Feeling special again

It is a Parents Back to school day. Hubby took a day off. After touring her class, we sent Ee Wern to her kindergarten. 

Ee Rynn shouts for joy! She said it's a special day because she wants to spend time with us. She said she misses it since 2012. Wow, we didn't know that she yearn for it. Yearn to have our attention all by herself. 

I remember, 2012 is a moving year for us. We moved to a new country. Hubby was busy with career, she attended a new school and Ee Wern was a few months old. I was juggling with a baby, a toddler and setting up the house, etc etc..

Today reminds me of slowing down and enjoy her present. Her responsibility in life will grow and we, as parents needs to slow down and catch up with them, their life, their thoughts and paradigm. That's the moment when we know where they are and meet them there. 

As she is expressive and a mind full of ideas, I truly enjoyed all her suggestion. All she asked for are ice cream and holding our hands. She said she feels special by holding our hands and walking in between us. Simple things in life. We can do it by sparing our time.

We will make sure that we spare our time together for this again. 

Independent and Caring

My soon to be 3 year old daughter melt our heart every day. With her bubbly  character, she chirp around the house with her ever growing new vocabulary and creativity. 

May be she observed her jie jie's growing independent every day. She picks up the habits of doing things on her own as early as 2++years old. She wears her own clothes every day, clean up her painting brush and palette, wear socks on her own, organize her shoes the way she wants it and brush her own teeth every morning. She helps me organize her clothes in the cupboard too.

I enjoy her every day. We chit chat like BBFF. She started going to school every Wednesday to Thursday. When I drop her off, she will remind me these:

Mommy, please remember to take care of yourself. Please remember to eat and don't rush. And don't be late today. I don't want to be the last one in the school. 

It's a wonderful experience. 

The funniest mommy on earth

My daughter told me that I am the funniest mommy on earth. I chuckled. I asked myself, since when?

There are many moments I am serious handling her request. There are tense moments throughout her growing up years. There are 'lecture' moments when I exert boundaries at home. And she said I am the funniest mommy on earth? 

I know. I have to loosen up in this parenting thing. A friend tell me to be chilled. I have learn to laugh out loud. I have learn to dissassociate embarrassment in public with my parenting ability. Kids are kids. Throughout 2014, despite a challenging year coaching a school going kids, I laugh. I learn not to react but laugh together with my girls. 

When she said she had ice cream at 930am, I laughed and giggled with her. When she said she misplaced her books in school, I giggled. When she said she doesn't like my cooking, I smiled. I know, a gesture of acceptance goes a long long way in relationship.

I am glad that I have chance to hear from my daughter that I am the funniest mom on earth. 

Self Navigation at 35 months old @ school

Ee Wern started school recently. It is 3 times a week. She was excited and look forward for it since jie jie started going back to school on 2nd Jan.

She was excited when I sent her on the first day. She walked into the school on her own. Her favourite teacher guide her to take off her shoes, line up her bag, wash her hands and queue for temperature check and applying moisquito repellent. It's the same routine every day. One of the teacher will welcome her upon her arrival to school. 

The second week is entirely different. There's no dedicated teacher. She is required to perform the same routine all on her own. I was watching her from far today. I felt for her. In my eyes, I feel it's too young to allow her to navigate on her own. She is only 35 months old. End of the first day at second week, she told me she doesn't want to go to school.

This is a Montessori school. The children are train to navigate on their own based on their own capability. The children is train to be proactive and inform the teacher when they completed their work. The children are expected to go to toilet on their own when they need to and eat when they are hungry. At 35 months old, she is expected to do all these on her own.

Deep in my heart, I know she will be able to do it. She is Miss Independent at home. She has to remind me that she wants to do certain thing her way daily. So I told myself to give her a few more weeks.