Slowing Down for the Children

I realised that Jiale enjoys himself more when he is given sufficient time to slowly explore, to get the feel of the place whenever we go to a new place. But with our tight schedules (can only go out after their naps, traveling time, need to rush back for dinner & bedtime) and my Type A personality, it often means he hardly had time to get used to the place before we had to move on.

Example of my ideal itinerary: since we are going to Woodlands, we should go to the old playgrounds at Woodlands, the sheltered outdoor playground and wet playground at Causeway Point, and Woodlands Waterfront. So far away, takes so long traveling time (or spend so much money on cab fare), we should whack everything mah! And when we are at the playgrounds, we should go through everything one round quickly first, in case the boys get tired/sian or it rains or no more time. Then if still got time, can let the boys slowly play.

But Jiale would not be happy. (Didi is still too young to mind.) Even when the playground was very simple, not much to play, few/no other children around to play together, he would be unwilling to leave. So far, I have managed to get him to cooperate by enticing him with something else (ok ok, bribe la).. But I knew what the problem was...

I do believe that children need a slower pace of life. They need more time to digest things. Not that they are slower as in stupid, just that things are newer and more interesting to them than to us cynical lao kok koks. For instance I usually only focus on the main characters in a scene, but I realised that Jiale is able to tell me about the other peripheral things going on in that same scene - he notices and remembers many more things than I do! The recent Eric Carle Treasury puppetry show was too slow for me, but Jiale was totally captivated throughout. I think that's the way it should be - if it's not too boring for adults, it's probably too fast for young children.

So I have decided to do it their way instead of my way. I am going to take many a deep breath and restrain my task-oriented inner self even if it kills me. From now on, the rule is this - I am only in charge of bringing them to the destination. I shall have zero itinerary in mind (but I still need to be firm about what time to go home lah). If they want to hang around the same old rundown playground and explore that one corner for two hours, I wait (nicely and patiently, no mummy tantrums :p)

Today we are going to Pasir Ris Park. Such a big park, so many nice playgrounds. Hmm. Shall update again.