because Xuan is quiet and tame so it's easier to train him. Just last week, he came home to tell us that he is one of the candidates but he doesn't like it. Hubby and I immediately feel the stress because we want him to have fun and no need to go thru the tedious practice. But I guess god has his plans ahead. We have no idea how Xuan is going to deal with it, we don't even know if he will be chosen at the end of the day. We just hope that he will have fun and enjoy the process. This is somehow parts and parcel of life.

Back to daycare

My sons went back to the daycare yesterday despite it's still holiday. As expected, Cheng was a cry baby that he looked for me when hubby sent him off. Xuan was smart enough to understand the situation. Holiday program is not packed for them. There will be some revision in the morning, followed by TV and art program in the evening. But both kids are used to staying at home with their daddy. The daddy somehow has a magic deal with them that he manages to work in his room while the kids play downstairs. The only thing that he is finding hard to juggle is to make breakfast and lunch for them which will consume a lot of his work time. Somehow the kids make us promise that we will pick them early. Happy holiday kiddos, we will make a trip back to KB when the holiday is longer!!

Enjoying the holiday

My boys have been skipping daycare at the school ever since the start of school holiday, after we got back from KB. They are enjoying their holidays to the max, staying at home doing nothing. I must give the father a big thumbs up for keeping them at home. I doubt myself for the same level of patience and tolerance if I were to look after them myself. Tomorrow we will see some episodes of crying when the father sends them to school. He said the kids have to go to school somehow this week! We will see......

Report card day

Yesterday was report card day at the school so I took one hour off to meet the teachers. The teachers have been kind in their remarks as usual and make the kids happy. Xuan is very sensitive when it comes to academic, he can't take no for the answers and will cry if we say the answers are wrong. This time the teachers asked him to polish up his Bahasa Melayu. As for Cheng, he is still very much young among his peers and is like a baby at the school. He has been quite laid back but blending in well with his friends. Teacher Cheryl is like her second mummy who always hugs him when he reaches school every morning. But it's such a pity that Cheng has another 2 years to go to school. It just explains well why he is not interested in books, instead he learns thru play most of the times.

Children's favourite teacher

I picked the kids up the other day and only to find one of the favourite teachers try natural remedy to reduce Cheng's flu. This virus has been going around in his class and he came home with it one day. The teacher couldnt stand it and tried it all on the children. A very "grandmotherly"she is that the children will always climb and ride piggyback on her.

New day at school

Xuan had been excited about going back to school, waiting to see his friends who had skipped the daycare during school holiday last month. On the other hand, Cheng was totally numb about it. Many of his friends are going to the 5yo class while he will still be in the same class of 3yo and 4yo.
Today, the school reopens and they see a lot of new friends in the school. Xuan came home to tell me that there is no newcomer in his class because he is already 6yo. Most of the new friends cried and there is a girl whose name is same as his because he saw it from her name tag. Xuan can read a lot, although it may not be correct, thanks to the phonics he learns from school. Despite he has no chance to see his good friend who is in Primary 1 this year, he still manages to see JJ who has transit at the kindy before going to her school. Xuan said, he wants to be like her when he goes to Primary 1 next year because he misses the teachers and the old friends. Meanwhile, Cheng was quite naggy that a lot of teachers kissed him at the school. He mumbled, so many teachers kiss me, you know. And, he insisted one of his favourite teachers play the ninjago's character. My cheeky boys are getting cheekier.

29th December

Today seems to be a special day to me. I recalled the date that I finished the 10-day-course of training 11 years ago. At that time, I was still in Kluang, received the letter of posting to report duty in Putrajaya. The guy who sent me off was still a student. 11 years later, I'm still here, calmer. Life has been very very kind to us despite its fair share of ups and downs.
The kids skipped daycare for the past two days and went to office with me. The happiest boys they were, turning my room upside down. They got the teachers some coffee while picking the baby sister up yesterday. Coincidentally, their most favourite teacher who was off for a month has come back and was waiting at the gate, the boys got off the car and went to hug her. Both boys were smiling sheepishly. She must be very motherly that the boys kept repeating "I miss Teacher Cheryl" when she was off. Now that she is back, the routine will continue.

Feverish Cheng

Cheng was sick last Friday and did not get to go to school. The daddy whom he is usually clingy with was away for a day trip in Ipoh. So Cheng stayed with me at home, with his newborn sister. Perhaps the daddy told him that he would not be around, so Cheng was very well behaved that he did not ask me to carry him. He was so much into pretend play that he forgot to take his nap. He was a happy boy playing all day, running at the garden, jumping on the couch, cooking for me.
He went back to school yesterday. Before daddy woke him up, he crawled to me and hugged me to sleep. "I do not want to go to school, I want to stay home..." is the first thing he told me when he got up.
This has been my soft spot towards my children. I feel bad that he has to go to school at such early age. While hubby and I advocate young children should play more, our choices are limited. In order to make up to the playtime the children should have, we are taking them to the playground everyday and their job is to run, run, run and run...