He wants to make a lot of money

Last night we were reading a story about a famous artist in China... about how he observed nature and practised very hard and eventually managed to paint and sell many beautiful lifelike paintings.

"Mummy, I don't think I want to become an artist. It is too hard. I don't think I can do it. I like to play computer games too much. I think I want to become a computerler.

Daddy, who makes more money, a pilot or a builder? A builder? Oh, in that case I want to be a builder. I will build the tallest buildings in the world and make a lot of money!

I don't think I want to become a diamond person (miner) anymore. I want to make a lot of money from diamonds but this is too hard. I have to go through adventures and the caves are scary."

Sounds like I have a boy who wants to make a lot of money but does not want to work very hard for it. Haha.

Explaining Earthquakes and Tsunami to Kids

Yesterday the little one asked "Mummy, what is an earthquake?"

The older one said. "I know. I know. Teacher showed it to us at school. Teacher showed us a video of the Japan Earthquake. We all said Wuaaah Wuaaaah!" her mouth and eyes opened wide in amazement.

I had to find out what they heard, what they learned, what they saw and what they understood. Then I tried to fill in the gaps and explain it to them in the most simple terms without frightening them too much for the images and videos are scary.

I found some videos on YouTube to explain to them about a tsunami. I wanted to find videos and explanations on what is an earthquake and a tsunami but I could not find those. What I found was videos on what to do in case of an earthquake or a tsunami. However the videos are simple enough for young kids to understand. Here they are...


Tsunami Video 1


Tsunami Video 2


Earthquake Video

Careless Mistakes during test

My girl often makes careless mistakes during tests as most kids her age do I suppose. However, yesterday she brought back her Maths paper and I saw that she had lost over 10 marks due to carelessness. Oops!

It was the first time she had to do an objective paper by marking on a separate paper. She had gotten the answers right on the question paper itself but when transferring the answers onto the objective answer sheet, she somehow put in the wrong answers. She did so for 5 questions. Thats 5 marks.  She also forgot to transfer an answer. Thats another 1 mark. 6 correct answers but marked wrongly.

She miscalculated a very easy sum. 1 mark. She got tricked because she did not read the question carefully enough. 1 mark. (These 2 marks lost are excusable and not as bad as the above. Anyone can make those sorts of mistakes. Still it is not because she does not know it. She knows the answers when I asked her to look at them again and straight away she spotted her mistake.)

Finally, she got 3 marks deducted because she forgot to put in some maths equation or answers even though she had done the workings and got all the answers correct. Again, all answers were correct but marks deducted because incomplete.

When I spoke to her, I saw that she was going to get defensive and start arguing "But mummy, I checked. I used the ruler and checked line by line when transferring the answers." I told her that obviously there was something wrong with the manner in which she had checked because she made 6 wrong markings but she was adamant that she had checked correctly and carefully and she does not know how to make it better.

Instead of scolding her, I suggested to her that in future, instead of checking in that manner using a ruler, she should try to look at the numbers carefully before marking the answer sheet. "Isn't it such a waste that you are smart and studied so hard but then you lost so many marks due to not being careful enough?" She lost her defensiveness and agreed that it was indeed a waste. Hopefully she will not make so many careless mistakes in the future.

Though this is her first time doing answers on an objective answer sheet, her father had reminded her to check carefully before marking the answers. No matter how often we remind her, she still makes careless mistakes every time (which is acceptable for which kid does not make careless mistakes?) but this time, more than 10 marks lost due to carelessness is certainly a waste. She had studied so hard.

How to make an origami ball

The kids love origami. They are quite adept at it having had quite a lot of practise. They can easily follow simple origami instructions from origami books or better still YouTube videos. We keep some origami paper at home ready for when the mood strikes us. Sometimes they even come up with their own amazing origami designs. The boy folded a space craft while the girl made a 3-D ice-cream cone with strawberry and vanilla flavour. :)

Recently we tried this fun paper project ie how to make a ball with a piece of paper. It is really easy. The part that the kids love the most is blowing up the ball.

Here is the video we found on YouTube on How to Make an Origami Ball or a ball using a piece of paper. You should try it. I am sure the kids will find it fun and easy.

Siblings

Yesterday the boy did not know how to do his school work. His sister came to help him. He gave her a hug in return. She hugged him back and they both smiled. Perfect sibling behaviour.

Now, if only this would go on daily instead of the .....

"Mummy she ate 4 prawn crackers. I only had 3"

"Mummy, he pushed my hand away."

"Mummy, she hit me."

"Mummy, he is too noisy!"

Blah blah blah.....

I wonder how will they be like when they grow up.

I hope they grow up loving each other and always keeping an eye out for each other.

First half school term break

The first school holidays is almost upon us. This week is easy on us as it is exam week. No after school classes or activities and no homework. We are much less rushed this way. All that is required is a little bit of revision in the afternoon.

The holidays are too short. Its just 5 days if  you don't count the weekends. Their father may take two days off to spend time with them, they have two days of replacement piano classes to catch up from the time they were sick and they have been invited to their aunty's house for a pot luck lunch on another day. Thats it. All 5 days taken up. It will go by in no time at all.

However, they have grand plans for the holidays. They want to do all sorts and manners of crafts, and science experiments and play with their toys which they have no time for during school days, and play pc games and ........... "Mummy, we must do this if we have the time. Can we? Can we? If we have the time?" Looks like mummy will be as busy as ever, school holidays or no school holidays.

Before and After Photos

With my boy falling sick at the tail end of Chinese New Year, I had no mood nor time to post up any post about Chinese New Year. Now, this is all the energy I have left to post before it becomes end of the year. :P

We went to Kek Lok Si in Penang at dusk. Watching the fairy lights being switched on was magical, simply magical. We climbed the Pagoda, something I've done many times before but not with the kids. I was tired but the hubby and the kids were excited so I managed to find some reserve energy to climb.

At the top, the boy said.. "Mummy, look! I can see the whole town! So lovely!" His excited look and happy expression when he said that, made the tiring climb worthwhile. :)

This year we also went to Gurney Drive to play fireworks and let go some wishing lanterns. That was magical too.

We had a wonderful time at the beggining of Chinese New Year though not at the end but things are back to normal now.

Homework "Guidance"

Boy: Mummy, mummy, must do this homework or not?

Mum: No need. No need. Just do today's homework. The rest leave for later, slowly do.

Mum: Eh? What for you colour so nice for. This is not an art lesson. Cincai colour enough. Don't waste time.

Girl: My class teacher say exactly the same thing as you because she is always in a rush too but my music teacher say must colour nicely or else she will scold.

Mum to boy: What have you been doing while I was gone? Why nothing done? Playing with stationaries again ah!

Mum to girl: What have you been doing while I was gone? Why nothing done? Reading book again ah! Put away that story book!

Are 7 year olds smart enough to choose what to have for lunch?

Are 7 year olds smart enough to choose what to have for lunch? Will they choose a balanced diet, with fruit, vegetables and water? I don't think so. I don't think 7 year olds should be given pocket money to buy lunch on their own and decide what they should eat. I think it is ok during a short break or recess in the morning but not for lunch.

At school, I saw some kids who had catered food from the canteen for lunch. Some had lunch catered from outside. Some had lunch brought by parents. Some were flanked by maids. Some had very balanced meals, fried chicken, vegetables, rice. Some had warm porridge brought in a container. Some older kids who were perhaps more hungry could buy rice or noodles for themselves.

Then I saw this 7 year old, who ran to the canteen counter, bought himself two packets of junk (usually with names like tam tam or miao miao or something ridiculous like that) and he sat and enjoyed his two packets of junk for lunch.

I think not allowing pocket money and just allowing him to eat a cold sandwich prepared in the morning would have been much better.

I know that kid. He is in my son's class. He will have more junk food for tea. Then he has to wait for the older kids to come out later in the day before going off in a bus... not home but to another daycare centre.

I don't think that 7 year olds in my time had such a schedule but it seems to be getting more common now. :(