Saturday, May 1, 2010 ;
1:05 PM
Both boys adore their sister. But I think ds2 has more time with her because he has no homework from school and no other distractions.
ds1 will also spend time talking and playing with dd but only when he's free. Unlike his carefree brother who is enjoying his kindy so much, ds1 has spelling on Thurs, tingxie (Chinese spelling) on Fri, homework on most days now, Chess Club on Tues and Thurs till 6pm, and PAL (programme for active learning) on Thurs (1-3pm). He also has piano on Sat, and used to have swimming on Friday but we scrapped the swimming already.
A pity cos it seems less balanced now (his activities) but something has to give because I believe kids need time to "zone out" and have unstructured free play time. (PAL and Chess is part of school, not parent-enforced)
And he loves his chess and PAL. Each term, PAL is different. Last term, it was Aesthetic Arts, so they did painting and craft and so on, done by external vendor. This term, it seems they bought an external programme but the school's own teachers did the activities with them. It's an outdoor module and I thought it'd be sports but no.
From what ds1 tells me, it seems to be something like jungle survival training.
When I first heard that I wanted to laugh. It seemed ridiculous for a bunch of 7 yr olds whose parents most likely do not bring them to "jungles". A course on what to do when they get lost in the mall seemed more apt.
But then ds1 loves it. Each week, he'll return to tell me how they learnt what materials are most important when stranded or lost. Flashlight, water etc. I can't remember the rest of the tools he said. They learnt how to create a fire with friction, and how to survive on certain edible roots or whatever plants they see. How to get clear drinking water. How to signal for help. That kind of thing.
They also had some activities like being blindfolded and had to feel a rope that, according to ds1, was entwined all over the school, even up and down the 4-5 storeys (ds1 is given to exaggeration like most preschoolers are, only he is not a preschooler anymore). So I am not sure if that was really the case, but he said he loved being blindfolded and using only his sense of hearing and touch. According to him, it is about knowing how to move around in the pitch black darkness of the jungle in the night.
It's quite funny cos now all ds1 wants for us to do is to have a vacation in the jungle. I hope he doesn't really wish he gets lost so he can use all his newfound skills!
So anyway, ds2 has more pics with dd, not cos he loves her more. Just because he has much more free time. Here he is reading to her.
Sleeping with her...
(He knows he is not supposed to disturb or touch her if she is asleep - I have lost my temper before because of that - so his position is so awkward. Like he can't have the rest of his body near her, but yet he wants to hold her hand to fall asleep. :-)) So both of them end up sleeping on my bed, face down (not supposed to, for baby, I know).
ds2 wanting to "do homework" like his brother. So he requested to learn Chinese. ds1 was so happy to be the teacher, for once. dd looks on at everything in a very amused and puzzled manner. quite funny.
Fast asleep during the Wednesday Bible class - good for me, of course, then I can pay full attention. The outfit is so cute, thanks Mary!
ds2 showing his toys to dd, one by one. With long narrative too. Good thing there is someone to listen to him, he is getting more long winded!
Everyone entertaining her together, she is so blessed...
rainbows every day, do not worry for the morrow
____________________________________________________________
Sleeping with her...
Fast asleep during the Wednesday Bible class - good for me, of course, then I can pay full attention. The outfit is so cute, thanks Mary!
ds2 showing his toys to dd, one by one. With long narrative too. Good thing there is someone to listen to him, he is getting more long winded!
Everyone entertaining her together, she is so blessed...
