Archive for February 2016

Settling Down Again

Saturday, February 27, 2016 0 Comments A+ a-

It has been a really busy week for us (me?)... since we reached back on Sat last week, I had been packing and packing and......... packing for the whole week. That was because my mum's place was renovated while we were away, we installed aircons, which was the best decision made ever... and also had new cupboards. So it was like bringing 8 luggages back from Cape Town to pack and also packing all the bags that were packed away during the renovation.

Luckily, I managed to settle the school when we were in Cape Town despite the poor internet connection. I had to liaise via email and phone alternatively depending on the connection. That was what I had always taken for granted... good internet speed and connection here... and that was one of the many things I had taken for granted. Though I love Cape Town, I felt very blessed to live in Singapore, where it is generally safe and services are efficient. 

On the Mon itself, both of them started school. I went in with Imm for a while and I think it was a culture shock when the teacher started saying "di zi gui" and the kids also talked slightly differently. When he came back, he said he does not want to go to school as he cannot understand the teacher and he did not like the food. It was not something new though as on some days in Cape Town, we had to deal with their "I don't want to go to school" in the morning. I hope they would not turn into adults who feel that "I don't want to go to work" next time. And hope they find something to be passionate about. :) Still, there will be this inertia I guessed. I quickly purchased school uniforms so they could "fit in" and feel at home.


After school, it is important for some activity time. I always believed in physical activity for the kids to have a chance to run around. My mum was really shocked at some point when they slide down in different ways... I would keep telling her it is ok.... Singapore playgrounds are actually much safer than those in Cape Town and the children are rather careful.

Hugging and helping each other.



Another activity we started this week was attending Berries Class. I was rather apprehensive with Imm because parents do not sit in. The lady at the counter said "K1 already should be ok right?" I gave her a faint smile.... knowing how clingy this boy can be. I sat in nearly 1 hour with him before he "allowed" me to go out of the room. Before that, I promised him his favourite rainbow icecream... the longer I stayed, the smaller portion he would get. So I guessed his mind overcame his heart one hour later.


Personally I really liked the class as the teacher was really enthusiastic and emphasized on the words. In Cape Town, I made him write a chinese word everyday and exposed him to the common words by going through with him every alternate day. But it was always an uphill journey as his school does not conduct lessons in Mandarin. My first priority was to have a Chinese and physical activity (like swimming) when I come back, since we could not find a suitable one in Cape Town.


For Ko, I did not go in with her at all as I know she adjusts easily. She participated towards the end according to the teacher while refusing anything else in the beginning.



For me, (while Ko was having her lesson) I also enjoyed an arty play "Between Consciousness" about a father who struggles with his child who has autism and people's ignorance. And the son, oblivious to how others view him, create a fantastical world of his wildest imagination. It really tugged at my heartstrings and the actors really portrayed the world of both father and son really well.


Well, upon coming back, I felt that I had grown stronger and more appreciative of Singapore. Hub will be off to India and we will see if we can join him again later on.





Letter to Reiko #58 Bye to Cape Town

Tuesday, February 23, 2016 0 Comments A+ a-

Hi Ko!

This is a pic of you back in Singapore.... hope you can adjust well here, the last last time when we came back, you developed bad rashes due to the heat. And nowadays I had to on air con for you and Kor everyday so both of you can sleep. It always takes some adjustment but I guess you have always been pretty adaptable in character and seemed to enjoy your first day of school yesterday.


Bye to Endeavour Educare Centre, your school for about a year. This year, you didn't enjoy school as much as last year and seemed to prefer your previous purple class better. But anyway here are some pics of the school which had lots of nice memories. Whenever there are any special occasions, the place will be decorated.. the latest one was Valentine's Day, in which there were many pics of hearts around the place. It is the place where Daddy and Mummy dropped you and Kor daily for a year and Mummy and Dap will pick both of you up at about 4 pm. In the beginning, I was a bit apprehensive cos there were 30 students in one class with 2-3 teachers. I mean, compared to Singapore. It was like a culture shock. Viruses would probably spread more easily as the children are in an enclosed space. But it was pretty ok, though you and Kor developed chicken pox a while back, hehe.




Teacher Michelle and you!


You and Teacher Carrie.


I thought this was so cute... with the twins.. hehe


Ex teachers Carly and Portia. You are quite a hit among the teachers, even the cleaner in school said she will miss you...


On our last day in Cape Town, we went to the arcade to take this picture with Aiden. We will certainly miss our playmate.. hope you all can meet again....


Playing with the moving vehicles in the arcade..


And enjoying our Marcel yoghurt after that...


Mummy made a comfortable place for both of you but alas, we all have not slept well lately... still jet lag??


Playing play doh with Kor last night.


Well Ko, you have always been the more independent one, Mummy doesn't have to worry too much about you. Always stay cheerful and dun be adverse to changes ok? Because Mummy, Daddy and Kor will always be here for you, my little angel.

Letter to Immanuel #58 Saying Goodbye to Cape Town

Monday, February 22, 2016 0 Comments A+ a-

Hi Imm!

We had to say goodbye to Cape Town, much to our reluctance. And I am sure you missed your friend Alex very much especially when you started in your new school today. Actually, I thought that you weren't very affected by goodbyes as we had changed schools before in Cape Town. Mummy kept telling you that you are not going to see Alex again and you would say, "ok, I know already Mummy." But Mummy felt a bit sad when you didn't like your new school today and said you missed Alex. I guessed Mummy is the more easily affected one. You told me that when you talked to the kids, they did not talk to you and you didn't like the food in school. You also didn't understand what the teacher said. When Mummy accompanied you for a while, the teacher was reciting "di zi gui" and singing with the friends.. everything must have felt so alien to you then, knowing how "English" you are, despite Mummy's best efforts to inculcate Chinese into you.


Some pictures of your old school...




On the last day before we left, Mummy and Auntie Dap brought you, Ko and Aiden to the arcade to take our picture and let you all enjoy yourselves.... I realised you are not so into moving vehicles now; those that you sit on and they move when you put in coins. Instead, you want to drive cars (even when your feet could not reach the accelerator) and motorbikes. At one instant, Mummy had to help you to press on the accelerator while you drive....


Enjoying our Marcel yoghurt! You as usual asked for chocolate and Ko asked for strawberry.... Aiden had vanilla...


Our purpose at the arcade was to have a R20 pic of a drawn portrait. I wished I could tell you that I had drawn it myself. :P


On the way back to Singapore! You loved the ostrich patty in the bread that Auntie Dap prepared earlier. It was such a busy week packing for us and Daddy was super bz doing his handover. We could finally take a break on the plane. 


Mummy tried to prepare a cosy environment for us to sleep in...


You with Daddy's old toy! Ma-ma is so good at keeping things.. hehe


Playing some playdoh with Ko after school today!



My dear boy, Mummy was sharing with you that we all had to go through changes and some might be changes we don't like... like I didn't like the change from Primary school to Secondary school.. but we have to believe that we are adaptable and Mummy, Daddy and Ko will always be with you, helping you to grow and adjust. I also told you that I will stay with you for a longer time, like 20 mins the next day... I hope you will find your footing and your best friend again. :)

Letter to Reiko #57 Funny Moments

Friday, February 12, 2016 0 Comments A+ a-

Hi Ko!!

This was our funny faces together at Silvermine. We went there for picnic last week and it was a great experience. Both of you just enjoy running around together.


You always love your blueberries. Especially when you are tired or sick and don't feel like eating anything, you can just eat fruits, which was great. Your snacks are actually your fruits.


Doing sand art with Mummy! I have not done this with you for sometime and at 2.5 years, you have much better control in squeezing the sand! No wasting, hehe.



Anyway, you say funny things sometimes. For eg, you will ask Aunt Dap for water by saying, "I want water". Aunt Dap will tell you to ask nicely and you will say, "I want water please." Aunt Dap will say, "who are you asking?" You will say, "I am not asking anybody." You are just stubborn in saying, "Can I have water please, Aunt Daphney." In a way, just like Kor, refusing to do the exact you are asked to and do funny stuff.

Letter to Immanuel #57 Battle of Wills

Thursday, February 11, 2016 0 Comments A+ a-

Hi Imm!

Climbing on the table top is something new for the past 2 weeks. Actually Mummy loves to see you being active, flexible and mischievous but I do not like you searching for vitamin gummies and asking for them as you can spot them after climbing to the table top. Nor do I like you playing with my rice. Nor do I like you attempting to press buttons on our new coffee machine. :P But anyway this was Daddy cooking our breakfast. It is almost like a sinful brekkie like Macdonald's cos of MSG but Mummy gets tired baking bread and cakes on weekdays that I asked Daddy just to cook SOMETHING. :) And so there you are with Ko watching him cook. You always love cooking. Just make sure to develop these opportunities that I have given you and cook a feast for us next time ok?



Pretend play is always your idea of fun. You would make pancakes with "yellow blueberries" for me. I didn't correct you by saying "why not just yellow berries"? And this is home made playdoh that has the best texture according to Mummy.


We went to Silvermine over the weekend and you love playing with chameleons and dragonflies.


Playing Lalang with Ko! It was a little hot that day and you were complaining. When you were home, you commented that you love the picnic food especially the chicken from Pick and Pay. Hehe.


Anyway, this week was one of your naughty moments. When mummy changed  the channel for Ko to watch, you fussed and screamed cos you wanted to watch "your show". You ran to the kitchen and opened a packet of tidbits which was banned. When we made you stand at the naughty corner, you pee on the floor. It is always a battle of wills when it comes to you. But after a while (no it was almost 1 hr), we make you say "I am sorry" for 25 times and explained to you after you have calmed down. You are always my good boy and we wish we will always be patient enough with you so you will know how much we just want you to be considerate to the needs of Ko ok?

Science Activity #1 Galileo Galilei

Thursday, February 11, 2016 0 Comments A+ a-

Well, I decided to blog this down so that I can motivate myself for more science ideas for Imm. Sometimes as he grew older, I felt that I am unable to catch up with him and he is in fact getting smarter than me by leaps and bounds. It is ok, since he has my genes, intellect is not a problem. Oops. But anyway I felt that I have to improve myself and match up to his enthusiasm for learning. As adults, sometimes I feel a little dreary as we are used to the same old normal things we take for granted but I love how his enthusiasm motivates me to look at things at different angles.

Recently, I signed him up for extra murral classes here. It is a pity as he could only attend 4 lessons but because there were only 4 lessons, I am more determined to grasp each concept and take its ideas more seriously to bring it to life for him. Last week, the teacher taught the class about Galileo Galilei, who developed the telescope. They also touched on planets and gravity.

What they did was to let two objects of equal size but not equal weight fall (eg a golf ball and ping pong ball) and they will reach the ground simultaneously as a result of gravity with the teacher standing on a chair. ( I mean, I have taken gravity so much for granted that I don't bother thinking about it) And he could explain to me what they did in school and also said "it is because of gravity".

Then, Imm also brought back materials to make his own planetarium which consists of this:
1) Polystyrene cup
2) black plastic bag cut into a square (20 cm by 20 cm)
3) Elastic band
4) A pin
5) Small flashlight

1) Take the cup and make a hole the size of the 5c coin in the bottom
2) Tie the black plastic bag over the opening of the cup and fasten with elastic band
3) Using a pin and a nail, make holes in the plastic.
4) When it is dark, shine the light through the hole you make in the bottom of the cup.

Imm was so excited to see the little lights (planets) appearing on the wall. These days, he loves playing with flashlights and just seeing shadows appear. Something simple for sharing and consolidating. :)

Silvermine Nature Reserve

Wednesday, February 10, 2016 0 Comments A+ a-

For me, I constantly yearn for nature because it just brings a sense of calmness and peace to the soul. Both hub and me have been trying to expose our kids to nature especially in Cape Town. During the weekend, we went to Silvermine, which had many touches of nature. Somehow, I felt that our kids are different... a little sheltered and spoilt as compared to the kids here. Especially Imm, he whines when there is sand in his shoe, whines when he is tired after walking a little and whines when it is too hot or too cold. :( We would try to incorporate more fun in our physical activities and hopefully strengthen his stamina. Maybe it is his character, as we do not experience as much resistance from Ko. Yet, I can't help feeling that the kids here are much more adventurous and don't mind the heat and the cold as much.

Anyway, the kids really enjoyed themselves during our mini treking trip though there was some whining here and there. Please remind me to make them wear proper shoes as Imm cannot stand sand in his crocs. That is what I constantly overlooked as crocs are normally very comfy for them, except when we go to sandy places. We bought some food from the supermarket like roast chicken and fried noodles for our picnic. Here is Ko enjoying her mini tub of blueberries.



As we were walking around and trying to find a good area for our picnic, Imm was very interested in the bugs that he could spot.



 A peace (piece) of stillness.



The man and the boy enjoying their food.





 Eating more blueberries.


Mummy cannot help posing as the trees looks so nice in the background.




Walking along the path.


This boy will try to "poke" at the dragonfly despite always telling him how he will like it if someone were to poke at his face.


Yes, you have a long way to go my kiddos.


We found some lalangs and the kids got to play with them.


Well, what I learnt is to always keep trying, with each attempt in exposing them to nature, the children get to whiff another breath of fresh air and a little physical activity regularly always goes a long way!
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