Category Archives: parenting

life with a kindergartener: Kirakira Precure Ala Mode

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You’ve been egging us to set up our Christmas Tree for a couple of weeks now. But you’ve been egging us to watch the Precure movie for a month now. Hence, when I asked you to choose between Christmas tree setup + pancake or Precure movie, the latter was an easy choice for you. Daddy definitely didn’t want to torture himself to watch the movie and I was convincing you to change your mind as I wasn’t too keen to watch it either. But your mind was set on what you want in that you even said, “I’ll watch by myself!”; as if we will allow that.

I was a SailorMoon fanatic but Precure was too much for me. I don’t feel tortured though whenever I see you happily waving your “Miracle Light” (the Staff gave this on the cinema entrance) every time the heroines in the movie ask the audience to help in combatting the evil force by raising your Miracle Lights up.

You were very excited to attach your light on your bag and I have no doubt you’ll brag about your light tomorrow at daycare and how you now have the same light as some of the other girls.

It was a challenge to watch the movie but seeing you happy and excited makes the challenging 1.5 hours totally worth it.

PS: Where usually it was a challenge to wake you up and make you eat in the mornings, this morning (the morning after) you woke up by yourself and was animatedly eating; excited to show off your miracle light to your friends.

PPS: for our future reference – this movie we saw was how the Kira Kira Precure group (six uberly cute and styled-up, anime style, girls of varying ages) saved the city of Paris-turned-dessert-city from a ghost patisserie.

baby diaries: cat’s hand

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You were watching way too much videos already so I asked you to come on over to help me beat the eggs. Result: you had a tantrum because you didn’t want to help and just wanted to watch. The tantrum was a confirmation you’ve had too many videos and so I set my foot and commanded you come on over in the kitchen. 

The moment you beat the eggs though, you were your usual gay self already and was having fun. Then you volunteered to cut the pechay/chingensay/Chinese cabbage. My first instinct was not to allow you to hold the knife. But you looked so confident that you can do it and I most definitely don’t want to break that confidence. So I grit my teeth and handed you the knife. As you positioned the knife, you said that Sugawara-sensei told you the other hand that’s not holding the knife should be like a cat’s hand; curled like a cat’s hand so that those cutie little fingers won’t get nipped.  

I’m loving your head teacher all the more. By the way, you cut those two heads of pechay quite evenly. Good job, Anak! 🙂 

baby diaries: 5

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Mom friends at the office are organising a small get together this Friday in celebration of our motherhood. Five years. You’re five. I’ve been a mother for five years. Somehow it feels so surreal as it feels like it was just yesterday that you were kicking inside my tummy. Now YOU’RE the one asking for a baby boy inside MY tummy (tall order, little one). 

Five. Truth be told, I feel (and know) I’m very far from being the perfect Mom. Sometimes, I feel like I’m so hard and strict on you. But I’m learning by the day little love, and you are teaching me too. 

I love your laughter. And your tight hugs. And your sweet kisses (which are sometimes too wet!). And your thoughtfulness. And your empathy. At your tender age of 4, you have comforted me several times, patting my back and my head. In those times, I have only gratitude – thankful of how God has made you and how He is honing you for the future He has planned for you. 

During bath time this evening, I asked you what’s your birthday wish. You had an easy answer – love, laughter (you demonstrated it too). 

With that kind of birthday wish, I’d say I am a blessed Mom. 

Grow up well, Anak. We wish you beauty inside and out, love, passion, a faithful soul, and a kind heart. 

baby diaries: the first time you shared your broken heart

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No, this isn’t about your first crush. And I know as well that this isn’t the first time that you got broken hearted with a friend. I still remember that morning during your second year in daycare (1 yr old class Futaba gumi) when you reached out to embrace your girl best friend when you saw her arrive, only to be pushed away roughly, just because she was still not in the mood. How you cried then. My heart cried with you too. 

Your broken heart today was also with a friend. For the first time, you shared with me your feelings about something that happened to you at daycare. That how one of your girl friends laughed at your right big toe that still has the flaking blue nail polish. You said you were both embarrassed and angry. I hugged you then and asked you again how you felt. Was happy when you said you feel better with the hug. 

Saw it as a chance too to teach you the lesson that we should not laugh at other people. That it’s not funny. That you should make a stand and tell the other person how it isn’t funny. 

And I warmed as I see you getting passionate and saying that in daycare, Japanese is spoken so you should speak in the language. Asked you how to say in Japanese. And then you translated what you ought to say, perfectly (笑った、だめ!!); complete with the right expression on your face and your hands in your hips. 

We did still remove your nail polish but I hope that you learned and will stand up for yourself against bullies. 

Be brave my lovely little one.