Weekender Mix

1) This one tops my current list of annoying, overachieving little kids (haha no, no it doesn’t): 9 Year Old Builds Shelters For The Homeless. She’s amazing. More kids should overachieve in such un-annoying ways.

Can you imagine???

Can you imagine???

(Like, I Can’t Imagine It’s A Glue Gun, Not Rachmaninoff :D)

2) If you read only one this week: What If Eleanor Hawkins Flashed Her Boobs In St Paul’s Cathedral? <cringe>

pic from article

pic from article

“…one of those arrested, has been “trolling” the people of Malaysia from his cell… (His) arrogance is extraordinary and suggests that at the heart of all this nudism is the cult of “me first” – a rejection of the local culture…

My primary school education was in Sabah (albeit Sandakan, not Kota Kinabalu) of the Kadazan-Dusun culture who hold Mount Kinabalu sacred as the “revered abode of the dead.” (And my secondary school best friend in Penang is proudly Muslim, alumni of International Islamic University, and not too long ago posted on her own Facebook “As a Muslim I’m not going to apologize on behalf of the moronic man who took hostages in Sydney nor the Taliban who just massacred innocent children ‘coz I don’t see them as fellow Muslim brothers but as blady demons…” (Bahasa Baku spelling for “bloody.”)

Anyway, this is my favourite quote from the article:

“…you don’t have to be religious to despair of … its implied insult to the host culture. It’s a rejection of hospitality, a sign of disrespect that breaks the traveller’s code.”

3) So, your pet might be right… Animals Who Don’t Let You Travel.

S'Up? Don't Feel Guilty, Ok?

S’Up? Don’t Feel Guilty, Ok?

4) 25 Foods You Shouldn’t Eat.

Neither here nor there but because it goes to show how many hidden “bad” calories are in “liquid foods” – sauces, sugary frozen yoghurts, blended ice coffees with whipped cream… AND did you know a strawberry smoothie can have as many calories as 2 Big Macs…

Ok, I have a confession – our helper has been struggling with weight issues and I didn’t realise how tough it was until I recently found her spending considerable time looking at the chocolate in Park & Shop (I know this because when I saw the dog left outside, which btw she is not supposed to do, I sat with JD to wait for our helper to come back. When she didn’t come back after some time I went in to look for her and ended up watching her for awhile before she realised I was there.) It was seeing her that way that kept me from scolding her more re leaving JD outside.

Because she likes to eat in her own room probably on her phone, it was much longer before I figured both her previous and current diet habits or I would’ve said something sooner (in the past for a long time I had assumed she was eating what we eat – when I asked, “Can I finish the veg, have you taken some out for yourself?” she would just say “yes.”)

It turns out our helper doesn’t eat “real” food, she’s consuming protein powders and spirulina, but one day I realised she doesn’t eat vegetables or tofu or any other “normal healthy food” either, and I asked her if it was because of her special diet (though I really can’t imagine you can’t eat light stir-fry greens on diet). She said no, that’s because she absolutely loathes vegetables.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not talking about people who were born a little heavier, or have been having a hard time due to work stress or depression. (In the 3 years she’s been with us our helper met and got engaged to someone from her own village who coincidentally also works here, so I think she is quite happy here..) Also, I packed on 25kg for my first pregnancy and 21kg for my second (I’m just under 5ft 7 inches).  I’ve received the “Yeah you’re fat, don’t want you, find replacement in China” comments. It was not like I was totally comfy ballooning into a whale, but I deliberately didn’t lose the weight “too” fast either – maybe the bulk over 5 months – because I thought that might be “healthier”. I altered my clothing with a tailor several times (ma and pa shop ok, and I even saved some of my maternity clothes which I enjoy wearing now) just so I wouldn’t have any body issues, then for a full year after each baby I ate NO fast food and until today rarely drink soft drinks (though I do like an occasional beer in the fridge, which I take several days to finish.) The kind of massive weight gain I’m talking about is the sort purely due to your own eating habits. In other words, completely in your control.

After our helper’s diet came more to light, I then remembered seeing Mc Donald’s chicken nuggets lying around the the place as she did the housework (kids already in school and anyway they are social nugget and cupcake eaters allowed to not finish junk at any time, but must finished the good stuff like veg), and seeing her cooking herself meals of only french fries (no we don’t eat much pork, and if there’s a pork dish I tell her).

This whole long story is here as a caveat – watching our helper’s struggle scared me into keeping to a relatively good diet even more – because I think she’s really, really having a tough time now. She’d let it get to a weight gain of 15kg, maybe more, on her frame of about 5ft 2-3inches. It must be terrible to know something is bad for you yet only feel satiated by having too much of it, and to hate eating healthy (and cheaper) things like vegetables so badly you have to drop any spare cash on specific diet foods. It must be terrible to want what’s bad for you to a point you can’t control it. And it probably started off very innocuously. So I’m so scared I never want to get that hooked (or let the kids get hooked).

5) The Manul Cat, Most Expressive Cat In The World.

Meh.

Meh.

6) Miss-Skit this week is simple: Miss Issa Manul Cat. (And no, we didn’t do anything to inspire those faces, she hasn’t even seen the Manul Cat yet. This is her naturally spoiling all our shots :D)

All we said to her was, “Miss, Miss, look here for a picture,” and –

I. Know.

Also, NOT looking here. 

See

Separated at birth.

IMG_6922  IMG_6925

IMG_6932 pallas-cat-manul-7__880

Twins!

Sigh.

Sigh.

 IMG_6910 pallas-cat-manul-4__880

But wait-

Hmm. Who does this remind you off...?

This one’s different. Who does this remind you of…?

NO. (pic from comicbookandmoviereviews.com)

Dis is not a Manul Cat. (pic from comicbookandmoviereviews.com)

And with that…

Have a good weekenpfffffffffffff.

Have a good weekenpfffffffffffff.

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Rockstarism #371 – Wisdoms From The ‘Tube

#370

Me: How was school, darling?

Rockstar: Awesome! Lemme show you all the great stuff they showed us today! There’s this video done by 12 year olds that’s REALLY FUNNY!

Halfway through the video, which appears to be someone’s school assignment to raise awareness about pollution, interspersed with Rockstar guffawing away for no apparent reason:   Me: What exactly are you finding so funny about this?

Rockstar: <pauses video> Look at this guy. He’s supposed to have collapsed from all that pollution and have some horrible lung problem – and he’s totally smiling in the video! 

He's got a point...

Hee hee he’s gotta point.

———————————————————————————————————

Rockstar: Mum. Look at this (Ninjago fight). Who d’you think’s gonna win?

Me: Erm… Kai (the red ninja)?

Rockstar: No, Lloyd, because he’s the Ultimate Ninja. Also because he’s a kid.

Me: What d’you mean “because he’s a kid,” aren’t they all kids?

Rockstar: No, only Lloyd is a kid. The others are grownups. Well, one is a robot.

Me: And the kid’s the best fighter?

Rockstar: Yup. He’s the Ultimate Ninja.

Me: Why’s he a kid and the Ultimate Ninja? Did something happen for him to become Ultimate Ninja?

Rockstar: It’s because I’m a kid and I’m watching it. Kids watch it, so the Ultimate Ninja’s a kid. 

Me: So if lotsa mummies watch it the Ultimate Ninja would be a mummy?

Rockstar: <straight faced> Mummies don’t get to watch what they want to watch because the kids are too busy watching what they want to watch. 

(Dis is true, but sad 🙁 ..)

"See no evil, hear no evil, pant all you want..."

Dis is art.

Pick a caption:

1) “Miss to JD: See no evil, hear no evil, pant all you want.

2) “No stroller, no scooters no bikes, AILEEN, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING??!!”

3)  “Because I’m not above child labour to walk the Border Collie” (Note: Border collie, not dog.)

ps: This is a just-under-3km Peak trail during the height of summer (they’re in light longs because of bugs) – they both completed it, played with and threw sticks for JD all along the way, and didn’t even sleep early. #feelsocheated #casefortranquiliserguns In addition, Rockstar also said some snobby thing re Have I Any Idea How Much They Do (how active they are) On School Trips… Well it’s true he has told me how he has friends who eat cucumber for snack and run several km at a time when training (I have no idea what is standard for little kiddie track and field or rugby etc, I remember when  he said that because I mildly disapproved ;D) . (Big Mac And Run Several Km Sounds More Like It.. I ate quite heavily growing up and as a teen – like, rice and meat for all 3 meals, steak and potatoes…  But I think as a teenager you can eat uh, cardboard and your body will likely still deal with it :P)

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Rockstarism #370 – A Way With Words

#370

Because it’s too fun not to keep score… 

Miss: My (toy) shark’s name is Sophie. (To Rockstar) Your shark’s name is Zoe.

Rockstar: What? No it’s not.

Miss: Yes it is. Your shark is Zoe.

Rockstar: No it’s not, go name your own shark. 

Miss: My shark’s name is Sophie. Yours is Zoe. It’s. ZOE. 

Rockstar: Then your shark’s name is Naughty Girl.

Rockstar: 1; Miss: 0. And I’m taking bets on how long that lasts… 😀

Meantime, Kings “1” too…

We celebrated Kings opening his first shop over the weekend.

We celebrated Kings opening his first shop over the weekend.

I found ONE shop of the gadzillion balloon places I know (Miss' fault!) that has that blue balloon ok...

I found ONE shop of the gadzillion balloon places I know (Miss’ fault!) that has that blue balloon ok…

So we celebrated Kings over the weekend...

So we celebrated Kings over the weekend…

 

 

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Float Like A Butterfly, Take The Bus, Train And Taxi

Continued...

Continued…

The Miss’ birthday was on a weekday, and it happened that day after school she also had a toddler music class. We didn’t skip anything; while it’s not a super hard and fast rule, wherever possible we avoid the little subliminal message that a means of “celebrating” something is by cutting a class. (Cutting class is not a treat. People singing happy birthday to you in class is a treat.

This is her in standard issue school shirt paired with her favourite skirt...

This is her in standard issue school shirt paired with her favourite skirt getting on the school bus…

Getting to dress in your prized gold lame-lavender skirt (school rules permitting – we put the butterfly wings on after school, just in case) is a treat.

Hence this.

Hence this.

The Miss wanted to traipse about in her wings, sprinkling the proverbial fairy butterfly dust everywhere she went, before going in to toddler music class That Class Where She Will Dive Bomb Me Or Crawl About Screeching At The Top Of Her Lungs Inexplicably Pretending To Be A Cat Under The Pretext Of Dancing To Music.

(To be fair her teacher in this very local music class at Tom Lee is one of those very perceptive people in early education; he adjusts songs and little details in stories and activities very quickly based on the mood of his charges – no mean feat because some of the kids like mine can be very frisky.)

At times it was pretty hot, though.

It was a pretty hot day, though.

Unfortunately this day, it was boiling. Seriously boiling. (But she had to be in light longs because of the elastic of the wings cutting into her arms).

Bleah.

Bleah.

(The nice uncle stall keeper let us shelter from the the direct sun in the doorway of his stall; however he was actively hiding every time my iPhone came out :D)

The bus is a good place to contemplate...

This is her cooling down once she’s on the bus…

Air conditioning deserves a little stardust!

And air conditioning deserves a little wave of a wand!

(Yes she has her seatbelt on, adjusted over the wings.)

We enter the train station and.... Hello, what's this?

We enter the train station and…. Hello, what’s this?

No, Miss, no running in this race.

No, Miss, no running in this race.

Miss: Can’t run? 

Me: No, darling. You walk in this race.

Miss: Can fly?

Why not.

Why not.

Can do a little competitor research, too.

Can do a little competitor research, too.

And a veggie-mix squeezie...

And a veggie-mix squeezie…

(Nb: They’re a lot more expensive than just giving her the fruit/veg prepared at home; we use the squeezies to increase the variety of fruits/veggies she takes in, or sneak some of the foods she otherwise wouldn’t eat un-pureed and blended, into her diet.)

But then we start to wilt.

But then we start to wilt.

And fuss.

And fuss…

But we've got to find more substantial sustenance...

Hurriedly we find more substantial sustenance…

Even the wings come off, we need a break...

Even the wings come off, we need a break…

(Those wings… trapped many a passing busy waiter in this crowded cafe :D)

Kudos to the wait staff though, because a desperate run to set up potty makes me leave her wand behind. When we go back for it, it takes a few conversations, but a waitress eventually emerges from the back with the cardboard wand. AND they all wish her happy birthday with a smile! Like, wow.

And then on to toddler music class!

We make it to toddler music class…

Why yes, the wings stayed on until......

Why yes, the wings stayed on until……

The Miss lets everyone have a turn with her wings and wand. Including one of the boys, who is intrigued.

The Miss lets everyone have a turn with her wings and wand. Even the boys are rather intrigued.

And so the wand-wielding butterfly called it a day.

And so the wand-wielding butterfly called it a day.

Happy Birthday, you insanely loved child. (Not… that lotsa parents love their kids any less insanely, just that you are no less insanely loved, you understand… )

This is her celebrating that morning in school...

This is her celebrating that morning in school…

And note the bunch of buddies congregating behind her… Can you guess what they’re doing? They were……………..

Tidying up their own remains of the birthday cupcakes - this is the Miss doing the same...

Tidying up their own remains of the birthday cupcakes – this is the Miss doing the same…

And packing her snack remains...

And packing her snack remains…

"Look, Ma - Strawberry cream!"

“Look, Ma – Strawberry cream!”

They've learnt to do the Emily-Post-I-Need-A-Tissue thing too...

They’ve learnt to do the Emily-Post-I-Need-A-Tissue thing too…

And that’s all she wrotes.

That's all their zip-locked snack things, which school attendants will then take outside for a proper tidying, after the toddlers have done what they can on their own...

That’s all their zip-locked snack things, which school attendants will then take outside for a proper tidying, after the toddlers have done what they can on their own…

ps: Even cupcakes are not quite a “treat,” we think of them as an occasional necessity due to social obligations 😀 “I don’t eat cake” in some older kids’ circles seems to be an up-and-coming Cool Thing to say, though – I once heard a whole bunch of pretty little girls skipping around at another party saying proudly, “We don’t eat cake!” (“But we’ll come sing ‘Happy Birthday’). Just so…

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1st MayCham (Malaysian Chamber of Commerce) – Hong Kong and Macau AGM

The night before we were due to celebrate the Miss’ birthday in school the next morning with cupcakes and lootbags, we were at the Malaysian Chamber of Commerce – Hong Kong and Macau‘s 1st AGM…

It should be noted that when I’m not posting cute pics of the kids, the more “serious” or “entertaining” issues I write about have to do with a) reflecting on the world as it is today, for yes, the kids someday (hopefully making it relatively entertaining for everyone else along the way), and b) the central idea of this blog, that in exploring our parenting, we invariably lay bare our true colours – our hopes, our dreams, our prejudices, our weaknesses, certainly an unexpected strength we never knew we had and which I hope is inspirational – through the choices we make when we raise our kids.

Now to this post – if you are a Malaysian reading this, some of the quotes below I believe to hold special meaning for you who have once lived or still live in Malaysia.

If you are not a Malaysian reading this, it might further flesh out your impressions of Malaysians.

MCCHKM is founded by Malaysians who live and work in Hong Kong and Malaysia, many of whom are firmly established and hold senior positions here. You may not be able to tell just by looking, who’s Malaysian and who’s not, given the huge multi-racial melting pot. To the best of my knowledge there is no secret handshake, but there is a love for nasi lemak 🙂 (MCCHKM periodically holds very informative Nasi Lemak Lunch Talks)

Now, great oratory should inspire, it should “raise your heart rate, blow the doors off this place,” make us rush out for our next nasi lemak.

As spoken by MCCHKM Chairman Mr Gan Khai Choon:

“……Many friends in the HK business community… see many, many successful Malaysian entrepreneurs here in HK and also meet many who excel in other corporate activities… …They wondered why there was not a body to represent Malaysian businesses and HK businesses that are managed by Malaysians and other corporations that invest and do business with Malaysia in HK…

…As a new organization, Exco have laid the foundations of a chamber which can be strong, both financially and in its founding objectives… …Maycham will continue to operate fairly for all members, ensuring that general funds are only used for Maycham’s administration and participants in activities are to finance their share of costs…

– The Chairman’s Report in its entirety is at the bottom of this post, right after the selfie 🙂 

Y-eah, when they presented the audited accounts they came across to me as downright frugal and careful, and yours truly was impressed by the attention to procedure and meticulousness. To be formed, MCCHKM must have the blessings and support of the Chief Executive of HKSAR as well as the Malaysian Government and even if you are not an actual businessman, there is a whole wealth to learn.

Now, long, long ago Kings advised me not to blog a looooong sea of words without having also a few pictures. So here’s an exercise for you guys:

Q: Can you recognise MayCham committee members who won prestigious 2014 Hong Kong Business Awards?

Can you recognise which two MayCham committee members won prestigious Hong Kong Business Awards? - pic from MayCham HK & Macau Facebook Page

– pic from MayCham HK & Macau Facebook Page

A: Dato’ Cheah Cheng Hye, Value Partners Ltd, and Mr. Song Hoi See, Plaza Premium Lounge Management Ltd 

Hint.. - pic from mcchkm.com

– pic from mcchkm.com

Oh, and besides picking up Best Businessmen awards, having a lot of fun with nasi lemak, and in general totally over-achieving to the nth degree……..

Malaysia Boleh Selfie - pic from MayCham HK & Macau Facebook Page

They also do selfies. Win liao loh. – pic from MayCham HK & Macau Facebook Page

“……MayCham through the wide spectrum of members we have, will help build up a strong and reputable image for Malaysia…” -Mr Gan Khai Choon, Managing Director, Hong Leong International (Hong Kong) Limited; Chairman, Malaysian Chamber of Commerce – Hong Kong & Macau.

Appendix:

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

The formation of Maycham, HK & Macau in 2014 came about with the objective of providing Malaysian businesses in HK & Macau a platform to enhance their capabilities and resources, through better interaction and networking. A large group of founding members together with others ( 44 ) came forward to support the first Maycham Exco. The first Exco is made up of a group of
about 15 people who loved the country and wished to promote Malaysian businesses.

Many friends in the HK business community have always admired and respected Malaysians whom they have come to know, especially those they meet and do business with. They know that Malaysians are versatile, resilient, capable and are of high intergrity. They know that Malaysians grew up in a multi racial society and have high international education standards providing them skills that are very much in demand in today’s economy, especially in HK and NE Asia. They see many, many successful Malaysians entrepreneurs here in HK and also meet many who excel in other corporate activities. Cheah & Song were awarded businessmen of the year. They wondered why there was not a body to represent Malaysian businesses and HK businesses that are managed by Malaysians and other corporations that invest and do business with Malaysia in HK. Now we have Maycham.

I am deeply honored to be Maycham’s first Chairman.

Since Maycham is still in its infancy, I sincerely hope that, all of us in the Exco can continue to grow Maycham to be strong, with the recruitment of more members and also help create a culture of valuable activities for our members and friends, so that the people involved in the Malaysian business community will benefit. Maycham through the wide spectrum of members we have, will help build up a strong and reputable image for Malaysia.

As a new organization, Exco have laid the foundations of a chamber which can be strong, both financially and in it’s founding objectives. Maycham have been supported by many founding members and with the capital contributions of more than HK$2 million, we hope we will keep these funds as our “Financial Foundation”, and continue to grow it, and make Maycham always financially strong. Maycham have and will continue to organize many events and activities and for every one of these, we always aim to make it self-financing. Maycham will continue to operate fairly for all members, ensuring that general funds are only used for Maycham’s administration and participants in activities are to finance their share of costs.

There is a lot that Maycham can do and I hope I can continue to have this privilege to make Maycham stronger and contribute to Malaysian businesses. 

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I Am Butterfly, Hear Me Roar.

IMG_7322

 

Akan Datang. Coming soon…..

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This Parent’s Adventure In The “21st Century Kennedy School Classroom”

“Are you wondering how we use technology to improve your child’s learning in the classroom?”… 

This just in: Teachers are no longer teachers.

It revolves around how students should be prepared (as in taught to adapt, assimilate and use existing technological knowledge) for a very uncertain future:

“By one estimate, 65 percent of children entering grade school this year will end up working in careers that haven’t even been invented yet.” – Cathy N. Davidson, professor at Duke University. 

Teachers have become facilitators, equipping kids with the skills necessary to prepare for jobs that don’t exist yet – rather than train them only in the specific skills required for the jobs that exist right now. It occurred to me that being able to use different kinds of tech based on what’s available today becomes something of a separate school subject, in addition to traditional reading, writing, arithmetic and art (in other words it doesn’t take away from traditional means of learning and stimulation, rather, it stands right next to them).

While “Chalk n talk” is now very outdated, we were told that the use of technology in ICT learning should not be a novelty. “New” technology coming in has to be efficient, engaging, meaningful, not because it’s the Next New Thing. This in particular jumps out at me though my analogy is obviously derivatives-based and not a perfect fit – see, one of the things I believed in about dealing/ investing in derivatives was the counter-intuitive position that one shouldn’t go for the Next New Hairy Thing (i.e. complicated product) just because it was there and new.

There’s a valid reason – often when an investment bank’s structuring team came up with a new-fangled complicated product that other teams hadn’t learned to mimic and price yet, there was a huge amount of spread built in. In other words, a lot of “meat”. Some of it necessary (a new product means less counterparts willing to square off with the trader handling the product, which means the trader also bears more risk, which he has to build into the price of the product), some of it simply to take a higher margin (well d-uh). You want a product that is priced “close to the bone” – lean – because then it moves dynamically and quickly with the market, moving “in the money” quickly to make you a profit. Such a product is therefore usually not the first Complicated Thing Out There – it’s the second. Second Complicated Thing Out There means more traders have had time to price it, they’ll have more counterparts among themselves to trade and square off market risk, AND they’ve got more pricing competition meaning they can’t erm, get away with just anything. I assume the techie version of that is they’ve worked out more bugs before you buy it. Or someone else has come up with a way to improve your original product. Or simply that it becomes cheaper to produce/ buy the same product (I like to wait for sales. 6 months, a year in tech terms is probably a lot. Also, an awesome iPhone 5S doesn’t stop being an awesome iPhone 5S just because the 6 is out. I hope there’s a better tech support and accessories version of this for little kiddie learning tech though, since if you go to the Uncle Disneyland Apple Store in IFC now they have practically ZERO iPhone 5S accessories available anymore.)

But back to Rockstar’s school classroom. Us parents got to spend some classroom time in a typical way our kids might, one evening. In year 2 (around 6 years old), the kids are taught to upload pictures or documents onto the school-monitored shared drives for reports, share their work with the teacher and each other in their groups, or simply with their friends…

Yes, tech has changed the way kids learn so much. Ever thought your 6 year old would be happily taking pics on any device and uploading them about? Exactly. I daresay I suspect the teachers on average had a harder time teaching us than our kids, to swing the class 😀 *cough-dinosaur-cough* (Certainly any “Chai-nese” teacher would, because I’ve found Rockstar learns the language, particularly the writing, much, much faster and more effectively than yours truly.)

But anyway. Here’s part of my classwork :D:

Pop-art Selfie

Best Attempt At Pop-art Selfie

(Fine, I did find the right Warhol-y filter, but I liked the first pic better)

(Fine, I did find the right filter, but I liked the first pic better)

We were supposed to take a selfie (how youngster-oriented is this?!) of ourselves using a specified app we had to locate on the standard-issue school iPads and find the most pop-art-y filter (think Warhol), for a theoretical learning unit (that is not tha-at theoretical, really – Rockstar had an exploration of shapes plus self-portrait back in Year 1 based on the art of Paul Klee, and if I recall correctly it was Kandinsky + music in Year 2 (someone please scream at me on email if I got that wrong) because I remember Rockstar describing somewhere that the circles reminded him of the pulsing of… Jazz music?) – then we had to upload it to our child’s own profile login and share amongst our group via the class standard-issue Macs (which btw I might add are in better condition than my own ole’ Mac-with-sentimental-value that I am blogging this on :))

We also chat realtime while sharing – to see our comments pop up on each others’ documents:

“…This is (child’s name)’s mum. Lovely work !

😀

 well done

Nice to meet everyone!

(Rockstar) is so going to laugh at me when he sees this 😛 *dinosaur*…”

So I come home and I tell him we were given our kids’ school logins for the class and he immediately goes to see what I’ve done. He is just sooo tickled by this exercise. Too. Tickled.

Me: Oh, then can I have the doc for my blog please?

Rockstar: Should I make it so you can actually change things on it or only let you view it? Oh, maybe I shouldn’t let you change anything, it’s your classwork.

Me: Excuse me??? (Like, major power trip or what?!)

Rockstar: <LAUGHS><forks over doc with a “Well done on your awesome picture” – condescending, much? Humph>

Oh, and I especially liked to see the warning I then got:

“Visits to this document are recorded by Kennedy School

– you are about to access a document administered by the Kennedy School domain. Your activity on that document will be logged and viewable to the Kennedy School administrator….”

Pretty cool right? Real-time-or-otherwise sharing includes detailed logs! The auditor in me is so turned on right now. (But also note to self: Remind the offspring not to make snarky  or say anything dumbb on his friend’s docs!)

Epilogue: I think the most vital skill Rockstar is being equipped with is how to go out there into that rapidly changing technology-driven world and… feed his thirst for knowledge. The most vital skill he’s learning in his 21st century classroom at his school is how to learn. How to use the new tools available, how to dynamically build on that to able to use even more tools that pop up in the future. And to enjoy it, every step of the way.

It’s the difference between giving the kids the fish and teaching them to fish.

And then taking a picture of said fish on the iPad, using say, the Pop-art (or other learning-unit-appropriate) filter, looking up the species (with the child-safe search engines that the school tells us nonetheless are often monitored by them), sharing it on the school Virtual Learning Environment, sharing and accessing each others’ notes and comments…

Ps: Oh, and it is now one minute into my other child’s birthday.

Happy 3rd Birthday, my darling, darling daughter. This is just so… you.

IMG_6945 IMG_6946

 

 

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Little Miss-Speak #51 – If Capote Did Kiddie Parties

#51

Remember that comment by the Miss about Rockstar having to return the favour because she was attending his friend’s party? That “favour” was today…    

Miss: Mummy. It’s my friends’ party today?

Me: Yes darling.

Miss: <seriously> Ko-ko must not fight in the party, Mummy. It’s my friends’ party.

Rockstar: <snorts> Why would I want to fight at your friends’ party?

Miss: You won’t. Because it’s my. Friends’. Party. 

I guess “please” is too much to ask; Rockstar was ordered to be on his best behaviour (and I similarly instructed by her to make sure of it) when he meets the Miss’ friends. I suppose next she will be picking out our outfits for future social events. I still remember when Rockstar got mad at me for giving him “goofy thumbs up” in front of his friends while volunteering at a school event… And so it begins with the next one… :D)

The party, btw….

Dis is maybe half the room. Dis is a party for 3 year old twins. Now you get my Capote title? :)

I. Know. Dis is maybe half the room. Now you get my Capote title? 🙂

We've got the masks down...

We’ve got the masks…

(Seriously though, it was like, "Where is she?? HOW did my daughter disappear so quickly?!" OH. FACE PAINTER. Boom. Buncha girls find their way clean across the room.

(Seriously though, it was like, “Where is she?? HOW did my daughter disappear so quickly?!” OH. FACE PAINTER. Of course. Boom. Buncha girls find their way clean across the room.

I mean... what ELSE could they be doing, right?

I mean… what ELSE could they be doing, right? (They were squishing their faces for all the mummies to take pics :D)

Oh, and there's Rockstar with her. Where ARE they again?

Oh, and there’s Rockstar with her. Where ARE they again?

Just in a little ole' bouncing castle...

Just in a little ole’ bouncing castle…

Of course.

…Which happens to be in a grand ballroom.

And that’s just where the dining was, they had games elsewhere before it was time to eat. Oversized bouncing castle under the high, mirrored and chandelier-ed ceiling of a grand ballroom. Dis is art. Excuse me while I spend a bit more time being impressed, please.

The Miss' friends are twins!

The Miss’ friends are twins! (I also remember observing that the Miss’ classmate’s Elsa Coronation dress is either tailored to fit perfectly, or else her friend is perfectly-proportioned for off the rack dress-ups (and I say this as someone who has browsed dress-ups on for several big Halloween and other party years 🙂

(It amazes me how other mums organise these things. Coordinating the RSVP list alone for these things I find crazy daunting and have therefore never done one. Rockstar, 7.5 years and conveniently having his birthday so close to Christmas and huge thing for skiing to boot, has let me off the hook every year – to this day I have never organised a single full-blown kiddie party for the kids. Your Friends Are All Traveling/ You Are Traveling has worked every time. The Miss…. loves everyone’s birthday relatively equally :D)

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Miss-Speak #50 – Miss’ Greatest Hits

#50

The Miss likes to make up her own lyrics… And uh, often the tunes too 😀

Miss (Singing loudly):

Miss is so naughtyyyyy…
Miss is so naughtyyyyy…
Miss splashes in pud-dles…

(Bemused, we start to join in)

Miss: No. Don’t sing. Let. Me. Do it. 

———————————————————————————————-

Miss: Issa awe-sum day, issa awe-sum day, Mummy it really was a awe-sum day…

(Substitute rainy day, sunny day, cloudy day…)

———————————————————————————————-

Miss: I want leeeep (sleep), I want leeeep (sleep)…

<pause>

Miss: (to herself) No.

Miss: I want jelleee… I want jelleeeeee… and marshmallow……. 

———————————————————————————————-

A-and the rockstars are sporting biker chic this week…

Yes she really went to toddler music class in a raincoat, helmet and skates. It uh, took a little longer than usual to get there.

Yes she really went to toddler music class in a raincoat, helmet and skates. It uh, took a little longer than usual to get there.

And - and - where have I seen this look before???

And – and – where have I seen this look before???

Oh, right.

pic from pixgood.com

pic from pixgood.com

 

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Little Miss Yoga

The Miss had been raving about a yoga session she’d had in class, and so when they had an after-school yoga activity at Safari Kid I brought her back… 

Since it’s a toddler class, the teacher reads a story to them and then incorporates Yoga poses into the story…

It turns out.... she's a natural :)

It turns out…. she’s a natural 🙂

We did the Tree Pose, with and without also balancing a bean bag on the toddler’s head… (Balance being something that helps with their learning in the classroom…)

IMG_6860 IMG_6858

Besides balance, another purpose of the yoga moves is to cross their midlines, the imaginary line drawn from the head to the feet that separates the left and the right halves of the body (because the left and right side of the brain have different purposes, the idea is for each hemisphere to communicate with the other, so as to facilitate learning and coordination…)

Hence the Miss is supposed to cross her arms around and then practice picking up the bean bag...

The Miss is supposed to cross her arms around and then practice picking up the bean bag, for eg…

A "mind jar" filled with sparkles that slowly sink, for some quiet...

A “mind jar” filled with sparkles that slowly sink, for some quiet time as the kids watch the swirls…

 

And, predictably, all through the weekend…..

IMG_6939 IMG_6940

I see trees.... And chicken satay...

I see trees…. And chicken satay…

Have a good week ahead, dears… Don’t miss the satay for the trees 🙂

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