ystday, my left elbow suddenly felt so painful that i couldn't bend.
the whole nite, i was sleepless due to the torturing pain.
i suspected a sprain, but how and when, i continued to search for the answer.
this morn, hubby fetched me to the tcm at kembangan, a trustworthy physician for treatment.
indeed, the elbow bones were inflammed and my whole arm was injured. after the electro-therapy treatment, my left elbow is now bandaged. the normal movement flexibility is affected.
thk gdness, i have a domestic helper at home doing all the chores. else, i will be caught in a fix.
well, every cloud has a silver lining. i'm sure, i will recover soon.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
joy's audition for music fest
vjc has a big event coming up - music fest.
tgether with some girls of .common dance vision, joy has formed a group to audition this mid week. although the chances for them being shortlisted is not high, coz' they being the most amateur dancers and also this being the first time that girls of jc1 come together, so the chemistry bond is yet to be optimally built up.
but, i truly admire joy and the girls for wanting to give this whole event a try. although it's taking up a fair bit of their time, i knw she will grow in learning and maturity as a result.
hubby stressed to joy, "impt is to make some friends, gain some experiences. dun tag ur expectation too high. afterall, this is the first time that u girls meet and come together!"
well, this perfce isnt coming easy coz' they have to choreograph their own dance steps. imagine so many pple in it, and how i have put it to her,"too many chefs spoil the broth!" but, i do agree with hubby that such an experience will be very enriching for the young girls.
to reward them for their hard work, i bought some portuguese egg tarts for them, while they practised for 4 to 5 hours in our condo studio.
i just wanna tell joy, whatever is the outcome, we are proud that she has emerged from her quiet dumbshell and seeking to extend her wings to try sth new.
i wish she will scale to greater heights....god bless.
the funny part was when i attended the studio to briefly watch them, the girls suddenly 'closed up' and were shy in showing their best potential. upon feedback to joy, she said,"my friends were afraid to show their sexy moves and open up their legs in front of you, coz' they said, their mothers will kill them, if they were being seen doing those actions!"
i followed up,"joy, plse tell them that i'm more open-minded than what they think. plse do share with them, how often u made me sit there, just to see all your steps and actions, ugly ones included!"
like what my hubby always said, 跳舞一定要放得开，要不然跳得扭捏，一点也不好看！in fact, he has been highlighting so much on dance 基本功夫, that joy is now gaining the advantages of both worlds, learning pte lesson (formation) and soaked in her sch dance clubs (basic steps).
i'm sure she will excel....
tgether with some girls of .common dance vision, joy has formed a group to audition this mid week. although the chances for them being shortlisted is not high, coz' they being the most amateur dancers and also this being the first time that girls of jc1 come together, so the chemistry bond is yet to be optimally built up.
but, i truly admire joy and the girls for wanting to give this whole event a try. although it's taking up a fair bit of their time, i knw she will grow in learning and maturity as a result.
hubby stressed to joy, "impt is to make some friends, gain some experiences. dun tag ur expectation too high. afterall, this is the first time that u girls meet and come together!"
well, this perfce isnt coming easy coz' they have to choreograph their own dance steps. imagine so many pple in it, and how i have put it to her,"too many chefs spoil the broth!" but, i do agree with hubby that such an experience will be very enriching for the young girls.
to reward them for their hard work, i bought some portuguese egg tarts for them, while they practised for 4 to 5 hours in our condo studio.
i just wanna tell joy, whatever is the outcome, we are proud that she has emerged from her quiet dumbshell and seeking to extend her wings to try sth new.
i wish she will scale to greater heights....god bless.
the funny part was when i attended the studio to briefly watch them, the girls suddenly 'closed up' and were shy in showing their best potential. upon feedback to joy, she said,"my friends were afraid to show their sexy moves and open up their legs in front of you, coz' they said, their mothers will kill them, if they were being seen doing those actions!"
i followed up,"joy, plse tell them that i'm more open-minded than what they think. plse do share with them, how often u made me sit there, just to see all your steps and actions, ugly ones included!"
like what my hubby always said, 跳舞一定要放得开，要不然跳得扭捏，一点也不好看！in fact, he has been highlighting so much on dance 基本功夫, that joy is now gaining the advantages of both worlds, learning pte lesson (formation) and soaked in her sch dance clubs (basic steps).
i'm sure she will excel....
pastor's msg
i was at church ystday.
pastor mark was sharing a great testimony about a teenage boy who was invited to the church on sat. when he came in, he was pretty resistant to join in the church svc. when pastor mark met him, he sat the chap down and heard him saying,"i'm invited by my friend. but i feel really uncomfortable to attend the praise and worship svc. u knw, i worship my sun god..."
pastor mark responded,"well, there is no obligation for u to attend. but, why not look at it this way? there's nothing for you to lose. just attend the svc and experience what god wish to say to you!"
the chap agreed. he's probably a sikh or indian.
at the end of the session, pastor mark went up to the worship hall to find out what had happened to the guy.
praise GOD, he told the congregation that that chap gave his life to GOD and he was slain too.
indeed, his point to us was that, there's nothing that GOD cannot do. what he needs is that, we believers play our impt roles as instruments for newcomers to the church, so that GOD can work in their lives.
during the sermon, pastor mark also mentioned about owning a truthful heart, a heart that cares and listens. else, living has no meaning, if one becomes stone-hearted and unyielding to changes.
truly, i have strong belief that 'perfect love conquers everything!' of coz, we humans fail in this aspect, and therefore, we need god to show us this love by remembering how he has unconditionally love us.
i knw that, only with us fully submitting to GOD's supremacy, that he can work wonders and miracles in our lives. what might seem totally impossible might take a positive turn, if we learn to cast our burden and anxieties aside, and fully TRUST in him to take charge!
hope this helps to motivate.
pastor mark was sharing a great testimony about a teenage boy who was invited to the church on sat. when he came in, he was pretty resistant to join in the church svc. when pastor mark met him, he sat the chap down and heard him saying,"i'm invited by my friend. but i feel really uncomfortable to attend the praise and worship svc. u knw, i worship my sun god..."
pastor mark responded,"well, there is no obligation for u to attend. but, why not look at it this way? there's nothing for you to lose. just attend the svc and experience what god wish to say to you!"
the chap agreed. he's probably a sikh or indian.
at the end of the session, pastor mark went up to the worship hall to find out what had happened to the guy.
praise GOD, he told the congregation that that chap gave his life to GOD and he was slain too.
indeed, his point to us was that, there's nothing that GOD cannot do. what he needs is that, we believers play our impt roles as instruments for newcomers to the church, so that GOD can work in their lives.
during the sermon, pastor mark also mentioned about owning a truthful heart, a heart that cares and listens. else, living has no meaning, if one becomes stone-hearted and unyielding to changes.
truly, i have strong belief that 'perfect love conquers everything!' of coz, we humans fail in this aspect, and therefore, we need god to show us this love by remembering how he has unconditionally love us.
i knw that, only with us fully submitting to GOD's supremacy, that he can work wonders and miracles in our lives. what might seem totally impossible might take a positive turn, if we learn to cast our burden and anxieties aside, and fully TRUST in him to take charge!
hope this helps to motivate.
an encounter with a little 'reptile'
well, we were done with dinner at burger king east coast and were walking back to the car (parked a distance away) through the narrow passageway beside the grass patch.
suddenly, hubby stopped us from moving forward. he didn't alarm us, but simply pointed at sth on the path....claire went ahead to see and thought it resembled a centipede. some wriggling movement. but, my immediate reaction was a baby 's' - sorry, i was not allowed to spell out in full, lest joy freaked out upon reading this and might just faint at the sight of the word.
the 2 girls and i froze at the spot for a while, barely 60 cm away from the danger spot. trust joy to hold out her new i-phone and quickly videoed me screaming away in hysteria.....claire ran across first, followed by me, then joy.
we were still in a state of shock after the whole crossing over. c'mon, just think about it, if my dear hubby had not stayed so alert while walking in front of us, anyone of us could have stepped onto the 'reptile'. trust me, i will surely faint and might need mouth-to-mouth resuscitation!
in the car, we were still talking about it while joy hummed her way to block her ears from our 'dreadful' conversation. hubby teased us,"hmm...come to think of it, how could a baby reptile appear out of no where unless...hmm.." i continued,"r u trying to tell us that the mummy reptile is just round the corner?"
the conversation really scared me to a pallid state.
anyway, all ended well. in claire's declaration,"what an adventurous night!"
i was simply glad that my darling hubby is our saviour. without his presence, our lives will be doomed....ha, such an exaggeration. simply to emphasise how impt a role he plays in our family.
the girls and i love him lots...
suddenly, hubby stopped us from moving forward. he didn't alarm us, but simply pointed at sth on the path....claire went ahead to see and thought it resembled a centipede. some wriggling movement. but, my immediate reaction was a baby 's' - sorry, i was not allowed to spell out in full, lest joy freaked out upon reading this and might just faint at the sight of the word.
the 2 girls and i froze at the spot for a while, barely 60 cm away from the danger spot. trust joy to hold out her new i-phone and quickly videoed me screaming away in hysteria.....claire ran across first, followed by me, then joy.
we were still in a state of shock after the whole crossing over. c'mon, just think about it, if my dear hubby had not stayed so alert while walking in front of us, anyone of us could have stepped onto the 'reptile'. trust me, i will surely faint and might need mouth-to-mouth resuscitation!
in the car, we were still talking about it while joy hummed her way to block her ears from our 'dreadful' conversation. hubby teased us,"hmm...come to think of it, how could a baby reptile appear out of no where unless...hmm.." i continued,"r u trying to tell us that the mummy reptile is just round the corner?"
the conversation really scared me to a pallid state.
anyway, all ended well. in claire's declaration,"what an adventurous night!"
i was simply glad that my darling hubby is our saviour. without his presence, our lives will be doomed....ha, such an exaggeration. simply to emphasise how impt a role he plays in our family.
the girls and i love him lots...
Friday, February 25, 2011
my uncle's passing on
my uncle, who suffered for barely 2 weeks in the hospital after some complications in health, has decided to call his life an end.
as the doc had advised that upon discharge after an op, he would no longer be able to eat like a normal human, but needed to be fed liquid milk through a hole in the throat, plus being wheelchair-bound, he uttered to his wife in cantonese,"生不如死！"
so, after giving up his will to live, he was pronounced dead after 2 days. dun u see how fragile human life can be! according to my mom, he was still holidaying in macau last month, and was eagerly planning for a trip back to china hometown, together with the other siblings' folks! too bad, he didnt survive to reach that stage.
at the wake, i was really amazed at my aunty's ability to take the death so calmly. she said, upon hindsight, it was his wish and being a man of pride, it would be difficult for him to live in such 'un-dignified' way! furthermore, she mentioned that he has been rather fiery-tempered these last 6 mths, that serving him on sick bed might be really a challenge.
couplehood is a supporting one. 'in sickness or in health, we stay together!" so pledged the marriage vow.
but the reality of life is , when one spouse is really ill and needs lots of attention from the other one, it will be a real burden to the latter. mental torture but emotional baggage, it's not easy, trust me. i see it with my own eyes
emotional support when one's spouse suffers from low mood is bearable. but, having a journey of no recovery of health for our spouse, i think, is really disheartening.
i'm glad my aunty is fine....i'm sure she will live happily coz she enjoys mahjong sessions and kitchenwork. she is fortunate to be staying with sons and have grandchildren to keep her occupied.
ultimately, when one passes on, everything comes to naught.....so, save the trouble of argument over trivialities and become a better self. that's my profound life's principles these days.
how does that sound?
as the doc had advised that upon discharge after an op, he would no longer be able to eat like a normal human, but needed to be fed liquid milk through a hole in the throat, plus being wheelchair-bound, he uttered to his wife in cantonese,"生不如死！"
so, after giving up his will to live, he was pronounced dead after 2 days. dun u see how fragile human life can be! according to my mom, he was still holidaying in macau last month, and was eagerly planning for a trip back to china hometown, together with the other siblings' folks! too bad, he didnt survive to reach that stage.
at the wake, i was really amazed at my aunty's ability to take the death so calmly. she said, upon hindsight, it was his wish and being a man of pride, it would be difficult for him to live in such 'un-dignified' way! furthermore, she mentioned that he has been rather fiery-tempered these last 6 mths, that serving him on sick bed might be really a challenge.
couplehood is a supporting one. 'in sickness or in health, we stay together!" so pledged the marriage vow.
but the reality of life is , when one spouse is really ill and needs lots of attention from the other one, it will be a real burden to the latter. mental torture but emotional baggage, it's not easy, trust me. i see it with my own eyes
emotional support when one's spouse suffers from low mood is bearable. but, having a journey of no recovery of health for our spouse, i think, is really disheartening.
i'm glad my aunty is fine....i'm sure she will live happily coz she enjoys mahjong sessions and kitchenwork. she is fortunate to be staying with sons and have grandchildren to keep her occupied.
ultimately, when one passes on, everything comes to naught.....so, save the trouble of argument over trivialities and become a better self. that's my profound life's principles these days.
how does that sound?
breakfast with popo
claire was absent from sch for 2 days.
yesterday morn, i took the oppy to bring her to popo's hse for breakfast. she was all elated knowing that she would have the companionship of trisha.
the 2 girls had such fun at the bookshop, without our interference. mom and i went to do some grocery shopping.
when i was queuing up for my food at the food court, i was watching mom from one corner. she was staggering her steps with a hunch as she walked out to look for her 2 grand-daughters. mom has indeed aged a lot.
at the funeral wake held at woodlands on wed nite, one of my pretty aunties (who's married but without a kid) commented that my mom looked haggard. well, of coz, i replied, since she is the caregiver and caretaker of 4 grandchildren at home, looking after their needs.
unlike my aunty who has time for leisure, including casino and mahjong.
so, did my mom lose anything? of coz not. she has won the praise and love of all the 5 children plus grand-children, who could sense her deep love for us.
when my mom went thru the womb prolapse op on 1/4/10, my sis faith told me that when she saw the photo of her womb, she was filled with emotions. in her heart, she thot,"that is the womb that had carried 5 foetus, bringing us to this world, and nurturing us to a useful adult, and now we are all continuing with the lineage.."
it's high time we appreciate our family members and spend more time with them. like what my aunty highlighted at the wake,"we must treasure pple whom we love, since we nvr really knw when they will leave us!"
how can i not agree?
yesterday morn, i took the oppy to bring her to popo's hse for breakfast. she was all elated knowing that she would have the companionship of trisha.
the 2 girls had such fun at the bookshop, without our interference. mom and i went to do some grocery shopping.
when i was queuing up for my food at the food court, i was watching mom from one corner. she was staggering her steps with a hunch as she walked out to look for her 2 grand-daughters. mom has indeed aged a lot.
at the funeral wake held at woodlands on wed nite, one of my pretty aunties (who's married but without a kid) commented that my mom looked haggard. well, of coz, i replied, since she is the caregiver and caretaker of 4 grandchildren at home, looking after their needs.
unlike my aunty who has time for leisure, including casino and mahjong.
so, did my mom lose anything? of coz not. she has won the praise and love of all the 5 children plus grand-children, who could sense her deep love for us.
when my mom went thru the womb prolapse op on 1/4/10, my sis faith told me that when she saw the photo of her womb, she was filled with emotions. in her heart, she thot,"that is the womb that had carried 5 foetus, bringing us to this world, and nurturing us to a useful adult, and now we are all continuing with the lineage.."
it's high time we appreciate our family members and spend more time with them. like what my aunty highlighted at the wake,"we must treasure pple whom we love, since we nvr really knw when they will leave us!"
how can i not agree?
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
am i fierce looking?
i was enjoying my relaxing moment with the pedicurist ystdy.
when she knew that i was into private teaching, she asked,"ur stdts must be afraid of u, rite?"
i was amused. the best part about stdts engaging pte tutors is, they are different from sch teachers. pte tutors like myself are a lot of patient and accomodating, plus having the ability to make them understand things faster. (of coz, how much gets retained is another question, haha!)
"of coz not. u mean i look very fierce?" i responded with confused look.
"well, if i see u for the first time, i will think you look fierce!"
haha, is that really the impression that i will project to my stdts? i really wonder.
i never thought they are scared of me. one stdt even received a 'threat' from his mom,"i will pull u out from aunty verlyn's class and put u with a very strict and fierce teacher, so that you dun think that u will have an easy way out!"
because of his wish to stick on to me, he promised to be more serious in his work. well, what's the conclusion then? i am not fierce. in fact, i think teaching has built up my patience level. afterall, my stdts are not my kids. i can't be free to scold them like the way i scold my kids, rite? (esp joy, who gets a large part of my impatient years while i was still working. claire is a lot luckier, when it comes to my mellowed temperaments in the last 3 yrs.)
unexpectedly, my hubby told me 2 nites ago, "i think the kids are scared of you. sometimes, you might be demanding on them without knowing it!"
"really? i nvr imagine it to be that way! they always tell me they love me and they knw i always do my best for them!" came my reply. no struggle, no offense. just a little amused.
"when u throw tantrums, we are all very scared and will withdraw from you!" he continued.
"well, as a mom, if i dun even have the authority to get mad with certain things occasionally, then i would wield no 'position' in this family!" what an amusing reply.
"if u dun believe me, u can check with them!" he challenged.
"ok, i will find time to ask them if i'm demanding on them. and that if they are scared of me?" i would certainly solve this mystery.
frankly, i dun think my kids are afraid of me. i would really think that they love me more than anything.
but, i will surely get to the bottom of it.
on a last note, i dun deny that when i threw tantrums in the past (younger days), i would be like a hurricane swirling its power of destruction with hurting words. the best part of me is, i'm always willing to face up to what i do, and change for the better.
when she knew that i was into private teaching, she asked,"ur stdts must be afraid of u, rite?"
i was amused. the best part about stdts engaging pte tutors is, they are different from sch teachers. pte tutors like myself are a lot of patient and accomodating, plus having the ability to make them understand things faster. (of coz, how much gets retained is another question, haha!)
"of coz not. u mean i look very fierce?" i responded with confused look.
"well, if i see u for the first time, i will think you look fierce!"
haha, is that really the impression that i will project to my stdts? i really wonder.
i never thought they are scared of me. one stdt even received a 'threat' from his mom,"i will pull u out from aunty verlyn's class and put u with a very strict and fierce teacher, so that you dun think that u will have an easy way out!"
because of his wish to stick on to me, he promised to be more serious in his work. well, what's the conclusion then? i am not fierce. in fact, i think teaching has built up my patience level. afterall, my stdts are not my kids. i can't be free to scold them like the way i scold my kids, rite? (esp joy, who gets a large part of my impatient years while i was still working. claire is a lot luckier, when it comes to my mellowed temperaments in the last 3 yrs.)
unexpectedly, my hubby told me 2 nites ago, "i think the kids are scared of you. sometimes, you might be demanding on them without knowing it!"
"really? i nvr imagine it to be that way! they always tell me they love me and they knw i always do my best for them!" came my reply. no struggle, no offense. just a little amused.
"when u throw tantrums, we are all very scared and will withdraw from you!" he continued.
"well, as a mom, if i dun even have the authority to get mad with certain things occasionally, then i would wield no 'position' in this family!" what an amusing reply.
"if u dun believe me, u can check with them!" he challenged.
"ok, i will find time to ask them if i'm demanding on them. and that if they are scared of me?" i would certainly solve this mystery.
frankly, i dun think my kids are afraid of me. i would really think that they love me more than anything.
but, i will surely get to the bottom of it.
on a last note, i dun deny that when i threw tantrums in the past (younger days), i would be like a hurricane swirling its power of destruction with hurting words. the best part of me is, i'm always willing to face up to what i do, and change for the better.
lost file
i was at a stdt's place yesterday.
guess what? the usual scatterbrain characteristics of this stdt that i came into encounter with.
"where's your tuition file?" i asked.
"i'm not sure. let me check." came a nonchalant reply. (very typical of kids nowadays)
after some shuffling of materials on the study table in his room, he still couldn't locate the file.
not wanting to waste more time, i told him to second the help of his helper and mom on the lost file mystery.
well, the outcome wasn't positive.
in the midst of the lesson, i really needed to re-visit certain past questions that i have done with him to prepare him for his common test, i went to the mom who was at the computer,"can u plse help XX locate his file?"
"XX, did u remember where u put it? could it be in your sch bag?"queried the mom.
"i dun think so. i have checked." came a lukewarm reply.
well, finally, the mom found it in the living room. how did it get there? search me.
the best thing about this whole episode is that: the mom is not the typical asian mom who will scold the kid and ransack thru the room to look for the file, knowing the imptce. this particular mom found the file and firmly told the kid,"plse keep this file with you and be responsible not to lose it again!"
aye, these stdts are good stdts, except that they no longer hold all these materials from tuition classes as precious. i recalled how i highlighted with markers on the impt stuff that i must re-visit for exams purpose, and consciously ensured that i kept my file in safekeeping, allowing no one to meddle with it.
maybe, boys are boys, they dun bother. they are not the neaty lot who will organise themselves. yet, u can't say that they have poor attitude. this boy reads 'murderous math' specially imported from USA and he takes a whole load of interest in magical stuff in math.
i enjoyed teaching him. in fact, halfway through the class, he blurted out a laughter, telling me that he suddenly remembered a funny incident that took place when he was young.
apparently, he pasted a 'kick me' sticker on his brother's back just to poke fun. fortunately, the bro suffered no serious consequences.
then, i shared with him how my daughters will draw 'tortoise' pics and paste on the family members too.
well, apart from mystery of lost files with stdts, i'm still happy in my teaching job.
guess what? the usual scatterbrain characteristics of this stdt that i came into encounter with.
"where's your tuition file?" i asked.
"i'm not sure. let me check." came a nonchalant reply. (very typical of kids nowadays)
after some shuffling of materials on the study table in his room, he still couldn't locate the file.
not wanting to waste more time, i told him to second the help of his helper and mom on the lost file mystery.
well, the outcome wasn't positive.
in the midst of the lesson, i really needed to re-visit certain past questions that i have done with him to prepare him for his common test, i went to the mom who was at the computer,"can u plse help XX locate his file?"
"XX, did u remember where u put it? could it be in your sch bag?"queried the mom.
"i dun think so. i have checked." came a lukewarm reply.
well, finally, the mom found it in the living room. how did it get there? search me.
the best thing about this whole episode is that: the mom is not the typical asian mom who will scold the kid and ransack thru the room to look for the file, knowing the imptce. this particular mom found the file and firmly told the kid,"plse keep this file with you and be responsible not to lose it again!"
aye, these stdts are good stdts, except that they no longer hold all these materials from tuition classes as precious. i recalled how i highlighted with markers on the impt stuff that i must re-visit for exams purpose, and consciously ensured that i kept my file in safekeeping, allowing no one to meddle with it.
maybe, boys are boys, they dun bother. they are not the neaty lot who will organise themselves. yet, u can't say that they have poor attitude. this boy reads 'murderous math' specially imported from USA and he takes a whole load of interest in magical stuff in math.
i enjoyed teaching him. in fact, halfway through the class, he blurted out a laughter, telling me that he suddenly remembered a funny incident that took place when he was young.
apparently, he pasted a 'kick me' sticker on his brother's back just to poke fun. fortunately, the bro suffered no serious consequences.
then, i shared with him how my daughters will draw 'tortoise' pics and paste on the family members too.
well, apart from mystery of lost files with stdts, i'm still happy in my teaching job.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
follow-up of claire's reading program
i'm totally impressed with claire for getting up early every morn, reporting to school by 7.15 am, to carry out her reading program with the p1 kids who need assistance in this area.
this morn, when i woke up at 7.03 am, i was amazed to see helper in the kitchen.
"u not with claire to help her?" i asked.
"no, she wants to do it herself!" she repsonded.
when i went in to the room, i saw claire all dressed up (she used to require yati to help her, while she looked like a zombie) and ready to tie her hair. no fuss, unlike in the past about how her hair looked.
then, she hurried through her bfst and we left for school.
seriously, when i dropped her off at the bus-stop and watching her walk into the sch gate, i was beaming with pride.
claire has truly grown up. she doesn't whine like most kids do, when it comes to morning session. and to participate in this reading program, it was her own voluntary will. i almost wanted to say 'no' so that she could catch more sleep!
to be able to support her in some way by chauffeuring her to sch, is all that i can do.
of coz, i now understand why she didn't mind the reading program.
"mommy, coz' i can skip the singing of majulah singapura during the assembly!" she explained.
of coz, i knew claire has a kind and helpful heart, and skipping assembly is just the side bonus.
that was why i ended up buying the fav strawberry sticks for her and joy to eat (ystday), citing valentine's presentation. and they were totally elated about it, despite being a small one.
this morn, when i woke up at 7.03 am, i was amazed to see helper in the kitchen.
"u not with claire to help her?" i asked.
"no, she wants to do it herself!" she repsonded.
when i went in to the room, i saw claire all dressed up (she used to require yati to help her, while she looked like a zombie) and ready to tie her hair. no fuss, unlike in the past about how her hair looked.
then, she hurried through her bfst and we left for school.
seriously, when i dropped her off at the bus-stop and watching her walk into the sch gate, i was beaming with pride.
claire has truly grown up. she doesn't whine like most kids do, when it comes to morning session. and to participate in this reading program, it was her own voluntary will. i almost wanted to say 'no' so that she could catch more sleep!
to be able to support her in some way by chauffeuring her to sch, is all that i can do.
of coz, i now understand why she didn't mind the reading program.
"mommy, coz' i can skip the singing of majulah singapura during the assembly!" she explained.
of coz, i knew claire has a kind and helpful heart, and skipping assembly is just the side bonus.
that was why i ended up buying the fav strawberry sticks for her and joy to eat (ystday), citing valentine's presentation. and they were totally elated about it, despite being a small one.
things are looking more rosy...for ....
well, my new helper, j, is gradually adjusting to the life in this family.
my last reprimanding session was on sat, when she took my instruction one big circle and did something else, totally out of synchronisation with my 'order'! it was a harsh scolding session, i must say.
her excuse,"that was how yati did it!"
with blood boiling, i raised my voice,"yati is no longer hear. dun mention her name again. u take instruction from me. if u want to follow yati, then i will send u back..."
many lessons were drilled into her head. suddenly, from that moment onwards, i felt that she was using more brain cells to work.
i told her, i hate to scold pple (why should i kill my brainy and beauty cells, right?). in fact, for that reason, i havent been feeling well....throat still giving me a little sore and body feelin weak. she probably knws that she has a role to play in my current weakling appearance, that she's decided to put in more effort.
sometimes, with a little pressure, these domestic helpers will buck up.
i even knocked sense into her,"this was how yati started too. no one is born clever. the only difference btwn you and yati is, she uses her heart to serve this family. when she sees that claire has forgotten to take her lunch, she will remind her and serve her with a hot meal!"
truly, having a worker who uses her brain and heart to serve isnt easy to find. but, i am sure we can 'condition' a person to do a more effective job, except that repeated reminders will kill me....
well, the saving grace is that, since that fateful sat that almost made my head turn round and round, i have been containing my cool and have not lost any temper with her.
god will see me through this period...haha. it isn't that bad now.
(guess what she's doing now? oven toasting chicken wings for my lovely joy, who has been so deprived of chicken meat, since the daddy stopped being a carnivore! my insttuction was to bake them a 6 pm, but she's done it at 3 pm plus! still, i kept my smiles. no big deal lah...)
my last reprimanding session was on sat, when she took my instruction one big circle and did something else, totally out of synchronisation with my 'order'! it was a harsh scolding session, i must say.
her excuse,"that was how yati did it!"
with blood boiling, i raised my voice,"yati is no longer hear. dun mention her name again. u take instruction from me. if u want to follow yati, then i will send u back..."
many lessons were drilled into her head. suddenly, from that moment onwards, i felt that she was using more brain cells to work.
i told her, i hate to scold pple (why should i kill my brainy and beauty cells, right?). in fact, for that reason, i havent been feeling well....throat still giving me a little sore and body feelin weak. she probably knws that she has a role to play in my current weakling appearance, that she's decided to put in more effort.
sometimes, with a little pressure, these domestic helpers will buck up.
i even knocked sense into her,"this was how yati started too. no one is born clever. the only difference btwn you and yati is, she uses her heart to serve this family. when she sees that claire has forgotten to take her lunch, she will remind her and serve her with a hot meal!"
truly, having a worker who uses her brain and heart to serve isnt easy to find. but, i am sure we can 'condition' a person to do a more effective job, except that repeated reminders will kill me....
well, the saving grace is that, since that fateful sat that almost made my head turn round and round, i have been containing my cool and have not lost any temper with her.
god will see me through this period...haha. it isn't that bad now.
(guess what she's doing now? oven toasting chicken wings for my lovely joy, who has been so deprived of chicken meat, since the daddy stopped being a carnivore! my insttuction was to bake them a 6 pm, but she's done it at 3 pm plus! still, i kept my smiles. no big deal lah...)
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
the importance of appreciation
here's a story sent by my sister. i thought it's really a good one to remind the importance of teaching our kids about appreciation.
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One young academically excellent person applied for a managerial position in a big company.
He passed several interviews; the director did the last interview.
The director discovered from the CV that the youth's academic achievements were excellent all the way, from the secondary school to postgraduate research. There was never a year when he did not score well.
The director asked, "Did you obtain any scholarships in school?"
The youth answered "none".
The director asked, "Was it your father who paid for your school fees?"
The youth answered, "My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees.
The director asked, "Where did your mother work?"
The youth answered, "My mother worked as laundry woman.
The director requested the youth to show his hands.
The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect.
The director asked, "Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before?"
The youth answered, "Never, my mother always wanted me to study and read. Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than I.
The director said, "I have a request. When you go back today, go and clean your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning.
The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went back, he happily requested his mother to let him clean her hands.
His mother found it strange, and with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to the young man.
The youth cleaned his mother's hands slowly. Tears fell as he did that. It was the first time he had noticed that his mother's hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises. Some bruises were so painful that his mother shivered when they were cleaned with water.
This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes everyday to enable him to pay his school fees. The bruises in the mother's hands were the price she paid for his graduation, academic excellence and his future.
After he finished cleaning of his mother's hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother.
That night, mother and son talked for a very long time.
Next morning, the youth went to the director's office.
The Director noticed the tears in the youth's eyes, asked: "Can you tell me what you have done and learned yesterday at home ?"
The youth answered, "I cleaned my mother's hand, and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes'
The Director asked, "Please tell me your feelings."
The youth said:
1. I now know what appreciation is. Without my mother, there would not have been the successful me today.
2. By working together and helping my mother, I now realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done.
3. I have come to appreciate the importance and value of family relationships.
The director said, "This is what I am looking for in the candidate to fill the managerial position I have open. I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who understands the sufferings of others in getting things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired."
Later on, this young person worked very hard, and received the utmost respect of his subordinates. Every one of his employees worked diligently and as a team, they delivered tremendous results.
A child, who has been protected and habitually given whatever he wanted, could develop an "entitlement mentality" and would always put himself first and be ignorant of his parent's efforts. When he starts work, he assumes that every person must listen to him, and when he becomes a manager, he would never try to understand the difficulties and sufferings of his employees and would always blame others. For this kind of a person, who may be academically strong, he may be successful for a while, but eventually would not feel a sense of achievement. He will often grumble and feel dissatisfied and unfulfilled. If we have been this sort of protective and indulgent parent, are we really preparing our children to deal with the future ?
You can let your children live in a big house, have good meals, learn to play the piano, watch the latest movie on a big screen TV. But when you are cutting the grass, do let them experience it. After a meal, let them wash their own plates and bowls together with their brothers and sisters. Not because you cannot afford domestic help, but because you want them to appreciate the effort, learn and experience the challenges and difficulties and figure out how to work with others to get things done.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One young academically excellent person applied for a managerial position in a big company.
He passed several interviews; the director did the last interview.
The director discovered from the CV that the youth's academic achievements were excellent all the way, from the secondary school to postgraduate research. There was never a year when he did not score well.
The director asked, "Did you obtain any scholarships in school?"
The youth answered "none".
The director asked, "Was it your father who paid for your school fees?"
The youth answered, "My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees.
The director asked, "Where did your mother work?"
The youth answered, "My mother worked as laundry woman.
The director requested the youth to show his hands.
The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect.
The director asked, "Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before?"
The youth answered, "Never, my mother always wanted me to study and read. Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than I.
The director said, "I have a request. When you go back today, go and clean your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning.
The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went back, he happily requested his mother to let him clean her hands.
His mother found it strange, and with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to the young man.
The youth cleaned his mother's hands slowly. Tears fell as he did that. It was the first time he had noticed that his mother's hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises. Some bruises were so painful that his mother shivered when they were cleaned with water.
This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes everyday to enable him to pay his school fees. The bruises in the mother's hands were the price she paid for his graduation, academic excellence and his future.
After he finished cleaning of his mother's hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother.
That night, mother and son talked for a very long time.
Next morning, the youth went to the director's office.
The Director noticed the tears in the youth's eyes, asked: "Can you tell me what you have done and learned yesterday at home ?"
The youth answered, "I cleaned my mother's hand, and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes'
The Director asked, "Please tell me your feelings."
The youth said:
1. I now know what appreciation is. Without my mother, there would not have been the successful me today.
2. By working together and helping my mother, I now realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done.
3. I have come to appreciate the importance and value of family relationships.
The director said, "This is what I am looking for in the candidate to fill the managerial position I have open. I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who understands the sufferings of others in getting things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired."
Later on, this young person worked very hard, and received the utmost respect of his subordinates. Every one of his employees worked diligently and as a team, they delivered tremendous results.
A child, who has been protected and habitually given whatever he wanted, could develop an "entitlement mentality" and would always put himself first and be ignorant of his parent's efforts. When he starts work, he assumes that every person must listen to him, and when he becomes a manager, he would never try to understand the difficulties and sufferings of his employees and would always blame others. For this kind of a person, who may be academically strong, he may be successful for a while, but eventually would not feel a sense of achievement. He will often grumble and feel dissatisfied and unfulfilled. If we have been this sort of protective and indulgent parent, are we really preparing our children to deal with the future ?
You can let your children live in a big house, have good meals, learn to play the piano, watch the latest movie on a big screen TV. But when you are cutting the grass, do let them experience it. After a meal, let them wash their own plates and bowls together with their brothers and sisters. Not because you cannot afford domestic help, but because you want them to appreciate the effort, learn and experience the challenges and difficulties and figure out how to work with others to get things done.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
passions vs basic techniques
a debate is currently on-going at my home.
my 2 girls who dance, told the dad that passion is more impt than basic techniques, for a start.
joy cited that jacky, the dance instructor has ignited her passion in dance. although the daddy felt that like martial arts, dance should also emphasise on all basic steps, before a move can be delivered to perfection. (well, he has martial arts background so obviously is convicted of his own views).
my 2 girls adamantly disagreed, saying,"dad, if i hv no passion, i won't be even keen to learn the basic dance steps. passion initially, and i'm sure i will thereafter take time to explore into how to perfect my steps. it's nvr too late..."
well, my view is in line with the girls. for simple reason, i hv seen many of claire's dance friends from sch quit in lower pri, coz' they said they hated the rigorous training that gave them bruised bodies and limbs. plus all the fierce scolding from the china instructors, how could passion be ignited, and we are not even talking about perseverance here?
joy is the living example. over the yrs, she has often surfed the net for blogshopping and dance moves, simply becoz she wants to know more and improve....need i to tell her what to do? of coz not!
so, passion links a long path to one's learning.
basic techniques for for those who are matured and able to take hardships. in today's society, i dun foresee having too many of such kids around!
(in fact, it was reported recently that the reason for the fall of lion dance recruitment is, many cited tough training and coupled with the stereotyped image of the gang triad associated with the activities).
i guess, the trend in thinking has changed. i hv to change too, in order to move with my kids, else one day, i will be left on the street, due to inability to communicate with my kids, haha.
my 2 girls who dance, told the dad that passion is more impt than basic techniques, for a start.
joy cited that jacky, the dance instructor has ignited her passion in dance. although the daddy felt that like martial arts, dance should also emphasise on all basic steps, before a move can be delivered to perfection. (well, he has martial arts background so obviously is convicted of his own views).
my 2 girls adamantly disagreed, saying,"dad, if i hv no passion, i won't be even keen to learn the basic dance steps. passion initially, and i'm sure i will thereafter take time to explore into how to perfect my steps. it's nvr too late..."
well, my view is in line with the girls. for simple reason, i hv seen many of claire's dance friends from sch quit in lower pri, coz' they said they hated the rigorous training that gave them bruised bodies and limbs. plus all the fierce scolding from the china instructors, how could passion be ignited, and we are not even talking about perseverance here?
joy is the living example. over the yrs, she has often surfed the net for blogshopping and dance moves, simply becoz she wants to know more and improve....need i to tell her what to do? of coz not!
so, passion links a long path to one's learning.
basic techniques for for those who are matured and able to take hardships. in today's society, i dun foresee having too many of such kids around!
(in fact, it was reported recently that the reason for the fall of lion dance recruitment is, many cited tough training and coupled with the stereotyped image of the gang triad associated with the activities).
i guess, the trend in thinking has changed. i hv to change too, in order to move with my kids, else one day, i will be left on the street, due to inability to communicate with my kids, haha.
jc life
ystdy, while driving the girls for the dance classes, joy was just sharing with me that, in her view, her easy-going character appears more suited for poly life rather than jc life.
she cited some examples how competitive the mates are in the college when it comes to retaining information (ie. not wanting to share them).
as a mom, all i told her was,"the real life is such. every one has an inner selfish desire. so, this is a prep platform to the real world in reality, when she starts to work!"
maybe, it's hard for her to comprehend. simply becoz' her sec sch friends are all very nice like her, willing to teach and impart knowledge.
of coz, with joy's maturity, it's not a regret choice for jc route. i guess, in life, our kids will encounter many situations that might take them backwards a little, but having someone to share at home (like ourselves), will certainly make her feel like being able to find an outlet for her emotions.
like what i said,"u should look beyond the less than 2-yr time frame...always believe in hard learning, then blissful enjoyment!"
truly, how many kids enjoy such sweetness of cozy life, that the moment they are thrown into the oceanic sea, the current would cause them to free-fall all the ways.
i was reading an article from reader's digest. a quote from bill clinton that the difference btwn people of today and past days is, the current ones have a choice and that's such a great privilege. so, he advocates that we should find sth we care about where we can make a difference with whatever time or money we have.
the way i interpret it is, find sth where ur passion can last.....
she cited some examples how competitive the mates are in the college when it comes to retaining information (ie. not wanting to share them).
as a mom, all i told her was,"the real life is such. every one has an inner selfish desire. so, this is a prep platform to the real world in reality, when she starts to work!"
maybe, it's hard for her to comprehend. simply becoz' her sec sch friends are all very nice like her, willing to teach and impart knowledge.
of coz, with joy's maturity, it's not a regret choice for jc route. i guess, in life, our kids will encounter many situations that might take them backwards a little, but having someone to share at home (like ourselves), will certainly make her feel like being able to find an outlet for her emotions.
like what i said,"u should look beyond the less than 2-yr time frame...always believe in hard learning, then blissful enjoyment!"
truly, how many kids enjoy such sweetness of cozy life, that the moment they are thrown into the oceanic sea, the current would cause them to free-fall all the ways.
i was reading an article from reader's digest. a quote from bill clinton that the difference btwn people of today and past days is, the current ones have a choice and that's such a great privilege. so, he advocates that we should find sth we care about where we can make a difference with whatever time or money we have.
the way i interpret it is, find sth where ur passion can last.....
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
test of patience
i hv been enjoying a relatively good life till yati's departure on 5th feb.
now with the new helper, close supervision is required.
sometimes, even with repeated instructions, i wonder if she completely understands me.
just last night after my classes, i was losing a bit of patience with her. all i wanted was that she had more initiative to think for each member in the family. maybe, at this point in time, she's still used to taking fixed instruction, therefore never really used her brain to think of doing things in optimal manner.
well, even my 2 kids came to tell me,"mommy, dun talk so loud to her lah! she will be scared!"
but i maintained my point that 'training a good helper at home isnt a bed of roses!" many people see my ex-helper, yati, as a very beneficial help, not knowing that effort has been put in to train her as well.
i would rather make the helper understand the demands right from the beginning and be a little strict, rather than being lenient and losing 'authority' over her at later point in time.
up to now, there are no major issues with the new helper.
maybe, it's time to put my patience to test and to make me a better person.
gotta think of what to cook for the family members today. so, i will not waste any energy on trivialities!
now with the new helper, close supervision is required.
sometimes, even with repeated instructions, i wonder if she completely understands me.
just last night after my classes, i was losing a bit of patience with her. all i wanted was that she had more initiative to think for each member in the family. maybe, at this point in time, she's still used to taking fixed instruction, therefore never really used her brain to think of doing things in optimal manner.
well, even my 2 kids came to tell me,"mommy, dun talk so loud to her lah! she will be scared!"
but i maintained my point that 'training a good helper at home isnt a bed of roses!" many people see my ex-helper, yati, as a very beneficial help, not knowing that effort has been put in to train her as well.
i would rather make the helper understand the demands right from the beginning and be a little strict, rather than being lenient and losing 'authority' over her at later point in time.
up to now, there are no major issues with the new helper.
maybe, it's time to put my patience to test and to make me a better person.
gotta think of what to cook for the family members today. so, i will not waste any energy on trivialities!
claire's buddy reading program
last week, claire brought back a form to give affirmative reply to allow her to sign up for buddy reading program.
"are you keen?" i asked.
"mommy, do you think i should go?" she sought advice from me.
"well, let's see. aiya, look, the time is so early, do you think you want to sacrifice your sleep to do such cip program in school?" i queried.
her normal reporting sch hours is 7.30 am, but with this reading program with the p1 kids, she has to be 20 mins early, ie. 7.20 am.
in the end, i kinda 'discouraged' her as i wanted her to have more sleep. or maybe, it was for selfish reason, that i wanted my back to have longer rest on the bed.
suddenly, claire reminded,"mommy, i think i go lah. surely, i can wake up. also, not everyone is selected, you knw, in my class, only a few! maybe, my oral reading has always been good, that's why they chose me!"
ok ok, since it was a privileged participation, i gave my nod.
the form was submitted. this morn, the training session started. so, off we scooted by 7.10 am and i sure hope this program will spur her on to help people, by just taking a little of her time off from sleep.
many a times, children seek advice from parents, but i think we should in turn let them explore the oppy of taking on a task, rather than instructing them on what to do.
i am certainly proud of claire. i'm hoping that she will emerge with more confidence like joy, the way she puts her best in dance.
"are you keen?" i asked.
"mommy, do you think i should go?" she sought advice from me.
"well, let's see. aiya, look, the time is so early, do you think you want to sacrifice your sleep to do such cip program in school?" i queried.
her normal reporting sch hours is 7.30 am, but with this reading program with the p1 kids, she has to be 20 mins early, ie. 7.20 am.
in the end, i kinda 'discouraged' her as i wanted her to have more sleep. or maybe, it was for selfish reason, that i wanted my back to have longer rest on the bed.
suddenly, claire reminded,"mommy, i think i go lah. surely, i can wake up. also, not everyone is selected, you knw, in my class, only a few! maybe, my oral reading has always been good, that's why they chose me!"
ok ok, since it was a privileged participation, i gave my nod.
the form was submitted. this morn, the training session started. so, off we scooted by 7.10 am and i sure hope this program will spur her on to help people, by just taking a little of her time off from sleep.
many a times, children seek advice from parents, but i think we should in turn let them explore the oppy of taking on a task, rather than instructing them on what to do.
i am certainly proud of claire. i'm hoping that she will emerge with more confidence like joy, the way she puts her best in dance.
Monday, February 7, 2011
joy's precious hair
fancy joy getting up at 6 am just to get her hair wash and blow, before tying up in a satisfactory way ready for school.
well, for claire and me, it would hv been catching up with 45 more minutes of sleep. undoubtedly.
aye, different age group places emphasis on different things, i guess. joy's hair is the 'queen', to be treated with diligent care!
well, at least, she keeps herself fresh throughout her long day.
the only problem after 6 am, i keep spotting a fleeting image travelling in and out of my room, using my mirror to perfect her hairdo.
this is joy, the one with the almighty precious hair.
i certainly hope she won't go bald like an eagle one day. else, she will sure go into secret hiding and tears, not wanting anyone to see her naked scalp.
lastly, i hope joy will enjoy her school life and will live up to her 'prophecy' that she will not likely to have a chance to put on weight, coz' she's going to dance so many times a week. it's with good perseverance attitude that she gets into dance audition at vjc, and i am proud of her.
well, for claire and me, it would hv been catching up with 45 more minutes of sleep. undoubtedly.
aye, different age group places emphasis on different things, i guess. joy's hair is the 'queen', to be treated with diligent care!
well, at least, she keeps herself fresh throughout her long day.
the only problem after 6 am, i keep spotting a fleeting image travelling in and out of my room, using my mirror to perfect her hairdo.
this is joy, the one with the almighty precious hair.
i certainly hope she won't go bald like an eagle one day. else, she will sure go into secret hiding and tears, not wanting anyone to see her naked scalp.
lastly, i hope joy will enjoy her school life and will live up to her 'prophecy' that she will not likely to have a chance to put on weight, coz' she's going to dance so many times a week. it's with good perseverance attitude that she gets into dance audition at vjc, and i am proud of her.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
post departure of yati
5/2/10
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yati left us on 5 feb 2010, sat. 2.15 pm flight to bandung.
afternoon, we landed at yipo's house. when the insensitive gong gong was happily yakking about yati, claire broke into tears again. well, we were just returning from airport, what do you think?
when we got back in the night, claire suddenly stared into the blank space and covered her face with a book, sobbing away silently.
when i asked her why, she sadly revealed,"i'm just thinking, come mon, who will bathe for me and help me change before school?"
"oh yes, mommy will wake up for the next 1 week to help you do all these, ok? dun worry, i m still around!"
with that assurance, her emotions were better in control.
despite her sad mood, she was the victorious winner for rummikub game in the night, winning $5 from joy.
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7 feb 2010, mon
i honoured my promise to wake up to help claire get ready for school. well, she beat me to it, having changed into the uniform herself. well, without yati, claire will definitely be more independent.
when jumi was assisting her with tying claire's hair, joy suddenly popped in front of me,"mommy, did you scold claire?"
"no," came my stunned reply.
"but she's crying in the room," joy replied.
"ok ok, she must be missing yati again when jumi ties her hair!"
true, like what angie said, it's the personal touch. with claire, yati has injected a lot of personal touch in her life. from the age of 4 plus, yati bathed her, held her, massaged her (yes, no kidding, claire got her princess massage at bath time)....everything in this household and claire's cabinet have a midas touch of yati!
she has done many art and craft work with claire. she has also taught claire how to sew and has personally sewn many small pillows for her.....i bet you, claire would never abandon all these little small items.
memories go a long way.....hvnt we heard that the hardest thing in life, is not to love someone, but to forget someone!
i'm sure, with my dear chrysan mom, we all make the same pledge!
all the more, we should learn to treasure those who are still around....
-------
yati left us on 5 feb 2010, sat. 2.15 pm flight to bandung.
afternoon, we landed at yipo's house. when the insensitive gong gong was happily yakking about yati, claire broke into tears again. well, we were just returning from airport, what do you think?
when we got back in the night, claire suddenly stared into the blank space and covered her face with a book, sobbing away silently.
when i asked her why, she sadly revealed,"i'm just thinking, come mon, who will bathe for me and help me change before school?"
"oh yes, mommy will wake up for the next 1 week to help you do all these, ok? dun worry, i m still around!"
with that assurance, her emotions were better in control.
despite her sad mood, she was the victorious winner for rummikub game in the night, winning $5 from joy.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7 feb 2010, mon
i honoured my promise to wake up to help claire get ready for school. well, she beat me to it, having changed into the uniform herself. well, without yati, claire will definitely be more independent.
when jumi was assisting her with tying claire's hair, joy suddenly popped in front of me,"mommy, did you scold claire?"
"no," came my stunned reply.
"but she's crying in the room," joy replied.
"ok ok, she must be missing yati again when jumi ties her hair!"
true, like what angie said, it's the personal touch. with claire, yati has injected a lot of personal touch in her life. from the age of 4 plus, yati bathed her, held her, massaged her (yes, no kidding, claire got her princess massage at bath time)....everything in this household and claire's cabinet have a midas touch of yati!
she has done many art and craft work with claire. she has also taught claire how to sew and has personally sewn many small pillows for her.....i bet you, claire would never abandon all these little small items.
memories go a long way.....hvnt we heard that the hardest thing in life, is not to love someone, but to forget someone!
i'm sure, with my dear chrysan mom, we all make the same pledge!
all the more, we should learn to treasure those who are still around....
yati's departure
yati left us on 5 feb 2010.
i'm making a post her to remember that special day.
well, all i can say is that, she worked all the way to the last minute. even before she left, the new helpher has to ask her what went wrong with the washing machine, that the rinse function was not working. before that, we had a tripartitie session to discuss about attitudes and work performance.
anyway, when joy and claire presented her with the cards and little gift of a multi-photo frame with pics of herself and our family, she was already getting emotional. upon reading claire's simple card (well, claire only expressed in simple english, unlike joy, injecting lots of humour).
claire wrote,"dear aunty yati, you are going away today. i will always remember you (will not forget your forever). i wish you will..." at that point, yati got up from her chair and in her sorrowful mood, walked back to the kitchen.
looking at her staggering movement as if going to fall, i was also feeling a little mournful, haha.
hey, the cards written by joy and myself were 'cold storaged', ie. not read.
for a while, joy came to me in slight croc tears that yati was holding on to her shoulders reminding joy to be good, study hard and not make me angry....haha, only she understands my parenting woes.
claire was in the worst shape. she was uncontrollable, i would say. hiding herself in the room sobbing away. aiya, needless to say, the new helper, jumi, also felt a tinge of sadness.
i was joking with hubby,"the new one crying, dunno whether it's because there's no one to rely on after yati is gone, or she's genuinely sad!"
of coz, deep in my heart, i knw yati has won the favour of many pple who have tasted her cooking, which was always done with her kind heart.
on the way to the airport, i reminded my kids, esp the heavy-weight joy, to help with the 26 kg luggage lugging. afterall, yati has helped us so much with all the chores at home, not to mention we two always exploring how to whip up dishes for the family members.
only my dear hubby has the 'cheek' to say that, "我在这个家庭是最没有地位的，对女佣，连一声都没出过！" omg, fancy my having to quickly correct him,"the real siuation is this, 我总是在你前面挡着全部的灾难与风风雨雨，you basically just sit there and reap good harvest and eat good food!" whether he was convinced, this is the truth, haha.
at the airport, we took some pics for memory sake. for the first time, i felt that yati was so tiny, like a school girl, despite her 32 years of age.
when she walked into the custom, we genuinely bade her farewell.....frankly, i could nvr find another person like her. dedicated and responsible, and more importantly having a heart to serve every member in this family!
i wish her best and we will surely meet again, one day....she has left many prints of good work in my family, my mom's and many of my friends.
we love her....
p/s: at the airport, after yati's departure, a friends' teenie boy msged me,"plse tell aunty yati that she's the best helper ever. i thank her for always cooking delicious food for me to eat and ...."
i'm making a post her to remember that special day.
well, all i can say is that, she worked all the way to the last minute. even before she left, the new helpher has to ask her what went wrong with the washing machine, that the rinse function was not working. before that, we had a tripartitie session to discuss about attitudes and work performance.
anyway, when joy and claire presented her with the cards and little gift of a multi-photo frame with pics of herself and our family, she was already getting emotional. upon reading claire's simple card (well, claire only expressed in simple english, unlike joy, injecting lots of humour).
claire wrote,"dear aunty yati, you are going away today. i will always remember you (will not forget your forever). i wish you will..." at that point, yati got up from her chair and in her sorrowful mood, walked back to the kitchen.
looking at her staggering movement as if going to fall, i was also feeling a little mournful, haha.
hey, the cards written by joy and myself were 'cold storaged', ie. not read.
for a while, joy came to me in slight croc tears that yati was holding on to her shoulders reminding joy to be good, study hard and not make me angry....haha, only she understands my parenting woes.
claire was in the worst shape. she was uncontrollable, i would say. hiding herself in the room sobbing away. aiya, needless to say, the new helper, jumi, also felt a tinge of sadness.
i was joking with hubby,"the new one crying, dunno whether it's because there's no one to rely on after yati is gone, or she's genuinely sad!"
of coz, deep in my heart, i knw yati has won the favour of many pple who have tasted her cooking, which was always done with her kind heart.
on the way to the airport, i reminded my kids, esp the heavy-weight joy, to help with the 26 kg luggage lugging. afterall, yati has helped us so much with all the chores at home, not to mention we two always exploring how to whip up dishes for the family members.
only my dear hubby has the 'cheek' to say that, "我在这个家庭是最没有地位的，对女佣，连一声都没出过！" omg, fancy my having to quickly correct him,"the real siuation is this, 我总是在你前面挡着全部的灾难与风风雨雨，you basically just sit there and reap good harvest and eat good food!" whether he was convinced, this is the truth, haha.
at the airport, we took some pics for memory sake. for the first time, i felt that yati was so tiny, like a school girl, despite her 32 years of age.
when she walked into the custom, we genuinely bade her farewell.....frankly, i could nvr find another person like her. dedicated and responsible, and more importantly having a heart to serve every member in this family!
i wish her best and we will surely meet again, one day....she has left many prints of good work in my family, my mom's and many of my friends.
we love her....
p/s: at the airport, after yati's departure, a friends' teenie boy msged me,"plse tell aunty yati that she's the best helper ever. i thank her for always cooking delicious food for me to eat and ...."
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