suxp

Now, the Boy had been attending art classes on Sunday afternoons for 5 months, as requested by him. Seriously, I didn't think much about his "artistic interest" as he doesn't even doodle at home. Not at all! So, it was a real surprise to me that he would want to attend art classes. "So that I can draw your portraits when you are old" was the reason he gave when I asked him why. As supportive parents who were touched by his words, we signed him up.

In the 5 months, other than what he did in his art classes, we didn't see him draw anything at home "voluntarily". Not even doodle! Logical reasoning will tell us that this fellow ain't really that interested about arts. As practical parents, we are tempted to not sign him up for the next term. But the fellow would like to continue!

Seriously, at times I really don't understand my Boy. Sigh... to sign or not to sign... ...

Dinner picnic by the waterway!

Thanks to the Boy's friend, we visited Lilliputt for a morning of mini golf around "Singapore".

The Toks do not exactly consume any form of alcoholic drinks, sans the rum in rum-&-raisin ice creams. But for 2 days 1 night, we got high on Soju. Thanks to Uncle Stephen and Auntie Serene, who kindly "loan" their girl to us.

The Girl had her 2nd master class today. Today, the principal asked for a show of hands, who likes to practice piano. My eyes popped out and jaws dropped, when my Boy turned to me and told me that he likes piano practice!!

Me  : *  O.o  * Huh? You like to practice piano?! Are you sure?
Boy : Yes, I like. Practice makes perfect.
Me  : Ya... but why do I have this feeling that you don't like piano practice?
Boy : No, I like to practice. I just don't like the scoldings.
Me  : ... ...

Hello, my dear Boy, I don't like to scold too. But what's the point of you practicing if you keep playing the same few mistakes repeatedly, despite being told of them? How calm can I be after hearing the same mistakes (if it's not this mistake, it'll be that. The bucket of mistakes just take turn to show up at each playings) and having to say the same few things a gazillion times?!

Nonetheless, I am glad to hear that you like to practice. There's still hope!

Going back to the Girl. Her performance was not as good as the last round. An A-minus grade this time. Her face changed when her name was not called in the A grade listing. Ha, can see that she had thought very highly of herself and was very concern with her grades.

Now, this is a key difference between the 2 juvenile Martian and Venusian in our household. The Martian ain't bothered at all with results. Good and bad, I feel. Good and bad. Nothing absolute.

In any case, the Girl requested for MacDonald's after the master class and I told her no. The last time we went was because it was her FIRST master class and we had went after Gor Gor's first master class too. It'll be unfair to Gor Gor if we go after her subsequent master classes. Furthermore, Gor Gor spent more time practicing than she did, put in more effort than she did and yet there wasn't any Mac's treat after his master class. Triple unfair to Gor Gor if I acceded to her request.

Boy : I don't feel unfair.
Me  : Why not? You practiced harder and got scolded more, why don't you feel unfair?
Boy : She has a better grade mah.
Me  : Are you sure you don't mind??
Boy : I don't mind at all.
Me  : If that's the case, we'll go. But not because of Meimei. We are going because Gor Gor is so nice.

Think it has been more than a year, since we last went to Bukit Timah hill. Gosh... why haven't we any time to go there?

Well, during the last hiking trip we went on @ Batu Pahat, the Boy complained that that hill was not very fun. Not fun because it was just walking, no climbing at all. So on this public holiday, we headed for Bukit Timah hill's Rock Path for some simple "climbing".

Ever since the Boy started Primary School, and being in the afternoon session, he has less time to be in his own world (imaginative play by himself). I suspect he has not been able to meet his own "internal quota of joyousness". As a result, at the start of this term (term 2), he requested for a celebration. Probably hoping to "double up" his happy index, since he has less time at hand now.

Now, I am not one who dangle carrots in order to gain results. My stand is, what needs to be done, has to be done and results/rewards will follow in due course. Apparently, the Boy doesn't have the patience to wait out and is attempting to "create happiness" for himself. AND he did not realize that our Saturdays are play days. Just because the Saturdays are not labelled as "celebration days", the activities are not fun enough?!?! Oh well, I respect that. In fact, I am glad that he is aware of his wants/needs and had voiced out his wishes for discussion.

What's a celebration if there's no reasons/excuses to celebrate? So after a short discussion over dinner, the deal is a minor celebration day for every 5 consecutive 100% in spelling & tingxie and a major one for all 10 spellings to be full marks. These aren't difficult to achieve as his kindergarten had done a great job teaching him to make up words using phonics and in hanyu pinyin. He just need to rid his carelessness and all will be well.

So on this day, we had a minor celebration (right after the Sports Day) @ the Vesak Day Funfair, followed by some frolicking in the pool (which we usually do on Sunday evenings if weather permits)!!

Men are from Mars and women from Venus. This was what I told the kids the other day when we saw a bright star (we assumed it has to be Venus) in the sky. They were both amused and intrigued by that phrase. Well, we all know (including the kids) how different the men and women in this household are.

Style of work aside, the Boy is truly a goody-goody guy. Seriously, I should be happy to have a Boy who's always so eager to help, so obedient, so gentlemanly towards his bossy-&-at-times-mean little sister. Never mind if he is careless. Never mind if he couldn't read people's facial expressions. Never mind if he is often oblivious of the going-on around him. He is a good "man".


The Girl likes Castle on a Cloud so much that she made me video so many clips of her singing it, just because the last one wasn't good!

The Girl has a teacher in school that she'd considered fierce. Now and then, she'll comment that "Miss L is fierce".

So, over lunch today (a day when the Girl has lesson with Miss L), I asked her, "Is Miss L fierce today?"

Girl : Yes.
Me  : So, who did she scold today?
Girl : She didn't scold anyone.
Me  : Huh? She didn't scold anyone. Then why did you say that she is fierce?

The Girl rolled her eyes, heaved a silent sigh and looked at me in the eyes.

Girl : Is a lion fierce?
Me  : * O.o * Ehh... yes.
Girl : But it doesn't scold, right?

Case closed!