Too busy for a walk with the children?

'Pulling away from the television and taking your children on a walk may put you behind on housework...' - my reflections on this devotion - guilty.


Joy was asking me couple of nights back, 'Mom, why are you always busy and have no time to teach me how to play the black-and-white-seed game (Reversi)?' I thought my reply was indignant, 'Because I have to cook, clean the house and wash the clothes, etc. etc. Who will do all these if mommy doesn't?' She said thoughtfully, 'Mmm...because there's no ayi in Singapore.' Guess I should still keep reminding myself to relax in some things.


Routine and order is necessary in a household, but what matters to the children still matters a lot to me - doing things together. A blessing for me that they enjoy play as much as participating in household chores with me. Think I might encourage them to finish up household chores with me so that we have more time to play together when work is done. :)

Reading Together at Bedtime

人生的标杆

小时候大人都对我说学习为了求知识、学做人。成绩再好，不懂得做人的道理，大人说：白读了。轮到我们的下一代，上学是为了考试。及格不够；怎么读不重要；重要的是绝对不能被比下去？我糊涂了--人生到底什么重要？让你爬到最高处，顶多你的丧礼比我风光。可我们都不会看到自己的丧礼--那……还重要吗

Faith Can Read

Went grocery shopping with Faith this morning. She tried to read every sign that caught her eye and was delighted whenever I confirmed what she read. It's a new skill she's eager to practice and master. 5 years 9 months. I celebrate your new achievement, precious. If we'd started earlier, you're probably not that keen by now. :)

强？

朋友劝我该送孩子进学校，我才能轻松点；孩子也能学习不被欺负。因为她们在学校里能学会在家教育学不到的‘反击’。她对。因为我只教孩子们见到有‘潜质’的是非人、是非地，绕道或退后观察。我只教她们爱神、爱人、自爱，没教她们要拿第一名。什么竞争都有赢家、输家，那……再赢一个又有什么特别吗？

无敌

当你说话最大声、道理最强硬，别人都闭嘴了，不意味你最懂、最对、你赢了。你已经成了一个不值得对话的对象。 别人少跟你说话，不是‘不敢’；不是‘敬畏’你的‘威严’或‘权威’；更不是因为对你有愧疚--世上没那么伟大的人，也没有人是绝对亏欠谁的。也许和你保持距离能减少一些烦恼？图个清静？

In the eyes of a child...

Joy asked me, 'What 'Tohoku', mom?' as I repeated absently while reading my dear Japanese teacher's reply on Facebook regarding the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

I told her it's a place in Japan and that there was a huge earthquake and tsunami -- a huge wave as high as tall buildings that had washed off many people's homes and cars.  She said, 'It's ok, mom, when the big wave goes away, the people will build their houses and find their cars again, and they will find their way back.'

Hmmm...she doesn't understand...I thought I might try to illustrate consequences of the disaster with a little more severity.  So I told her, 'The big wave has also washed many people's daddies, mommies and children away.  They are lost forever...can never be found.'  She said, 'Then I will put a whistle in my mouth and blow like this (demonstrating with her finger), so they can hear me and find their way home...then, then Joy Joy will build a house and everybody build a house and I will tell them to go inside, go inside and stay there...then we go and find the rest home.'

Words of a child...heart of a child...I'm trying to recall how disasters appeared to me when I was a child...