Category Archives: parenting

Life with a grade schooler: on abiding by the rules even when nobody sees you

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So we tackled a critical life lesson this week.

There’s this school rule to never bring toys to school, beloved or otherwise, big or small. Then the other night, you tried your might to convince me to allow you to bring your latest favourite – a teeny weeny figure of Cinnamon that came free inside a bath ball (which, by the way, you were able to convince me to buy for you after a year of “NOs”).

Me: You know you’re not allowed to bring toys to school.

Yui: Why is it not allowed by the way?

Me: Because other kids could bring really good toys which are expensive and other kids could get jealous because they could not afford it. Or kids could fight over one toy. Or it could get broken. Or get lost.

Yui: K-chan (your friend at your after-school care) brings her toys.

Me: How come she’s able to bring it?

Yui: She puts it in her edou-pocket (a small clip-on pouch). I can do the same. I can put it in my edou-pocket and will not take it out at school and will not show Sensei and will hide it from other kids.

Me: Yui, now listen. You know there’s a rule to follow. The important thing with rules is to follow it even when no one is looking, even when no one sees you, even when no one knows. Because more importantly, you know. That’s character, that’s integrity, that’s honesty (now this last sentence I’m not totally sure you understood).

Yui: But how come K-chan brings her toys when nobody sees her?

Me: Well, you should ask her, and remind her that it’s not good to disobey rule even when nobody sees you.

Lo and behold you raised the topic again last night.

Yui: I asked K-chan why she disobeyed and brought her toys. She said she’s always in a hurry in the mornings “Shikoku da, shikoku da”, that she forgets to put back her toys out of her edou-pocket. It’s not intentional.

Me: oh, okay, thank you for reminding her.

And then you went off to play and left me to my kitchen chores.

But the suspicious adult in me didn’t buy K-chan’s alibi. Especially since the toys are different, every day. And of course I cannot tell you of my suspicions. That’ll be another lesson for the day. In the mean time however, I will have to ask more about your conversations with K-chan.

life with a grade schooler: August

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The drawing itself is childish. But it’s the story behind that’s touching.

8th. We left Japan for our vacation to Philippines.

13th. In your drawing, you had a tear to show you were sad that it’s time to leave our family in my hometown.

18th brought you happy tears because you’re back home.

22nd. The day your summer class met a real-life ninja and did some ninja moves yourselves. And how you nailed those moves, baby! You look a natural.

life with a grade schooler: Anger reared from your head

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You’ve been fervently packing your dolls this evening. Tomorrow’s a school holiday so you’ll be spending most of your time at your after-school school. Which means you can bring anything you want. And hence you’ve been packing your dolls so you could play with your new friend.

Then you told me how a boy was teasing your new friend and was making fun of her name. You then told me how anger reared from inside your head. And that you scolded the boy for his bad behaviour. Yes, he was older than you, but it didn’t deter you from giving him a piece of your mind.

So proud of you, my little warrior. I can only pray you’ll always be safe.

life with a grade schooler: Keeping them all in my heart

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You found a cd and asked me what it was.

Told you inside was a copy of all the slide presentations during your graduation.

I then asked you if you’d like to see them as Tito JM already had it converted to one that’s accessible online.

You: it’s ok. I’m keeping all the memories of my friends at daycare inside my heart.

Wow, my baby.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

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This evening, you asked me again to read this English book to you. I wanted you to sleep earlier but since you can also read along (and hence improve your English) I obliged.

This last page tells about how Goldilocks woke up to find the Bear family staring down at her. And how she jumped out of bed and ran away in panic.

Yui: (that thoughtful expression on her face) Because she ran away in panic, did she eventually get lost? In panic, she could have had taken a different, and unfamiliar road. (Spoken in Japanese)

Me: …….

……Now THAT makes a lot of sense.

Oh, The Places You’ll Go! 小学校1年入学式

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As preps for your grade school life, we’ve been to your school three times before today’s 入学式 /Entrance Ceremony. And I must admit all those three visits have been less than ideal; what with many issues to resolve and many confusing things to sort out.

But today, today was very nice. Beautiful weather. We weren’t late. We weren’t confused. Everything was orderly. Everything went really nice. There were things we didn’t know, they were a lot. But we sorted them out with beaming faces and hopeful hearts.

And I pray the same for you as you start your journey in your school life. I pray you have passion, a generous and brave heart and soul. God bless you, our dear one. Congratulations!