Term Break

This is the face of a happy boy, who has conquered his anxieties, sat through his playgroup from start to end with no melt down (although he did scratch me a couple of times when he got nervous or impatient) and finally ended up at the playground. He loves this playground within this church. There were chocolate Easter eggs for the kids to collect but he wasn't interested and picked up twigs instead. I let him be. This is also the last lesson of our playgroup for this term. Some kids will leave for school or head back to their own cities and some like us will continue for another term in April. I am glad I still get to see some of the moms and their kids I have become friends with over the last two terms.

Chester and I have come this far to see progress in his adaptation skills. The beginning was challenging but today was great. Crying was a norm for him to attend playgroups but today he stopped. He just went with it and was calm when I walked to class with him. We were late and Carol has already started telling story about Easter to the kids. Chester wanted to cry at first seeing that everyone was already settled but I got him to sit together and it didn't take him long to get comfortable. It was partly also the palm leaf that Carol handed to each child that got Chester excited and forgot to cry. The kids were all swaying the leaves and jumping around. Palm leaves saved my day.

We did some craft work, played some games, sang songs and I noticed today that he has gotten used to the routine. 

Photo Credit: class photos taken by Carol Strydom

He knew when to head to the restroom to wash his hands for snack time after craft. And when I handed him his cup of water and plastic bowl, he went straight to one of the tables and sat there patiently, waiting for his favourite biscuits.

Not only does Chester enjoyed his snack time, I enjoyed it too by chatting with other moms about our kids over coffee and delicious bread offered to parents. 

Chester is willing to participate in games nowadays. He can take simple instructions and when not nervous or anxious, he will do as told.

I had a conversation with Joey recently about playgroups in Hong Kong and how expensive they are. We talked about how crazy this world has become. How quick the society expects our kids to grow up and start school as early as possible. I am only signing up one playgroup per week just to go with the "society flow". I don't expect my son to learn anything fantastic in playgroups but rather to let him get used to routines out of home and pick up some social behaviour so that when he starts K1, it won't be too scary for him. 

Over the last two terms, I am really happy how it has helped him cope with his anxieties. I used to dread bringing him to playgroup because of his difficult behaviour but now I don't. Even if he has melt down in the future, I think it is good and I can manage. He needs to express his fear and anxieties and then get on with it. 

Mommies out there who are stay-at-home moms, if you are interested to check out this playgroup (they only allow parents to accompany the kids, so no helpers), they have OPEN DAY on 12 July and 23 August (Thursdays) from 10am to 11.30am at St Andrews Church, Life Centre Basement.

This evening, my daughter has finally decided to write a letter to her idol to ask for his signature. Both Allan and I did not tell her what to write and she came out with this. Brought smiles to both our faces. Just the other night, we had a good talk with her about something she was honest and brave enough to confess. I was able to hold my anger and talked to her about her confession but Allan gave her a lecture. It was quite harsh and I told him we have to start go easy on her when she confesses about something. We don't want to discourage her to be honest and we definitely do not want her ending up hiding things from us to avoid lectures.

He apologized to Scarlett the day after. I am so proud of this man, who apologizes to his kids whenever he has to. We praised her for her confession and honesty and told her to never stop telling us and that we will help her correct her ways if some of them are unacceptable.

A tween to me is like an onion. Peeling out layers of flaws, tearing us up, telling us and showing us what needs to be corrected. 

Being a parent is not to give up on them and just keep doing what needs to be done. With no judgements and no expectations. 

Repeatedly.