This just happened today.
Time: 4.45pm
While leaving Ah Ma's house, Zee Peng wanted to feed the stray cats by the lifts. I told him that there was very little cat food left (pai seh, I have a box of cat food in my car boot), and had to go and buy cat food.
Zee Peng repeated 'Buy cat food'. And I said yes, buy cat food.
Went to fetch hubby from school, went for dinner, went grocery shopping, went home, and we did not get the cat food, as promised.
Time: 9.00pm
Zee Peng was falling asleep in his cot, and there I was accompanying him, when suddenly, out comes 'Oh oh! Buy cat food! Oh oh!' And he covered his mouth with his hands, and giggled. 'Mama, oh oh! Buy cat food! Oh oh!'
Oh my! He remembered, and what's more, he was able to display the exact emotions (verbal intonation, physical gesture, the works) when you suddenly remembered something you should have done!!
Bravo to the 27-month-old!
Amazed,
A.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Finally, I will have worked off my BOND!
I would have completed my 4-year bond (yes, went on my postgraduate course on gar-ma-ment money), if not for the slight disruption... birth of Ah Boy, a year ago.
I think I had about 8 months' bond to go, before I went on a 9-month childcare leave. I then returned to work on 2/3 part-time work arrangement. Sent an email to Personnel a month ago, and finally, a month later (erm, yes, it took Personnel a month to get back to me on my end-of-bond date), I got my reply!
My bond will end when September ends!
无bond一身轻！:-)
Relieved,
A.
I think I had about 8 months' bond to go, before I went on a 9-month childcare leave. I then returned to work on 2/3 part-time work arrangement. Sent an email to Personnel a month ago, and finally, a month later (erm, yes, it took Personnel a month to get back to me on my end-of-bond date), I got my reply!
My bond will end when September ends!
无bond一身轻！:-)
Relieved,
A.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
And then he turns 26 months
In 5 days' time, Zee Peng turns 26 months.
Oh my god, I must say time really flies. One moment, we were thinking about getting things ready for his 2nd birthday, and the next thing you know, he's 2 months past 2 years old!!
Life is not exactly a breeze, I must say, trying to stay afloat at work, while still making sure that I am with Zee Peng every step of the way, from the time he wakes up to the time he falls asleep, every day, 7 days a week, no break in between. Looking at Zee Peng growing and learning each day, seeing him developing physically and mentally, emotionally and socially. Happy and secure, good-natured and inquisitive.
It's a lot of hard work, it's 'bye' to whatever career plans for now, but it's worth it!
A.
Oh my god, I must say time really flies. One moment, we were thinking about getting things ready for his 2nd birthday, and the next thing you know, he's 2 months past 2 years old!!
Life is not exactly a breeze, I must say, trying to stay afloat at work, while still making sure that I am with Zee Peng every step of the way, from the time he wakes up to the time he falls asleep, every day, 7 days a week, no break in between. Looking at Zee Peng growing and learning each day, seeing him developing physically and mentally, emotionally and socially. Happy and secure, good-natured and inquisitive.
It's a lot of hard work, it's 'bye' to whatever career plans for now, but it's worth it!
A.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Investment of TIME
It was rather exasperating.
There I was at the meeting with the dad, after observing the target child in class. Target child was diagnosed with ASD 3 years ago. His second year in school and he is not coping academically.
Earlier on, when I observed the child in class, he was a happy sight. Mild-mannered, awkward gaze at people, but perfectly able to understand and follow teacher's instructions, and fully participated in the group game led by the teacher. Although not able to contribute fully in the pair-work, he stayed at his seat, and watched his partner do the work. He helped by pasting the pictures onto the worksheet. In other words, minimal behavioural problems. He could read, but currently has difficulties with comprehension.
3 years on after the initial ASD diagnosis, what have the parents done? Taken him to some early intervention programmes, went through some speech and language therapy, but all stopped because dad says 'see no progress'. Parents then proceeded to send him to a child centre at 6. Dad seemed very happy that child had picked up social and communication skills at the child care centre. What happens when he starts P1? Spends half a day in school, and the other half at the before-after school care. He goes home only at 7pm.
'You have an only child with ASD, and all you have done as parents was to send him ELSEWHERE so that OTHER PEOPLE can help teach your son?!?!' I was slowly fuming inside. 'So what does your child do on weekends?' I asked. FULL DAY of tuition from 9 to 5 on Saturday, and Sunday is rest day for the child, where father will take him wherever he would like to go (current craze is the airport where there's lots of brochures full of maps). What can I say... What can I say?
How much time you invest on your kid will determine what returns you get. This is true of your average child, and it's even more true for kids with special needs. Why do we label these children as having 'learning disabilities'? It's plain English - they are disabled in their learning. They need adult intervention to help them learn better, because left on their own, they will not have the ability to pick up learning strategies, improve on them, and become independent learners all by themselves. Your average child can, your child with special needs can't. If you are currently unwilling to invest time on your child, this is what you will get. A struggling kid in school. My heart did ache for this boy, because all he needs is more one-to-one guidance to help him pick up learning strategies and problem-solving skills. He is not intellectually slow, neither does he exhibit behavioural problems that prevent learning. But there he is, the dad, saying that if the school really don't want his child, then he will send the child to a special school.
HALO!! Your kid does not need a special school, he needs significant adults in his life who are willing to sacrifice their time now to help him navigate in his world of learning.
And that's why I lament, if you don't invest time in your kids now, then when?!
Exasperated,
A.
There I was at the meeting with the dad, after observing the target child in class. Target child was diagnosed with ASD 3 years ago. His second year in school and he is not coping academically.
Earlier on, when I observed the child in class, he was a happy sight. Mild-mannered, awkward gaze at people, but perfectly able to understand and follow teacher's instructions, and fully participated in the group game led by the teacher. Although not able to contribute fully in the pair-work, he stayed at his seat, and watched his partner do the work. He helped by pasting the pictures onto the worksheet. In other words, minimal behavioural problems. He could read, but currently has difficulties with comprehension.
3 years on after the initial ASD diagnosis, what have the parents done? Taken him to some early intervention programmes, went through some speech and language therapy, but all stopped because dad says 'see no progress'. Parents then proceeded to send him to a child centre at 6. Dad seemed very happy that child had picked up social and communication skills at the child care centre. What happens when he starts P1? Spends half a day in school, and the other half at the before-after school care. He goes home only at 7pm.
'You have an only child with ASD, and all you have done as parents was to send him ELSEWHERE so that OTHER PEOPLE can help teach your son?!?!' I was slowly fuming inside. 'So what does your child do on weekends?' I asked. FULL DAY of tuition from 9 to 5 on Saturday, and Sunday is rest day for the child, where father will take him wherever he would like to go (current craze is the airport where there's lots of brochures full of maps). What can I say... What can I say?
How much time you invest on your kid will determine what returns you get. This is true of your average child, and it's even more true for kids with special needs. Why do we label these children as having 'learning disabilities'? It's plain English - they are disabled in their learning. They need adult intervention to help them learn better, because left on their own, they will not have the ability to pick up learning strategies, improve on them, and become independent learners all by themselves. Your average child can, your child with special needs can't. If you are currently unwilling to invest time on your child, this is what you will get. A struggling kid in school. My heart did ache for this boy, because all he needs is more one-to-one guidance to help him pick up learning strategies and problem-solving skills. He is not intellectually slow, neither does he exhibit behavioural problems that prevent learning. But there he is, the dad, saying that if the school really don't want his child, then he will send the child to a special school.
HALO!! Your kid does not need a special school, he needs significant adults in his life who are willing to sacrifice their time now to help him navigate in his world of learning.
And that's why I lament, if you don't invest time in your kids now, then when?!
Exasperated,
A.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Excerpts of my mid-year WR
Boss: So how are things?
Me: Hahahaha (nervously)... ok lar
Boss: Big boss said,'Huh? Angelia still on part-time? When is she coming back full-time?'
Me: (eyes BIG BIG)... Er... Sorry ah, next year not possible ah.... Full-time? Unless big boss come and look after my boy lah!
(AWKWARD SILENCE)
Me: (must slowly slowly get to where I want to go). Next year not possible lah... maybe the year after?
Boss: The year after?
Me: Yah, but big boss must pray that I don't have a second one....
(SILENCE)
Boss: So how about PhD?
Me: (Shook HEAD vigorously)
Boss: So what is your 5-year plan?
Me: Erm... go back to school?
Sigh... and your good friend here had a WHOLE lecture (complete with graphics) on why I should stay where I am until I am guaranteed to go back to school as VP or P....
The moral of the story.......
WAIT LONG LONG!~!~!~!~!
Me: Hahahaha (nervously)... ok lar
Boss: Big boss said,'Huh? Angelia still on part-time? When is she coming back full-time?'
Me: (eyes BIG BIG)... Er... Sorry ah, next year not possible ah.... Full-time? Unless big boss come and look after my boy lah!
(AWKWARD SILENCE)
Me: (must slowly slowly get to where I want to go). Next year not possible lah... maybe the year after?
Boss: The year after?
Me: Yah, but big boss must pray that I don't have a second one....
(SILENCE)
Boss: So how about PhD?
Me: (Shook HEAD vigorously)
Boss: So what is your 5-year plan?
Me: Erm... go back to school?
Sigh... and your good friend here had a WHOLE lecture (complete with graphics) on why I should stay where I am until I am guaranteed to go back to school as VP or P....
The moral of the story.......
WAIT LONG LONG!~!~!~!~!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
My Boy - II
The verdict is out.
Ziping has an amazing memory for places.
It started early this year.
Everyday I send Ziping to his pre-nursery school. I would take the PIE and exit at Sims Ave, the same exit I use when I go to my mum's place. The only difference - I would turn right at the Lorong 5 Geylang junction if I were to go to my mum's place. I would head straight through the same junction to get to Ziping's school.
For many consecutive days, my boy would point to his right whenever I reach the Lorong 5 Geylang junction, and make a lot of noise (showing displeasure). At first I thought it was him being uncomfortable in his seat. It didn't take long before I realised that he was pointing to his right everytime I reach the junction. I finally realised that he was 'telling' me that I should be turning right to AH MA's house (which he used be at, before he started pre-nursery). I had to tell him a couple of times that we were going to school, rather than going to AH MA's house, and now he knows.
Yesterday I brought AH MA and Ziping to the new Tampines 1. Hubby and I had brought Ziping to Tampines 1 a few weeks back. My mum had been there for dinner, but did not have a chance to shop around (it was too late by the time she finished her dinner), so I decided to bring her a second time, specifically to Uniqlo.
Walked past United Kids, and my boy went all excited. He went straight to the Thomas the Tank Engine Corner, and spent time browsing through all the engines. We walked around the aisles in the toy section, and I just said in passing,' Ziping, remember the chair we saw the other time we were here?'
He looked at me, and immediately turned to his right, and ran straight towards the back of the store (we had been walking around the entrance of the store). My mum and I followed, and true enough, he got to the 'chair' I was referring to, right at the corner of the store. The last time we came, there was a 'Farlin' toddler chair that had squeaky upholstery - it squeaks when you sit on it. And there he was, drumming on the upholstery with his bum, showing my mum how it works.
It was just a casual remark, and I had no idea he would remember! Oh boy, oh boy... I am not exactly sure just how much he remembers, but I really cross my fingers and hope that he does not remember all the colourful words I use whenever I am behind the wheel!?
Amazed,
A.
Ziping has an amazing memory for places.
It started early this year.
Everyday I send Ziping to his pre-nursery school. I would take the PIE and exit at Sims Ave, the same exit I use when I go to my mum's place. The only difference - I would turn right at the Lorong 5 Geylang junction if I were to go to my mum's place. I would head straight through the same junction to get to Ziping's school.
For many consecutive days, my boy would point to his right whenever I reach the Lorong 5 Geylang junction, and make a lot of noise (showing displeasure). At first I thought it was him being uncomfortable in his seat. It didn't take long before I realised that he was pointing to his right everytime I reach the junction. I finally realised that he was 'telling' me that I should be turning right to AH MA's house (which he used be at, before he started pre-nursery). I had to tell him a couple of times that we were going to school, rather than going to AH MA's house, and now he knows.
Yesterday I brought AH MA and Ziping to the new Tampines 1. Hubby and I had brought Ziping to Tampines 1 a few weeks back. My mum had been there for dinner, but did not have a chance to shop around (it was too late by the time she finished her dinner), so I decided to bring her a second time, specifically to Uniqlo.
Walked past United Kids, and my boy went all excited. He went straight to the Thomas the Tank Engine Corner, and spent time browsing through all the engines. We walked around the aisles in the toy section, and I just said in passing,' Ziping, remember the chair we saw the other time we were here?'
He looked at me, and immediately turned to his right, and ran straight towards the back of the store (we had been walking around the entrance of the store). My mum and I followed, and true enough, he got to the 'chair' I was referring to, right at the corner of the store. The last time we came, there was a 'Farlin' toddler chair that had squeaky upholstery - it squeaks when you sit on it. And there he was, drumming on the upholstery with his bum, showing my mum how it works.
It was just a casual remark, and I had no idea he would remember! Oh boy, oh boy... I am not exactly sure just how much he remembers, but I really cross my fingers and hope that he does not remember all the colourful words I use whenever I am behind the wheel!?
Amazed,
A.
Monday, June 01, 2009
The Departures
Been faced with lots of 'goodbyes' the past few weeks. One by one, my colleagues have decided what was more important in their lives at this point in time - their children.
Two of my colleagues opted to do part-time work 2 years ago, but apparently they still get snowed under by all the work. One started doing 1/2 time, then increased it to 2/3 part time work arrangement. The other started 2/3 time, then increased it to 3/4 work arrangement. Despite their apparent decision to put their career on hold to spend more time with their young children (both are proud mothers of 2 kids each), work just keeps piling up on them. I will always remember what my supervisor told me when I first announced my decision to opt for part time work arrangement - PART TIME WORK ARRANGEMENT DOES NOT MEAN PART TIME WORKLOAD. How blatant but true.
It does not matter that we are getting paid part time. It does not matter that our part time hours are stated in black and white. Management's argument? All our full-time colleagues have their stated working hours as 42 hours per week, but all of them put in more than 42 hours. Naturally, I cannot be expected to be paid for 28 hours per week (my 2/3 work arrangement) and just work 28 hours.
When push comes to shove, people have to make painful but calculated decisions, and their decisions were all but the same - leave the organisation. How many more departures will it take before management realise that they are not dealing with 'normal' employees? We are a group of educationists who have undergone postgraduate studies in educational psychology. More than anyone else, we are the ones who have seen and realised the importance of parents in a child's early development. More than anyone else, we have seen the differences made to children, whether or not their parents have been actively participative in their lives.
The more years that I have been hanging around assessing kids' intellectual abilities, the more I am convinced that nurture is just as important, if not more important, than nature.
So I applaud my colleagues who know clearly what is important in their lives, and take the bold step out of their comfort zone. While I lament the loss of good friends and excellent professionals (it is indeed my organisation's loss), I am happy that their children have someone who will be there for them, who will see them through their most important early years, and will have someone they will really respect and love and wholeheartedly call them 'MUMMY'!
A.
Two of my colleagues opted to do part-time work 2 years ago, but apparently they still get snowed under by all the work. One started doing 1/2 time, then increased it to 2/3 part time work arrangement. The other started 2/3 time, then increased it to 3/4 work arrangement. Despite their apparent decision to put their career on hold to spend more time with their young children (both are proud mothers of 2 kids each), work just keeps piling up on them. I will always remember what my supervisor told me when I first announced my decision to opt for part time work arrangement - PART TIME WORK ARRANGEMENT DOES NOT MEAN PART TIME WORKLOAD. How blatant but true.
It does not matter that we are getting paid part time. It does not matter that our part time hours are stated in black and white. Management's argument? All our full-time colleagues have their stated working hours as 42 hours per week, but all of them put in more than 42 hours. Naturally, I cannot be expected to be paid for 28 hours per week (my 2/3 work arrangement) and just work 28 hours.
When push comes to shove, people have to make painful but calculated decisions, and their decisions were all but the same - leave the organisation. How many more departures will it take before management realise that they are not dealing with 'normal' employees? We are a group of educationists who have undergone postgraduate studies in educational psychology. More than anyone else, we are the ones who have seen and realised the importance of parents in a child's early development. More than anyone else, we have seen the differences made to children, whether or not their parents have been actively participative in their lives.
The more years that I have been hanging around assessing kids' intellectual abilities, the more I am convinced that nurture is just as important, if not more important, than nature.
So I applaud my colleagues who know clearly what is important in their lives, and take the bold step out of their comfort zone. While I lament the loss of good friends and excellent professionals (it is indeed my organisation's loss), I am happy that their children have someone who will be there for them, who will see them through their most important early years, and will have someone they will really respect and love and wholeheartedly call them 'MUMMY'!
A.
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