Category Archives: parenting

Happy New 2026!

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明けましておめでとう御座います！

At least for the last three years or so, we have enjoyed perfectly clear sunrise, with nary a cloud in sight.

This morning though was quite cloudy, and we waited for about twenty minutes for the sun to peek through (and peak above) the heavy clouds.

Because of the clouds though, we were able to witness an incredibly lovely sight: the sun’s rays forging through. Priceless.

And of course the always, always, shines through.

This year we chose a new location and thankful we could get a good view. It was worth the try.

Happy 2026!!

Life with a grade schooler: graduation

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Today, you had your graduation from your after school.

It was leagues more special than your school graduation itself.

All the previous teachers who left the after school either joined in person or online in the “graduation event” that your after school made just for you. They also presented you with handmade gifts and wrote messages on your yearbook. Even the teachers who already left the after school were able to write in their own handwriting on your yearbook. Which meant they made the effort go to the school to write on the book in addition to actually joining your small party.

As a mother, I am so so so happy to know that you are so much loved.

I am very thankful.

Life with a grade schooler: “From now on”

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We started our juku journey technically from September 2023 when we started to try enter Sapix by taking their entrance exams.

We tried twice. Unfortunately we couldn’t pass, as we absolutely did not do any kind of studying whatsoever. In fact, you couldn’t even have more than 3 correct answers for all four subjects (National Language/Math/Science/Social Studies).

Despite the failure, this was a positive experience for us though. As I got to learn your mindset. When I asked you how was the exam, your consistent answer was: I haven’t learned it yet.

Wow.

There could be kids/ people who’d say: I can’t do it. I’m not good enough.

But thankfully you didn’t say that. Your reply was instead one with a growth mindset. Thank you my dear Yui.

And then last 7/7, we took our first mock exam. We had to do it so that juku can prep you further depending on your results. And then come summer end, we take another mock test again.

When I asked you how you fared compared to Sapix exams, you said, I think I improved by 30%.

To which I exclaimed “what?! After six months only 30%?!”.

Your calm reply: Mommy what are you talking about?! That just means that from now on I will exponentially improve!

And so with that I got speechless.

Thank you my dear baby. God bless you.

Impulse’ Sort the Trash

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Am using this certain app for daily brain exercises but they have this one game called Sort the Trash which got me frustrated at first because they only have two classes of segregation: paper / plastic.

If you’re living in Japan, your brain already automatically classifies types of trash so the game was too simple yet challenging for me since it unravels what was already wired on my brain.
So of course I wrote a comment about the game and sent an email to the game developer. Learned today that their Sort the Trash now has four categories: paper / plastic / organic / Glass.
Good job, Impulse! 😅