Can you make someone smile when they're very mad?

Can you make someone smile when they're very mad? Right after they yelled at you? Don't you just feel like yelling back? And you certainly won't feel like smiling, would you?

However children have an uncanny way of doing this. Right after I'm finished yelling at them, they would come to me, shove their little faces right in front of mine, give me a big grin and say "Mummy, happy? Mummy, happy" and if my face remained stern, they'd continue "Mummy, happy?" "Hmmmm?" "Hmmmmm?" all the while still grinning and shoving their faces right in front of mine. Its so comical that sometimes I can't help but burst out laughing!

Occassionally when they see me very upset or angry with them they would cry and try to hug me. So angry though I may be, I will try my best to give them a reassuring hug even though I'm mad! Afterall, I'm glad that they run to me instead of cry and run away sulking, pouting or throwing further tantrums.

I guess we adults have a lot to learn from the little ones when we're fighting. When I'm mad at my spouse or when he's mad at me, I certainly do not feel like smiling at him or hugging him! Hahaha. I should try to learn from the kids but it takes all the control in the world to do that which comes so naturally to them. Hahaha.

Do you read labels when you shop?

Do you read labels when you shop? You're supposed to read labels to know the nutrition levels of the food products you buy but hey you know what? Labels can lie!

"It has been a staple for generations of children. But two schoolgirls have shown Ribena is not all it claims to be. Its makers, GlaxoSmithKline, were fined nearly £80,000 in a New Zealand court yesterday after admitting making misleading claims about the amount of Vitamin C in the drink there and in Australia."

Above excerpt from telegraph.co.uk: Girls expose Ribena's false vitamin claim

What about Malaysia then?

"As reported in the press, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare in New Zealand (GSK-CH) has accepted charges brought by the New Zealand Commerce Commission (NZCC) and has given undertakings to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) with regards to potentially misleading advertising statements and low levels of Vitamin C in some Ribena Ready-to-Drink products manufactured for the Australia and New Zealand markets.

GSK Malaysia has conducted thorough laboratory testing of Vitamin C levels in Ribena. This testing has confirmed that Ribena in Malaysia contain the stated levels of Vitamin C, as described on product labels. GSK would like to reassure its consumers in Malaysia that the issues discussed with the ACCC and NZCC only affects certain Ribena products in Australia and New Zealand. "

Above excerpt from Amir Mahmood Razak's blog: GSK Malaysia has given assurance on the Vitamin C Levels in Ribena.

Hmmm...... I guess its time to wipe the dust off the juicer and make more fresh juices for the kids.

Cane wielding teachers

Its true. Its not a myth. Chinese school teachers do walk around with cane in hand.

KPC 1: Eh you know ar, are you sure you want to send your dotter to Chinese school? The teachers walk around with a cane wan yunno?

KPC 2: Yah. Yah. And if ever your dotter is unable to finish her homework for example......... WHACK! Really kesian one you know?

MG: Really ah?

Well, its no hearsay and not a myth. I saw with my own eyes. Hahaha. When I went to register my girl at a Chinese School, I saw the teachers walking around with canes in one hand and books in the other. One teacher even had two rotan canes in her hands.

I also chanced to see 3 adults (I'm not sure if one of them included a parent) admonishing a child. They were all bearing down at her. (Just imagine 3 tall giants looking down at you and one of them pointing her finger at you accusingly) and the little girl was crying "No, I didn't lie. No, I didn't lie."

Well, I dunno if the little girl was in the wrong but wah... I oso sked man. The adults looked quite intimidating itelu!

What does everyone think of an education system with this sort of disciplinary action? I really wonder if I am doing the right thing registering my girl for a Chinese school. Sigh. I just came from reading Anak Merdeka's post Breeding excellence via a culture of fear and I'm filled with even more doubts now.

Poof! Disappeared!

This just happened:

1. I type my blog post *clickety clack clickety clack*
2. I hit the publish post button
3. I check my blog post
4. Several paragraphs are missing!
5. I retype my blog post from memory
6. Repeat Steps 1 to 6

Aaargggh! This blogger. Has anyone ever encountered the problem where you write a lengthy post, they you hit publish and when you check your blog post, several paragraphs are missing! It just happened to me and its happened a few times before this too. Really annoying and a waste of time. Probably I should do what most people do, type in word then copy and paste before publishing. This way at least my blog post won't disappear into thin air.

Getting my girl ready for preschool

A kindergarden operator told me that the kids who understand the concept of school will fare much better when they start preschool for the very first time.

Having heard that, I started preparing my girl for preschool months ago even though I had no intention of sending her too early. I tried to create a school environment for her. Study table and chair, white board and all and we try to sit at there for her lessons in maths, science, malays, plus arts and crafts. She totally enjoys those lessons with me and constantly asks for them because she gets my undivided attention during those lessons. (Children just like it that you spend quality time with them. Teaching them and reading to them is a good way of spending quality time and they love it!)

She has a few videos about schooling and going to school and sometimes we play pretend school. Her brother is usually involved too in these plays as the other student. To further prepare her, I gave her the impression that going to school or kindergarden is a special privelege that only older children like her (and not her brother) can enjoy.

She is prepared now, I believe. (after being brainwashed by me. lol!) When we visited a kindergarden recently she attended a trial class for an hour. She was very good. Although normally shy and clingy she did not protest when the teacher took her hand and led her upstairs to the classroom away from me. She did not say "No, I don't want to go" or "I want to go home". When I went to peep at her after half an hour later I saw that she was seated in the back row. She wasn't paying attention to what the teacher was saying but she was looking around the room curiously. Hahaha.

The teacher later gave me the feedback that she does not like to talk and doesn't want to talk to those around her. I think she just needs a little time. Afterall, she is new whereas the others are not. They have started one whole term together and are familiar to the school by now.

Later she told me that the teacher did not teach her, only the others. And when they brought her down for a snack with the other kids she said she didn't want to eat, she only wanted a drink. I do hope she can quickly adjust herself and make new friends and enjoy kindy soon. I'm planning to enrol her in one soon since she is ready now.