Do you know what most parents talk about when they meet nowadays?
“Where are your kids attending enrichment classes?”
”Have you started your kids on piano, violin, art & swimming lessons?”
”Are you planning to send your kids for abacus, creative thinking and abstract art courses?”
Beneath all the ‘kiasu’ and ‘cannot lose out to others’ mentality, truth be told from the bottom of my heart: All I care about is that my kids are happy.
I just want them to be happy. Period.
Yes, it’s true we all live in this era and generation and it’s almost mandatory that all kids go through some form of enrichment and tuition classes to help them keep on par with the rest of their peers. The education system in our country requires the children to go to class, already knowing what their teachers are talking about. If they are waiting to go to class to learn something, it’s usually already too late. Sounds very scary and solemn, but that’s really what we are dealing with right now.
Pushing aside all the practical financial considerations (Obviously I cannot afford to send my kids to all kinds of high-end courses and classes with the limited budget I have), I find myself constantly asking if that’s really what I want my kids’ lives to be? Do I really want to pack their schedules with classes after classes and thrust into their hands a ‘good hobby’ to cultivate instead of waiting for them to express interest in them? The practical side of me says ‘Yes, I do not have a choice. That’s how kids live now. If we don’t do it, my kids will fall behind others!’ Yet, the more human side of me says that I want their childhood to be more carefree and filled with fun play time more than anything else. I’m sure you mummies out there know what I’m talking about.
I guess a balance has to come in somehow. I don’t think it’s good for the kids to do nothing all day long. It’s kind of like wasting very productive days away since they’re at the peak of their learning curves at this point in their lives. They could make good use of the free time to learn a skill, a sport or pick up a hobby. Yet, those fringe activities should not cramp up their days and make them feel suffocated and ‘too busy’. So yep, I am looking at starting Joey on piano lessons next year, to see if it’s something she enjoys doing. From what she says now, she’s pretty excited about it. Hopefully, once she starts, she’d really enjoy herself. =)
Speaking of happiness, my Baby Jayne is a really happy baby 95% of the time (the other 5% are her whiney mood days). And this personality of hers makes me a really happy and contented mum. Nothing really bothers me as much as knowing that my kids are unhappy about something. These were captured on our bus ride home after dinner. Isn’t she just a very cheeky and happy kid?? =D
I bet it’s not everyday you would catch a mum taking photos of her kids in a public bus with a G12. Sometimes I am amazed at how determined I am at catching snapshots of my kids’ everyday lives. =P
Ya I have no idea why she loves to do that palm on face thing. But I think it’s real cute.
And of course, her bunny teeth are always adorable. =D
My girls seemed to forget we were on a public bus. Just look at how dishevelled they look!
My favourite girls in this world rocks! =D
