Tuesday, January 30, 2007 ;
4:57 AM
I need to update about ds1 and ds2 progress and devt once in a while. It is a good reference for me too. Eg in future, I can look back and see, hey, ds1 did this on such a date, and use it as a gauge to see when ds2 will do it.
Like when their 1st tooth appeared and so on... I had recorded the dates faithfully in a small booklet, but that's back home in Singapore, so this blog will be good for that purpose now. Best thing is I can access it anywhere and the time and date is automatically recorded.
1. Anyway, ds1 has been diaper-free totally (throughout the night) for about a week now. Think cos he stopped having his night-time bottle of milk, he has been able to wait till morning to pee.
2. I turn on my PC in the morning when I wake up and leave it on till night so that if someone skypes me I may be able to receive.
I realised ds2 has been playing with the computer by himself, when I am busy in the kitchen for what must be the longest time ever? Cos I discovered yesterday, while sitting with him at the PC, that he can boot up, wait till everything's settled, hold the mouse, point at the "Start" button, scroll up to "Internet Explorer", click, wait for window to appear, click on the "Star" on top which stands for "Favourites", then click on the Fisher-Price Games Online page that I bookmarked for them, then play his ABC game!!! All by himself! I was flabbergasted, shocked, taken aback... He's not even 2 yet and turning into an obsessed gamer, help!
I really have no idea how he learned that, must be through trial and error, else must be through observing how we did it without us knowing he was looking on. That's a bit scary. That's why it is very important I monitor what they see or watch on TV and elsewhere cos I think they soak everything up like sponges now.
3. ds1 has been thriving under the kind and friendly American teachers here. Actually besides Sunday school, other adults he meets elsewhere are also effusive with their praise and encouraging comments. I think Americans are good in that, they make others feel good and they say what they think very easily.
Asians are more reserved (of course not all, I'm just saying tend to..). Maybe I should just say "I". :-) And i don't really speak up in a large crowd if I have certain opinions. I also praise little but scold or advise more. And I guess, when we're very happy or feel good, we don't let everyone know or don't express it as much?
Eg. Someone helped ds1 into the gents when the ladies was full and I was carrying ds2 in my arms, and ds1 was really urgent. After they emerged from the gents, ds1 said "Thank you" to that gentleman and he had a loud enough and welcoming "You're welcome" with accent and all.
Very often in Singapore, it will just be a nod or a smile. So ds1 is now saying very loud "You're welcome" with the same accent and all. When I say Thanks to him for helping me out. It's quite funny, but I am glad he'll learning to be more polite and to be loud about it.
Eg 2. His Bible class teacher praises him with such varied vocab and at a frequency of maybe 1x in 5 min that ds1 feels very happy going to her class and is having high self esteem now. I personally heard the praises she dished out one day when I was about to pick him up. She was saying, "Well done, Titus! That was a great job, you completed this really tough puzzle! What fantastic effort! I am so glad you enjoyed this, wonderful!" This was then repeated with the other students but using different vocab and words.
In Singapore, I hold ds1's teachers in high regard and totally understand the work they are doing too. But, like me, they don't praise much. In fact, after class, the teacher will often complain to me how ds1 tried to fool around etc.
ds1 is now "encouraging" me too, using the words, and it is so funny, when I give him his lunch, and he goes "Thank you soooo much mummy, you did a great job in frying this delicious egg for me!" (Add in the accent for effect, and it is soooo hilarious.)
I must say ds1 mimics peopls's accents and the way they speak very well. Really amusing.
Yup, so these are the good things he has been learning so far.
Cannot always complain or wash dirty linen here right? :-)
If I ever do go back to teaching, I wonder if I will go, "Hey Bren, that was such a neat dissection you did! What a straight line down the abdomen! Fantastic, Mong, it is wonderful there isn't much blood shed there! Great job, Pam, your first aid skills are serving you well here. That sure was pinned down tight, Andy, marvellous! Junhong, you pulled the intestines long and straight, what an amazing illustration! Jin Guan, you're a walking encyclopaedia, you labelled all the parts correctly! Wee Loon, you tucked in your shirt today, wow, you're on your way to becoming a model student! Jona and Huang Hao, you turned up for class today? You will surely ace the Bio A levels now!"
:-)
rainbows every day, do not worry for the morrow
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