What Lies Ahead

Scarlett was nominated by her classmates to be the class monitress this year. In her five years of primary school life, this is the fourth time. She turned down the role when she was primary three complaining that the pin of the batch was hurting her. I hope she realizes that it was the most ridiculous reason ever. We did not insist and let her be that year. 

Things have changed for her during primary four. Her love for school and her excitement for studies has lessened a lot over the last year. She doesn't enjoyed it and complained a lot. The catered lunches were horrible. I suspect she started to feel peer pressure too. Everything was going downhill despite her good results. It was like she got burn out, just like how we adults get burn out from our jobs. To make it worse, we cancelled our Singapore trip during her holiday. This summer wasn't exactly the best year for her. Nevertheless, she was extremely happy on her last day of holiday hanging out with Chester in the mall. It was simple but she had so much joy that day.

I wasn't expecting much this year and was feeling a bit bummed when she came home the first day of school saying most of her good friends are no longer in the same class as her. I was prepared for another year filled with complains and dealing with a not so happy girl to scrape through the year like how we did last year. 

Today is her third day of school and she was filled with excitement. Her school lunches are tasty again (they changed the caterer finally), she was voted by her classmates to be class monitress even though a handful of them were not even her classmates before, she is happy with the subject teachers and so much more. Maybe things will change in a few weeks' time but for now, I am going to indulge myself into this relax mode, knowing that my daughter is going to do well. She told me she is ready and motivated to work very hard this year. Let's see. Like all kids, the novelty and excitement of new school term will wear off eventually.

Then the next thing I can stress myself about will be Chester. His reluctance in hanging out with other kids and crying all the time when he goes to a place unfamiliar. His playgroup starts on 21 September and I am mentally prepared that it will be very painful. This son, he is just not keen on being with people in a confined space. Put him in a playroom or playground, he is fine. Put him in a classroom, I think he will flip.

Brought him to Joey's place for our weekly playdate and he cried. Even though lesser, but still, he refused to move an inch away from me. Brought him to the playroom later and he was happy for awhile. He was running happily until he found a little football belonging to another kid. That kid took the ball back and he tried to snatch the ball. I stopped him. He threw a major melt down and headbutt me. 

I know it is such a cliche to say my second child is so different from my first, but so true. This boy is so challenging for me. I comfort myself by telling myself he is good at expressing his emotions with all his crying and wailing and when he is older, he will grow out of it. Laugh at me. But being hopeful is better than dwelling in despair questioning myself what did I do wrong and why is he acting like this. 

From all the crying and meltdowns an hour ago, he came home with mama running him a nice warm bubble bath, squeezing in the little tub with his sister, playing with water for almost half an hour and then chill on the couch with TV. Two different personalities. For some very strange reasons, we tend to raise kids who enjoy being home more than going out to have fun. Scarlett too, prefers to stay home if she is giving a choice. 

Well, at least seeing Chester being himself again at home after all that drama means he wasn't traumatized badly after all. 

I am extremely thankful that Scarlett is ok with new school term and I have one less thing to stress about, leaving me the "quota" to help Chester. Man, pray for those playgroups in September. I am pretty sure it won't be easy. He is never easy.