One said, “Before school opens, I brought my girl to shopping center to practise using public phone. I taught her how to put in coins and make a call. In the school canteen, there are a few public phones. So just in case of any emergency, I told my girl to use the public phone to call me.”

“Ya, I told my son the same thing. He said, ‘why don’t you give me a handphone to school?’.” another Si-Lai added + roll-eyed.

Cool ! Lesson learnt: Ya, it’s good to train the girls to be resourceful when come to emergency.

Will do that this weekend.

Last year Ling and Ying has about 10 days outstanding lessons, each, get burnt, as I am thinking to stop the class for a while, so that Ling can rest and re-adjust to her new primary school life style, then only decide.

Now I count count count, wah lau, … I am actually almost paying double. 14 lessons for RM500+ instead of 24 lessons.

Careless me. . . Now feel bad for wasting the money. Unless I sign up another package… but then need to make sure they complete 24 + 10 lessons in 6 months time. Have to go for the classes more than once a week, then only can fully utilize the 34 lessons paid. . . . But more than once a week is a bit tough, a bit overload for Ling, tough for me logistic wise …

m m … Will ask the girls tonight whether they want to continue.

…

I was like … sigh … trying not to scold her, I walked away, picked up the phone and called Mr Daddy, “commanded” him to drop by the school on his way home to pick up the books.

Then taking a deep breath, I told Ling to stop crying. “No one is scolding you. You made a mistake, then first thing is to admit it and apologize. Then think of way to correct it. “

“Tell your teacher first thing in school. Apologize. If the teacher is upset and scold you, just apologize again. She will stop scolding after all. “

Ling stopped crying, and wiping her tears.

“What if I cannot find my books?”

“Teacher will help to find it and if still cannot find, teacher will have solution for it. Don’t worry.”

She was not tensed any more. And me too…

…

After bath, I felt I need to reassure her this.

“Ling, you did the right thing though. You told mummy immediately when you found out you forget your books. This is very good. You didn’t hide your mistake and let the problem grows bigger. “

“Ya, I told you the first thing I remember it.”

“Ya, very good. Then we can help. We have more time to help. Imagine. If you keep it until midnight only tell us, no one can help. The school is closed. No one can go and find the books. Tomorrow when the morning session students come, they might throw it, take it, or put it some where else. Then harder to find.”

“Ya. ….” she nodded.  ”I hope Daddy can find it. Then I still have time to finish my homework.”

…

@9.30pm, Daddy came home. Mission accomplished ! Ling put on a big smile on her face.

…

p.s. Daddy said, he is not alone. Another mummy and little girl was there searching in another classroom.

…

GIRLS,  always always remember. Don’t try to hide a problem. It won’t disappear. It will grow bigger instead. Seek help as early as possible.

(I have been through a lot of hardship cleaning up others’ big mass in life, just because those people lied and hid the problem when it’s small. So I don’t want you two to have that bad habit.)

Today, on the way home, she kept on talking about the trolley like bag her schoolmates have.

When reached home, I asked her, “Ling, do you want a trolley school bag like your friend?”

She stopped for a while, …

“Then it will be a waste for my school bag. Cause no one is going to use it.” 

…

Dear, mummy is so proud of you.

My hubby and I has different view. IF the class starts at 9am, I would prefer to be there at least 8.55am. But my hubby’s way, reaching there at 9.05am is sufficient.

Being a working mother, trying to get the most out of the time for my dearest daughters, I feel and I know the important of time mgmt.

So, a lot of time, I am quite strict with the girls about ‘doing thing following time’. I spent quite some time, thinking of way to let them understand why sometimes, you just can’t do thing your time your way.

When they are so into playing and don’t want to leave the house for meal (especially weekend), Ling even will come out idea like “I don’t feel hungry yet.”. So there was one time, we just let it be, until it passed 3, only we departed to search for food. Well, a lot of restaurant started to rest during that time. And the girls were starving. I took the opportunity to lecture them.

“All other people work according to time. Now all the cooks are resting, then you can’t find food to eat lo..”

“Teachers go to school at the time set, like morning session, they go to teach in the morning. If you want to follow your way, only go to school after you finish watching your show on TV, the teacher might have left for home. No one is there to teach you. And you miss out what teacher taught that morning.”

“You know you need to sleep at 10pm. But you still want to chit chat. The clock will continue ticking. The time will not stop at 9.59pm and wait until you finish talking then only continue to be 10pm. Time and tide wait for no one.“

Then the ever cheeky girls will ask, “Mummy, what is tide? “

“Tide is like the wave in the sea…. ” blah blah…

When I finished, only realized I was tricked, side tracked from my lecture.

…

Girls, remember, time management is not just doing thing in a timely manner.

Need to go out early in the morning, still choose to watch Hong Kong drama till 2/3am, and next morning skip breakfast to reach on time, that is not time management.

“Pretty pleaseeee….. with extra cheeseeee …. ” begged Ying.

“Ok, just one show.”

“Yeah !” … and the girls ran to the TV, and sat there quietly watching the show.

Well, this is another show I would like to recommend. Something like The Magic School Bus, which introduce science topics in an interesting way. I sat down with them sometimes. Once the Cat in the Hat brought the children to the termites home, and saw how they build the termite tower. Once, they met with the silk worm, and showing how silk worm spitting out the silk, building its own cocoon.

The girls find the Cat very funny. hahaha… (mummy finds him ugly …. shhhh…. )

Yesterday, we went there early. When it’s almost time, we saw teachers leading Std 1 children to the canteen.

The gate remained close. We all waited patiently outside. After a while, we saw about 10 plus students walking/running to the car park waiting area, waiting there instead of canteen.

Later, the Asst Headmaster (AHM) came out and saw them. She walked over, reasoned to them that there was no teacher to look after them there. The children remained there, showed no movement. She scolded the children, asking them to go back to canteen. Still no movement.

It’s getting late and the parents outside began to be impatient. No choice, the AHM left the car park and gave the green light for the gates to be opened. Parents/Transporters rushed in to pick up the children.

…

Nowadays the children are so daring. Last time, far far away saw the HM/AHM coming, very scared and will behave. Now, even the AHM opens mouth already, Std 1 student can just be so ignorant.

…

Some said we should not restrict a child so much, must give more freedom. But some how, when come to discipline, rules and regulatory, I still strongly agree with this example sentence when I look up for the word “abide ” in dictionary:

“They should act like adults who, while they may have a healthy dislike of laws, nonetheless they abide by them.”

Ling started to get her first homework last Friday. Ying got hers today.

So, it’s time to set the rules out clear for the girls, must ‘tame’ their ‘flowery heart’.

Ya, the side effect of a long holiday break is, all in their mind:

what time the TV will be showing which show, which show is new episod

after play time, then story time, then reading time ..

and never ending activities until they give in to sleep at almost midnight

All these have to change. Yes, mummy says:

Now cannot sleep later than 10pm ooo…  (well, buffer in 30 minutes the girly talk-time)

Now after school, straight to bath ooo… No lenggang lenggang ooo…

Now after bath, can relax, have a break, watch some TV, then can have meal already lo…

Now after the rest&meal time, have to finish your school homework before nap/sleep time ooo… No bringing over the homework till next morning for Ling, and the night time for Ying.

Now before sleep, must make sure the school bag is packed for tomorrow time table ooo…Like tonight, luckily you packed your school bag and discovered you had one more homework which you missed out just now ooo…

Then the rest of the time is free…. only if you have done all the revision and study for all your spelling / ejaan / 听写 / exam if there is any.

Fair ?

“Yes “

Deal ?

“Deal “

The day before, we did all sort of talking,

You must drink water. Not one short drink finish the whole bottle. Whenever you feel thirsty.

Don’t be afraid to go to toilet. Just seek approval from teacher first. Don’t hold until school is off.

Take care of your belongings. You can borrow your friends but remember to take it back. If they don’t want to give back, you have to tell teacher immediately.

Make sure all your things are labeled, and put back properly. 

Remember daddy and mummy’s phone number. Write it down and keep one in your school bag.

If you are not feeling well, tell your teacher immediately. Mummy will come to pick you up.

Don’t run in your school, especially with your heavy school bag. It’s crowded and can bump into other easily.

Never never talk to a stranger nor  go with a stranger.

Never leave the school compound.  

Only daddy and mummy will come to pick you up and no one else.

Pay attention in class. Don’t talk when teacher is teaching. Mummy is not in the class, so might not be able to help.

You are big girl now, must know how to take care of yourself and protect yourself.

OK ?

Ling looked at us, like ‘tak apa’, answered, “OK.”

Ya, daddy and mummy were very kan cheong.

We took leave to send her. Departed from our house @12.35pm, reach the Shell station near the school @1.05pm. Perfect timing. Then jammed there for almost 5 minutes, and decided to get off the car and walked  to the school entrance. She reached the waiting place @1.15pm. Phew..

…