For the peace of me and happiness of my gal

Since PM started school, I started to detect that she is a right-brained user despite she writes and eats with her right hand. Math concepts seemed a bit elusive to her. Although I do not expect her to become math genius, but I do not wish for her to feel defeated by math. She can master it with the right method. But having us both exhausted after a whole day of work to sit down and discuss math?
Conclusion: Left-brained mom to teach right-brained daughter math = Disaster.
I lose my head most of the time, although I know fairly well that her learning methods is different from mine. I needed more guidance, if we want to trod through this situation happily.

Then I found this in one of the websites that facilitate teaching to the right-brainers. The book seemed interesting with the colours and pictures.

And so my journey of book searching begins... Local bookstores are kind of hopeless, be it online or offline. Amazon is expensive after conversion and shipping. MPH quote me quite an exorbitant price. I was about to book myself a ticket abroad to hunt for the book (no-lah... just exaggerating to create more reader interest hihihi...), when I came across www.bookurve.com . The homepage looks simple, but they are able to source the books and quote me a more reasonable price than my previous searches.

I think the effort to bring in more channels to source for books and improve the reading habits in Malaysia is really commendable. We need this.. Our minds are too constricted. Not only do we read very little, even access to variety of books is limited. I hope more of such effort could open up our perspective, not only in books, but life too.

Now I am waiting for the arrival of those books and hope my sessions with PM will improve moving forward. Will update you with review of the bookurve services as well as the books' effectiveness. Stay tuned but not so soon (I am a working mom with no maid and juggling work, home and children. I am not seeking your understanding. I am telling you to deal with it!).

Why do we live?

It was 2 days short of PM's 6th birthday. We were travelling up north to hold a birthday bash for her with the whole extended families of uncles and aunties. She sat at the back of the car, quiet with her thoughts. Then she called out to me and ask me, "Why do we want to live in this life? We live, we get old, then sick then we go to rainbow (our version of death).. What's the point of living?".
I was caught by surprise. Did not expect this question so early in her life..
My meaning of life is to be happy. How? By being useful. When we contribute to the society and made other people's life meaningful, we will attain happiness. And that happiness made living worth it.
I hope she could share and understand my meaning. Or she may have to search her own. I hope it will turn out fine.

"How to print chinese writing exercise from web applications" ~ A banana-mom's preparation for banana-kid's Primary Chinese School in Kuala Lumpur

What a long title, which kind of match the long process (in my mind) I am preparing myself and my PM for primary 1 in a Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) or simply put chinese national school.

For a banana like me, I am not sure what to expect. I am not looking for a "Smart School" for PM. I am simply looking for a school that teaches chinese wihout all the stress. I do not think that is going to be easy. I will have to brace through this with PM.

By the way, PM was not expose to much chinese reading and writing until now (it is late, I know). PM will have to pick up speed now and learn as much as possible so that she can fit in comfortably when she reports to primary 1.

My bff offerred to tutor her (best thing happening for us, I could not ask for more).

She recommended this website http://www.yes-chinese.com/ with many forms of learning materials.

I use it mostly to print out writing exercises for PM to practice http://www.yes-chinese.com/zh-cn/wordcard/edit.html?cat=P3

For banana-moms, you can use google translate to translate the page and words.

This is how I do it:

1) Translate the intended words into simplified chinese

2) Copy and paste the simplified chinese words into the large-left box (highlighted in blue).
     Then click on the "Slide Show" icon-button on top (Preview)

3) You will get this page. If you are happy with what is shown, then click the red button for printing.

4) Tada.... Your kids have work to do!

Mommy 101 : I love you like I never loved before!

Chinese New Year is coming again. There is so many things to plan and do. But the objective remained the same : "I am a proud mommy of you, baby!".

Life can never be more defined. I'd live for you, and I'd die for you.

Seeing your smile is enough to make my day.

Thinking of you is enough to keep me going even the hardest path.

You are truly the sunshine of my life!

Mommy 101 : Taking care of baby is a breeze (time that is...)

I do not over stressed this enough. Time seriously zooms by, even flying is too slow.
And yeah, by the way, I have changed it to Mommy 101 and Mommy's Blues, as I find the blues in me more than her.
10 Events Confirmed You're a Paranoid New Mommy

1. The first night she is home with me, I rushed out from the room crying that the baby is not breathing in her sleep.
2. First 2 months, every heave and sigh makes me jump up on my toes peering into the cot to see if she's ok.
3. Next 2 months, she was given an anklet that rings with every move (not that I could miss even a movement of hers while asleep). I hear the ringing allllllllll......... the time. Day and night.
4. I dare not walk near window or balcony while carrying her, fearing somehow losing grip of her.
5. I dare not walk anywhere nearer than 2 metres away from anybody, afraid that they might accidentally knock on her.
6. The first time she threw up, I was worried sick and called up all relatives and friends to get assurance that it is normal.
7. When she was having nose block (which is again quite common among babies), I brought her to knock on paediatrician the first thing in the morning to make him convince me that she does not have flu/virus/ear infection.
8. I'd be hollering across the room if another kid simply raise a finger near her.
9. When I realise she has some skin discoloration around her neck, again I gave the paediatrician an early visit to confirm that it is not any serious skin disease. Apparently, this is again common among babies (so many things common?).
10. I fell down once when I was holding her. I bruised my knees and elbows. But I don't remember any pain except in my heart, while busy checking if my baby is hurt anywhere. My hands and legs went cold and shaking, not because of the fall but the shock of almost hurting my baby. It took me some time to cool down and reassured myself that I am still a good mommy.

But none of the above can beat this classic : I remember going into the room one night and she woke up to greet me. I went over to touch her. I raised her right hand but her hand simply drop lifelessly. I picked up and let it drop a few times and her hands simply fell limply. I shouted for Ben and told him her hand is dislocated. Ben ran into the room only to see her sniggering with her right hand waving in the air.

And despite all these, I miss the time I was holding her in my arms. I miss staring at her while she sleeps and the awestruck feeling that this baby came out from my tummy.

Though it is not yet 1 year, there are already so many things gone by that I could not go back to. But I am glad to say that I never miss a thing.

p/s : I am not mental, just hormone imbalance. Anyway, the paranoia subsides with time. At least most of them does go away. The heavy responsibility of a life within my hands is forever etched in my heart.