Playing Days

I am so looking forward to Thursday when Jiale goes to school for 3 hours!

How it has already made a difference to our lives:
In the past when we did grocery shopping during the weekend, I would be like a headless chicken dashing around the mall or neighbourhood shops, trying to get as much shopping or errands done as possible, so as to minimize any additional shopping trips during the week. But the previous weekend, while Hubby shopped for his shoes at PP, I could bring the boys to the playground outside and sit there and relax, watching them play.. for almost two hours! Because I knew that I could do my things while Jiale is in school : )

Still feeling some guilt la, mainly because I am a sahm and does not actually need to send him to school.. as opposed to a full-time working mother who has to arrange some sort of childcare anyway. So, I have made a very brave decision, and even more bravely communicated this to my hubby - if Jiale is still crying when I leave him at the school at the end of the term (gasp, just 6 more weeks!), I shall stop his lessons. And resign myself to lugging both boys around for my shopping & errands. I reason, at least he won't be crying when he goes shopping with me.. at most tantrums.. bad-tempered.. grouchy.. cranky.. Yucks. Oh well, if he has to be unhappy, at least be unhappy with mummy around.

Best is he is happy at Playdays. *hope hope hope*

Improvised Routine

Added a couple of new things to our routine today. I have decided that all messy stuff will be done before Didi's morning nap. Best if he can join us. If not, he shall just play on his own around the house. This way, I will have free time to do learning activities with Jiale during Didi's nap. Right now, I leave it to Jiale whether he wants to join me to do puzzles etc. Sometimes, like this morning, he prefers to play on his own, e.g. with his trains. Then I will just read a book in his room - wait for him and model good habit of reading! : )

(But I'm not sure whether I should call him in or 'lure' him to do the learning activities instead? My main concern is he might need/want more free/independent play. Hmm. In fact, speaking of free/independent play, some authors say that the parent should be 'fully present' while the child is at play. The child leads the play, while the parent sits next to him and sometimes say things like 'you are putting a blue block on the red block' (to teach colors) or 'that is a good effort' (to provide encouragement). However my current stand is, independent play means he should be playing all by himself :P If he encounters any problems, he should come and look for me to ask for help. I don't want him to get used to me sitting next to him while he plays! If he whines, he can continue whining on his own and I shall NOT go to him! Gotta think on this more.)

While we used to do either free play or learning activities after Didi's nap, I started physical play and music play today. Can't do this during Didi's nap cos it's too noisy! And Didi can also join us : )

For physical play, I was inspired by the book The Art of Roughhousing. What we did today - I have a set of hopscotch mats from ELC and we played hopscotch. So fun and can help me lose weight too, LOL. Didi participated by blocking our way, LOL. Anyway it got Jiale all excited and sweaty : ) After that I did the Rogue Elephant with both boys, more fun, more sweat, more laughter!
Then we moved on to music play. Played a CD and we just danced and shook some toy musical instruments. Jiale was running around in circles with the instruments! I am so glad I have added in the physical play and music play elements. They are definitely fun and most probably good for the boys. Used to do them too, but it was once in a blue moon.. Gonna stick to the new routine, hope it's not too late for Jiale!

And if the boys are otherwised engaged, I shall just hang around and sing along to a CD. They can ignore me, it's ok :P As it is, they don't get much time to play together.. (because Didi has 2 naps a day!!) so if they wanna play with each other, good!

It feels great to have a routine in place, cos when I have new things to add/change, I can just look at our usual routine and plan how to slot in the new things. It also helps me to get things done.. otherwise the days just seemed to pass us by.. then I looked back and realised I had done nothing!

Homepreschool and Beyond

Disclaimer: My 'book reviews' are very subjective as it depends on whether the book is relevant to my family. Neither will I be doing any summary as I believe it's the details that make the book useful/helpful.

Why I am giving this book away:

The book talks about homeschooling from a Christian perspective and I am not a Christian. Thus it's hard for me to be convinced why I need to do something when the reason given is something along the line of 'for God'. And if I am not convinced, I won't use it.

I did finish the book though I knew from the first chapter it's not suitable for me. Read through it very quickly, didn't want to spend too much time on it.

I would say it would be a good read for someone who is a Christian and keen on just being a good Christian and bringing up her children to be good Christians.. I must admit that religion aside, I have not-so-innocent ambitions for my children - other than being good persons, I hope that my boys will be smart and successful. This is mainly because I did well academically and I think it has made my life a lot easier. For example I got a government scholarship and did not have to worry about paying off any loans after graduation. True, it sometimes didn't feel good to be bonded, but I was in a job which I would have chosen even without the bond, and the bond was only a few years. Because I was a scholar, more opportunities were offered to me, and I had more options to choose what I wished to do. Thus, of course I hope that my children will have a similarly smooth-sailing life.

That said, while the perfect outcome is for them to be good + happy + smart, smart is the last priority of the three. I am inclined towards play-based learning as it apparently can make children smart while they are also happily playing. But since I do not know whether play-based learning is really more effective than academic-type of learning, I would err on the side of happy children : ) And I am SURE that playing children are happier than studying children, LOL.

Back to the book. It seems that the author herself does not claim her book will help parents help their children be smart.. just good + happy.. Hmm.. I better go search for more books on helping my children be good + happy + smart!

Outdoor Play

Sometimes I did get a little stressed when Jiale preferred to just stand around or sit around when we were at the playground. I would be thinking, 'gosh I put in effort to bring you and your brother all the way here.. and you just wanna sit/stand?? Go run around or cycle around..!!'

But upon closer observation, I realised that even when he does not seem to be 'doing' anything much, he is observing the other children at the playground - watching the kor kors climb up high high, watching the jie jies play AEIOU/traffic light, watching how the other children interact in their games. All these are learning which he can't do at home.

As I look at my son sitting with the warm evening sun on his face and the gentle breeze ruffling his hair, I am happy : )

Dye Hair DIY

First time I tried colouring my hair myself! Only did highlight/colour at hair salon before, and only 2-3 times as I like my black hair.. BUT now I need to cover white hair : (

So many changes in my personal grooming since I had kids..

Used to do $180 facials. Now it's $30 facials. Even then I can't go regularly cos I have to take care of the boys.

Used to use expensive skincare products - SK II, Clarins, Estee Lauder.. the list goes on.. Now, only pharmacy brands like Nivea. Neutrogena is a luxury item..

Used to sleep as early and wake up as late as I liked on non-working days. Now I am almost always up by 7am when my mobile alarm clock comes to look for me.

Used to play volleyball 2-3 times a week, run 1-2 times a week, play badminton occasionally, go gym........ Now no time, no energy to exercise..

Used to go shopping and buy new clothes whenever I felt like it. Now I only buy when I really need to! (e.g. shoes falling apart)

Tell me, like this how to not become auntie??!

Book: The Art of Roughhousing

Disclaimer: My 'book reviews' are very subjective as it depends on whether the book is relevant to my family. Neither will I be doing any summary as I believe it's the details that make the book useful/helpful

I had come across this title quite a few times as it was often mentioned and quoted and praised in the play-based learning books which I like to read. But I thought there was no need to read it as ‘what’s there to read about roughhousing..??’ But one fine day, I finally reserved it from the library. And I was pleasantly surprised!

Other than the physical & emotional benefits (bonding with parent), the book also talks about how roughhousing is good for EQ etc. It then provides clear instructions and illustrations on how to do roughhousing with your child. I am convinced and will be incorporating roughhousing into our daily (weekday) routine : )

By the way one of the two authors is Lawrence Cohen, who is the author of the book Playful Parenting. Another good book. But I won't be writing about it cos I read it sometime ago.

Book: How to Behave So That Your Preschooler Will, Too

Disclaimer: My 'book reviews' are very subjective as it depends on whether the book is relevant to my family. Neither will I be doing any summary as I believe it's the details that make the book useful/helpful.

Borrowed this book from the library after someone recommended it. And it's good! I spent quite long on this book as I wanted to read in detail and to remember as much as possible. As I was reading, I often paused to think about my situation and how I could apply the methods.

After more than 2 years of parenting (including 10+ months of being a parent of two), I totally agree that the child's behavior reflects that of the parenting style and home environment. Unfortunately, there are so many undesirable traits that Jiale exhibits/exhibited that I know he learnt from me! Boo hoo..

The happy thing is, I am already doing most of the things which this book suggests. Yippee! Just gotta fine-tune or remind myself to stick to what I am doing. (Not that I am such a good parent, just that I have been reading a lot about discipline, parenting etc recently, and have started to use what I have learnt. I used to read 'how to make your child smart' type of books :P)

OK, that's my 'book review'. Nothing much to say, except it's GOOD! Highly recommended!