Monthly Archives: July 2020

Yui draws: Kimetsu no Yaiba’s Kizuna

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The anime Kimetsu no Yaiba/Demon Slayer has seen explosive popularity from when it was launched last year. Based on a manga which was first published 2016, the animation version was so good it received numerous awards from last year, including best theme song.

Indeed when we saw the first episode, even I got hooked. But I found the second episode too violent hence I did not allow Yui to watch any further. She hasn’t stopped talking about it since, though. It’s just everywhere! Plus it’s very popular at school/after-school. Thankfully a novelised version is now available, sans the very graphic illustrations (or at least limited). That’s what Yui bought yesterday, her first book purchase out of her allowance/pocket money.

She’s so passionate with the series that last night, she drew her own character to join Tanjiro’s band of heroes. Meet Kizuna. She has emerald green hair, and star pupils, and she turns to a dragon when she fights demons. Excuse the slight cleavage though. Yui reasoned that the dress would be too tight if it’s closed. 😭🥴😓

life with a grade schooler: planking laps

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So, we have this ongoing friendly competition: planking laps. We’d each take our turn planking and time each other. You record my lapses on my phone and I record your lapses on my old phone.

Today, you made your record high of 3 minutes!! You alternated between side planks (great for your obliques!), elbow/forearm, hand, mountain climbers. Three minutes!

Determined to outdo you, I geared for my turn. But was shocked to see that record of all my previous laps have been erased!!

You tried to comfort me by hugging me and patting my back. But you hit my back so forcefully it hurt.

So I start my scratch again and today got 2 minutes 4 sec! You’re actually my senpai for planking; nevertheless I’m proud of my two minutes. 😂

life with a grade schooler: more beautiful

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There are times when, instead of calling you by your name, or “Anak”, I call you “Beautiful”. Of course being you mother, you’re always gorgeous in my eyes. There are days though when I feel that you’re exceptionally beautiful, like this evening. So I called you again, “Hey, Beautiful”.

Your face serious, brows furrowed, and with a concerned tone, you faced me squarely. What you said next made my mouth drop.

Mommy, your much more beautiful than I am, you know. You just don’t realise it because you can’t see your own face. Well, not unless you go look at yourself in the mirror.

You then turned and looked in the mirror. I was speechless. Being your mom, I know when you’re joking or not. And I know the one you just said is really what you believed in.

I just can’t understand how though. And it’s not for the lack of looking at myself in the mirror. 😂 😂 😂

But still, thank you, Anak.

Life with a grade schooler: on purse and spectacles

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You told me how in your 生活 (livelihood) class you learned about allowances/小遣い. You’ve been wanting to have your wallet since then, as if having a wallet is a prerequisite to having an allowance. I gave you a wallet a couple of years back, but you were still too young to appreciate the value of keeping a wallet hence even after a “massive search”, it’s nowhere to be found now. (That was a Cath Kidston by the way. Since Cath in Japan has gone bankrupt in April owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, that would have made that purse very special indeed.)

But since I wanted to also get you started on managing your own money and saving, we bought you a new purse today.

To jumpstart your “money management”, I put inside your wallet a 1000 yen bill and a few coins and, later when I got it as a change, a 500-yen coin. You were so happy with the 1000yen gift you kept thanking me again and again for it, using the different Japanese words and expressions in saying thank you. I appreciate that you have a thankful heart.

So from now you’ll be managing your train fares, vending machine purchases, and snacks purchases with a 700 yen weekly allowance. I suggested ways for you to save (say, take the walk up the hill instead of using the elevator to save 52yen plus get some exercise) so that you can buy something you like. With permission from me. This prompted a sassy question:

Till when will I be asking your permission on what to buy? Till I get old?

Oh dear. That will be another day’s lesson.

And! Today, we also had your eyes checked because you’ve been squinting around for weeks now. Doctor confirmed you need some lens. Those beautiful eyes would have to be behind a frame from now.

life with a grade schooler: the pen case

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This evening, for the nth time, you cleaned your pencil case. And I got curious why you were very determined in making it clean whereas last year, there seemed to have been a competition in your class on who’s got the dirtiest pen case.

And then you dropped the bombshell. Apparently all your classmates have new pencil cases. Instead of asking me for a new one though, you cleaned your old one.

I didn’t buy you a new one in this school year because your pen case was still not broken. Just dirty. I didn’t tell you this. Baut baby, you just gave me yet another reason to be proud of you.