Abby enjoyed her ballet class on Sunday and was bright and chirpy as usual. She even called the boys to come downstairs as instructed as we turned at the junction approaching the carpark. A while later, she pretty much went lethargic and was burning. Her heart was racing and was running a fever. When we got home, she registered 39.2. Sponged her and gave her paracetomol-didn't have burofen. The next day, her fever went up and down. Took her to the clinic after i got home from school and the doctor was sick too. So we went to a different one. I asked if it was HFMD, and he said he was suspecting that too. Checked the mouth and saw many mini blisters on the cheek and palate. He pointed out some reddish parts on her hands and foot as well. Yet he refused to confirm. 3 days mc to keep both of us away from school. When i got out of the clinic, i waited for a long time for ben to end his conversation before i broke the news to him. We then had to decide whether and when to quarantine shalom at ben's parents' place. We separated them at night and thought his mum could pick the boy up in the afternoon. But by tennish he started becoming feverish and it shot up to 39.6 in less than 15 minutes when we decided to take him to the doc for a check up. Also suspected to have the same virus.
His fever's been on a roller-coaster, and so has been his mood. Personally, i've been having this biting sensation on my lips and in my mouth since saturday. I had the impression that it was a super-efficient toothpaste that we changed to the other day, or it could be that new moisturiser that possibly has some strange effect. Anyway, the adults are feeling less than optimal right now, and i hope that we survive this unscath. This is not like chicken pox where one develops immunity after 1 round. Anyway i just received a call from a church co-worker- it seems one of the kids got it too, but we didn't go this week. So we're just wondering how long exactly is the incubation period. Oh well. Anyway i'm really worried all sides, even for my classes. They've been on their own with a non-teaching relief teacher. She doesn't teach anything and just tries to maintain discipline. Very worried. I tried giving work, but most work i have needs guidance. I really hope i don't have to pick up the pieces when i get back. I hope i can get back by friday and not take mc. I feel the prickly sensation on my lips and in my mouth again. I really hope it's not anything serious. Yet i've never had such a feeling before. Argh. Damn the virus.
Showing posts with label Shalom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shalom. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Revamp
The toys, books and games are threatening to overwhelm us. Surprisingly, despite so many ways to be engaged, they are still spending a disgusting number of hours in front of the tv every day. Perhaps it's because there are too many toys all over the place, so the kids can't really access everything. It's an irony - the more you have, the less you play with. It's the same with all the stuff we have - the more we have, the less we use (in proportion). So we need to make it accessible for them. Here we go (Ikea) again...
I'm on this hunt for activities to do with the kids at home. I usually make use of the 8 intelligences as a guide so as not to bore them. I thank God both their ages are really close, so they entertain each other most of the time. However, it's still good to have structured play whenever Mummy's home, otherwise Mummy will just busy herself with the huge load ofguilt books she brings home everyday.
I need to have a workplan even at home. Otherwise the frustration of not knowing what to do sets in. We usually do colouring, painting, drawing, writing, puzzle fixing, tangraming, role-playing, stamping, play-doughing, reading, dancing, singing, sticker-pasting, etc - and that's usually just ALL IN A DAY. It's usually initiated by them. And then they still want to play some more. Other times when Mummy has a little more energy, we'll do a bit of cooking and baking. Sometimes Lina will allow Abby to make jelly for everyone. But there must be more to do... otherwise they'll just stare at the tv screen.
Oh. And our VCD/DVD collection. It's filled up many albums, and they're still persisting very well. They've watched many shows. The TV is the Babysitter's Babysitter. As much as I discourage my pupils from too much tv watching, my own kids are clocking about a minimum of 4 hours daily. It's really bad. From the time they wake up, the TV's switched on. And that's about 7. By 9 they would have watched about 1.5 to 2hrs of tv. Plus lunch - 1 hour, then nap. When they wake up at 3, all the way till 5, that's about 2 hours. So effectively, 4.5hrs to 5 hours a day. Multiply that by 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year, 3 years of their lives (Abby's at least). That's a lot of brain-dulling activity going on. Although some people do believe that tv can be educational, too much is really not good. It's proven. Also, even though Shalom and Abby don't watch 'television broadcast' programmes, their DVD collection is already at an astounding size (by conservative standards). Forget about cable. I cannot bear to see them have withdrawal symptoms if they are hooked on that too.
So my plan - get my helper to chart their tv watching - clock the actual number of hours. Then when she produces the results, aim for half that number (which I won't reveal at first until she produces one week's worth of tv watching). If she under-declares, she'll have an even smaller target to work with. She most likely won't over-declare though, as it'll look quite bad on her. We'll try to assist her with ways to help reduce the tv exposure although she's only half the factor. My MIL is finally persuaded by the newspaper that tv watching during meal times is bad for the kids. *WOOHOO!* So the kids are shipped away from the tv when it's meal-time.
I'm not saying tv is bad. But 4 hours a day is really a lot of tv watching. Some people would argue otherwise. If they do, I'd say they can do whatever they like to their kids, but I'd rather mine not watch. After teaching for a short period, I can tell those who are tv addicts and those who are not. Teachers are not entertainers; we can't entertain them in class like how tv does. So they actually have to be disciplined, active - proactive in fact, and do work.
So once again, my goal - to halve 4 hours to 2 hours a day. By more conservative standards - that's still quite a lot, but that's a 50% reduction... if possible. Not only that, they still watch programmes on mobile phones and portable dvd player (even when going out with grandparents)...
Research has shown that brainwaves dull after prolonged tv watching. Plus the numerous flashes on screen etc, the costs really does outweigh the benefits after a while. It took me a long time to wean myself off tv - I was a huge tv addict because there was no supervision at home and my 'supervisor' is a huge tv addict herself - my grandma -- so I hope my kids can start weaning off earlier and not waste their life away. Some people can still come up to me and insist that it's perfectly alright to do so - they've wasted their life away and still turned out fine, but I do hope that the kids can find more meaningful things to be engaged with and hopefully use whatever creativity that they have (together with others) and solve some of the world's problems. Sometimes it takes only that little spark to make this place a better place to live in. Or the other way is to just become a couch potato and stay out of the way.
I'm on this hunt for activities to do with the kids at home. I usually make use of the 8 intelligences as a guide so as not to bore them. I thank God both their ages are really close, so they entertain each other most of the time. However, it's still good to have structured play whenever Mummy's home, otherwise Mummy will just busy herself with the huge load of
I need to have a workplan even at home. Otherwise the frustration of not knowing what to do sets in. We usually do colouring, painting, drawing, writing, puzzle fixing, tangraming, role-playing, stamping, play-doughing, reading, dancing, singing, sticker-pasting, etc - and that's usually just ALL IN A DAY. It's usually initiated by them. And then they still want to play some more. Other times when Mummy has a little more energy, we'll do a bit of cooking and baking. Sometimes Lina will allow Abby to make jelly for everyone. But there must be more to do... otherwise they'll just stare at the tv screen.
Oh. And our VCD/DVD collection. It's filled up many albums, and they're still persisting very well. They've watched many shows. The TV is the Babysitter's Babysitter. As much as I discourage my pupils from too much tv watching, my own kids are clocking about a minimum of 4 hours daily. It's really bad. From the time they wake up, the TV's switched on. And that's about 7. By 9 they would have watched about 1.5 to 2hrs of tv. Plus lunch - 1 hour, then nap. When they wake up at 3, all the way till 5, that's about 2 hours. So effectively, 4.5hrs to 5 hours a day. Multiply that by 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year, 3 years of their lives (Abby's at least). That's a lot of brain-dulling activity going on. Although some people do believe that tv can be educational, too much is really not good. It's proven. Also, even though Shalom and Abby don't watch 'television broadcast' programmes, their DVD collection is already at an astounding size (by conservative standards). Forget about cable. I cannot bear to see them have withdrawal symptoms if they are hooked on that too.
So my plan - get my helper to chart their tv watching - clock the actual number of hours. Then when she produces the results, aim for half that number (which I won't reveal at first until she produces one week's worth of tv watching). If she under-declares, she'll have an even smaller target to work with. She most likely won't over-declare though, as it'll look quite bad on her. We'll try to assist her with ways to help reduce the tv exposure although she's only half the factor. My MIL is finally persuaded by the newspaper that tv watching during meal times is bad for the kids. *WOOHOO!* So the kids are shipped away from the tv when it's meal-time.
I'm not saying tv is bad. But 4 hours a day is really a lot of tv watching. Some people would argue otherwise. If they do, I'd say they can do whatever they like to their kids, but I'd rather mine not watch. After teaching for a short period, I can tell those who are tv addicts and those who are not. Teachers are not entertainers; we can't entertain them in class like how tv does. So they actually have to be disciplined, active - proactive in fact, and do work.
So once again, my goal - to halve 4 hours to 2 hours a day. By more conservative standards - that's still quite a lot, but that's a 50% reduction... if possible. Not only that, they still watch programmes on mobile phones and portable dvd player (even when going out with grandparents)...
Research has shown that brainwaves dull after prolonged tv watching. Plus the numerous flashes on screen etc, the costs really does outweigh the benefits after a while. It took me a long time to wean myself off tv - I was a huge tv addict because there was no supervision at home and my 'supervisor' is a huge tv addict herself - my grandma -- so I hope my kids can start weaning off earlier and not waste their life away. Some people can still come up to me and insist that it's perfectly alright to do so - they've wasted their life away and still turned out fine, but I do hope that the kids can find more meaningful things to be engaged with and hopefully use whatever creativity that they have (together with others) and solve some of the world's problems. Sometimes it takes only that little spark to make this place a better place to live in. Or the other way is to just become a couch potato and stay out of the way.
Friday, March 14, 2008
March Holidays
As a brilliant start to the March Holidays, I had to scrap the tracks of the stadium at 'full' speed right in front of the Grand Stand which was overflowing with parents for the final event of our Sports Day. Brilliant. We were coming in last, and I was determined to give it my best shot - forget about even overtaking, coz they were really ahead of us. So I caught the baton from Elise and I started running. The ground approached me and I tumbled. The baton flew out of my hand and I scrambled for it right after I stopped rolling. I continued to run. It was quite a sight, seeing the crowd cheer and clap for a disoriented, bleeding and pale teaching running like mad past the finishing line. I was well taken care of after that. One parent who heard about the eventful race has been messaging me daily to check on me. My shoulder wound almost got infected. My boss asked today if it was like siew mai from Crystal Jade. I replied, "It's more like Lap Cheong."
As Abby would wrinkle her nose when she sees my wound and say, "It's quite bad uh?"
Oh well. No massages and sports for this holiday. We had Shalom's party the next day, and I had the dirtiest looks from people - like I had leprosy when I sported the wound with a spaghetti-strapped top. However, I also felt quite gung-ho - like I had gotten into a fight and was showing off my battle-scars. Or that I survived an abuse of a huge cigar on my shoulder. Oh well, I think people were just eyeing me to check for other injuries.
I've always wondered how people got such bad injuries on their shoulders. Wouldn't their heads get injured? Now I know.
I sustained other injuries - left knee (bad), right knee (almost nil), right shoulder (gross) and head (light pinkish injury, but otherwise alright). I singlehandedly united the school for 20 seconds. Not bad eh? :P
For this hols, I cleared the boxes off the study, met up with Eve, went for pedicure, spent lotsa time with Abby and Shalom, went Playground at Big Splash and rested well. On the other hand, busted $30+$50 fine for parking (Mum's car - more expensive than getting season parking - $63 a month!), Shalom's ill - been throwing up non-stop, haven't cleared my mountainload of marking (this is bad), lotsa deadlines piling up but I really don't know what they are, and I haven't finished my idealistic to-do list. Maybe I should make it even more detailed.
I really hope I will get around to uploading photos. But I can only do that if the study's functioning - meaning everything's in place, which would mean I would need to pack it. But to pack it, I'll need to clear my marking first. And I need to take the kids to the pedodontist coz their teeth's really bad - Lina's been siphoning sweets even without them asking for it! ARGH! Plus Shalom hasn't updated his vaccination yet, and he's unwell, think he's gotten an infection, so I've gotta take him to the doctor's tomorrow. Argh.
So if you want photos, I'm sorry but we'll have to wait.
Oh. By the way, HAPPY BURFDAY JIUJIU! :)
As Abby would wrinkle her nose when she sees my wound and say, "It's quite bad uh?"
Oh well. No massages and sports for this holiday. We had Shalom's party the next day, and I had the dirtiest looks from people - like I had leprosy when I sported the wound with a spaghetti-strapped top. However, I also felt quite gung-ho - like I had gotten into a fight and was showing off my battle-scars. Or that I survived an abuse of a huge cigar on my shoulder. Oh well, I think people were just eyeing me to check for other injuries.
I've always wondered how people got such bad injuries on their shoulders. Wouldn't their heads get injured? Now I know.
I sustained other injuries - left knee (bad), right knee (almost nil), right shoulder (gross) and head (light pinkish injury, but otherwise alright). I singlehandedly united the school for 20 seconds. Not bad eh? :P
For this hols, I cleared the boxes off the study, met up with Eve, went for pedicure, spent lotsa time with Abby and Shalom, went Playground at Big Splash and rested well. On the other hand, busted $30+$50 fine for parking (Mum's car - more expensive than getting season parking - $63 a month!), Shalom's ill - been throwing up non-stop, haven't cleared my mountainload of marking (this is bad), lotsa deadlines piling up but I really don't know what they are, and I haven't finished my idealistic to-do list. Maybe I should make it even more detailed.
I really hope I will get around to uploading photos. But I can only do that if the study's functioning - meaning everything's in place, which would mean I would need to pack it. But to pack it, I'll need to clear my marking first. And I need to take the kids to the pedodontist coz their teeth's really bad - Lina's been siphoning sweets even without them asking for it! ARGH! Plus Shalom hasn't updated his vaccination yet, and he's unwell, think he's gotten an infection, so I've gotta take him to the doctor's tomorrow. Argh.
So if you want photos, I'm sorry but we'll have to wait.
Oh. By the way, HAPPY BURFDAY JIUJIU! :)
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
At Ikea
Abby was playing with the colourful animal puppets in the sale bin outside the restaurant. There were zebras, crocodiles, monkeys, lions, frogs and elephants! Shalom, an animal fan, got all excited and rushed forward and started tiptoeing over the brim of the bin to pick out one to play with too.
Ben then signaled to me to look over, which I did, and then I saw Shalom happily waving - an oven mitten.
Ben then signaled to me to look over, which I did, and then I saw Shalom happily waving - an oven mitten.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Bruised Heart
We were on our way for the Lunar 15th day dinner at my in-laws place when it happened. Shalom was beginning to fuss as he was belted up in the front booster seat. I was talking to Ben about how we were going to get a free breakfast from our boss tmw coz singapore had won the youth olympics. Then, as the car in front moved off after being stuck in a mini-jam, ben who just unbuckled Shalom moved off too. He didn't have enough time to pass shalom to the back. When he realised that the car in front was turning right and his ass was sticking into our lane making it impassable to the rest of the world, it was too late. He braked abruptly and shalom flew towards the dashboard while looking right, impacted and then slipped into the abyss below the glove compartment. My reaction was too slow and could barely fish him out of the black hole in time.
I held him so close for the rest of the journey, kissing his bruised cheekbone and ear a million times. I really wish it was me instead. My heart flew, smashed into the dashboard and crashed onto the floor. My poor heart.
I held him so close for the rest of the journey, kissing his bruised cheekbone and ear a million times. I really wish it was me instead. My heart flew, smashed into the dashboard and crashed onto the floor. My poor heart.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Overheard
Was putting the kids to bed the other night when I sat in their 'conversation':
S: (avid milkaholic) No more drink milk... No more drink milk... (He had finished his night bottle a while ago and knew that he couldn't have another one... so was sort of stating/lamenting)
A: Ah mah drink milk?
S: (I was watching his thought bubble form - of his granny and his beloved milk bottle) Yuck-do-do-do! (We go "Yuckie-doodle-do" for something gross!)
Hilarious! They laughed so hard!
S: (avid milkaholic) No more drink milk... No more drink milk... (He had finished his night bottle a while ago and knew that he couldn't have another one... so was sort of stating/lamenting)
A: Ah mah drink milk?
S: (I was watching his thought bubble form - of his granny and his beloved milk bottle) Yuck-do-do-do! (We go "Yuckie-doodle-do" for something gross!)
Hilarious! They laughed so hard!
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Fatigued Mother
I am absolutely spent. I still have my marking almost untouched. For the long holiday finale, just as we were all about to wrap up the day with a nice hosing down of the kids, abby fell and her chin & hip hit the toilet kerb as she was stepping out of her clothes. At that moment, i couldn't hold her back coz it happened too quickly. I just felt like smashing my head on the step as well for being such a lousy mother.
i'm very tired. At probably the most tired moment, Shalom looked at me with his pretty eyes and asked very nicely, "Mummy... Can you... please... One Two Two Three... please?" *smile*
I almost melted into a puddle. One Two Three is our nightly routine where i sweep their blankets over their whole bodies and faces before settling them down in their beds. And usually i have to wrestle shalom to bed. But tonight, he was just absolutely angelic.
i was so close to breaking down, and with that, i instantaneously felt much much better. Thank God.
i'm very tired. At probably the most tired moment, Shalom looked at me with his pretty eyes and asked very nicely, "Mummy... Can you... please... One Two Two Three... please?" *smile*
I almost melted into a puddle. One Two Three is our nightly routine where i sweep their blankets over their whole bodies and faces before settling them down in their beds. And usually i have to wrestle shalom to bed. But tonight, he was just absolutely angelic.
i was so close to breaking down, and with that, i instantaneously felt much much better. Thank God.
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Jacob Ballas Children's Garden
So in the end we trotted off to Jacob Ballas Children's Garden. We made a sudden detour after heading towards Vivo and went straight for JBCG. Needless to say, Abby was thrilled coz she's been asking to "go to the garden" eversince we brought her there once.
We stopped by the Kids' Cafe at the entrance, and sadly, the food isn't too fantastic; service wasn't all that great either. But when we went in, the water play area was quite a madhouse with the kids on a Friday afternoon. The water seemed uncontrollable, but the kids went all out to have a good time.
Abby and Shalom experimenting with the tempermental water spray. Vic was very suspicious of it initially.
Shalom was just mingling around with groups and observing what they were doing, and occasionally dipping his hands into their tubs, much to their annoyance. But he, he's one who can charm the socks of a caterpillar! :P
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Watching the bigger girls do their thing.
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Getting more up close and personal, much to their annoyance...
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Dipping his fingers into where they aren't supposed to be...
Well, they aren't caterpillars, so they weren't really charmed. Simply put, they told him to buzz off.
Vic was rather cautious at the beginning, I guess from the short nap and frightening bigger kids, but after a while, she started warming up to the place. By the end of it all, she started having a great time! But by then, Shalom had run through the showers countless times and was standing at a spot, not really moving. I got quite scared. He was just looking at the kids, but this time round, his teeth were chattering. He was freezing! Quickly, I sprang into action, rinsed him up and got him wrapped up nice and warm. I grabbed his jacket and gave him hot milo. Soon he defrosted and came back to life. (The last time I tried to get him out of the water at the zoo, we almost had a fight. This time round, he was very willing.) Taught him how to tell me if it's really cold. I think he kinda got the idea.
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After defrosting...about to head home.
We went back to the garden to touch the Mimosa plants, but Abby had to go to the loo. So after that, we ran out of time and had to leave.
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Two pretty flowers at the garden. :)
We'll definitely be back again; it must take at least half a day of good weather to explore the whole place! :)
We stopped by the Kids' Cafe at the entrance, and sadly, the food isn't too fantastic; service wasn't all that great either. But when we went in, the water play area was quite a madhouse with the kids on a Friday afternoon. The water seemed uncontrollable, but the kids went all out to have a good time.
Abby and Shalom experimenting with the tempermental water spray. Vic was very suspicious of it initially.
Shalom was just mingling around with groups and observing what they were doing, and occasionally dipping his hands into their tubs, much to their annoyance. But he, he's one who can charm the socks of a caterpillar! :P
.jpg)
Watching the bigger girls do their thing.
.jpg)
Getting more up close and personal, much to their annoyance...
.jpg)
Dipping his fingers into where they aren't supposed to be...
Well, they aren't caterpillars, so they weren't really charmed. Simply put, they told him to buzz off.
Vic was rather cautious at the beginning, I guess from the short nap and frightening bigger kids, but after a while, she started warming up to the place. By the end of it all, she started having a great time! But by then, Shalom had run through the showers countless times and was standing at a spot, not really moving. I got quite scared. He was just looking at the kids, but this time round, his teeth were chattering. He was freezing! Quickly, I sprang into action, rinsed him up and got him wrapped up nice and warm. I grabbed his jacket and gave him hot milo. Soon he defrosted and came back to life. (The last time I tried to get him out of the water at the zoo, we almost had a fight. This time round, he was very willing.) Taught him how to tell me if it's really cold. I think he kinda got the idea.
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After defrosting...about to head home.
We went back to the garden to touch the Mimosa plants, but Abby had to go to the loo. So after that, we ran out of time and had to leave.
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Two pretty flowers at the garden. :)
We'll definitely be back again; it must take at least half a day of good weather to explore the whole place! :)
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Church Camp, Kids Sick, Lina's Back!, Approaching Avalanche
Haven't been able to blog coz my hands (and feet) are tied with overwhelming responsibilities. Nevertheless, I'm glad life's almost back to sanity. We returned from church camp on the 15th and it was AMAZING. When I first arrived there, I was spent. Tired. Fatigued. During the first session, Ps Martin Steel spoke about coming with a heart of expectancy. I just expected to survive the camp. Nothing else. But God just was amazing. Actually, I was anything but enthusiastic. I was bitter, fatigued, worried, aching, miserable etc... so when Ps Martin asked us to get into groups of 2s and 3s to pray for one another, I wasn't that excited about it. In fact I wanted to go back to the room. However, it seemed like God had other plans. This lady turned around and smiled at me after the instructions, and so I went up to her and joined hands with her. She just said, "Let's pray as the Holy Spirit leads." I was like, hmm... alright. I felt this strong anointing on her, but since I was so out-of-shape emotionally, spiritually, etc, I just went along with her.
When she started praying, she was spot on for every single bug in my life. From that coldness in my heart, to the fatigue, to that silent isolation which I hardly told anyone, and even healing for the backache which I have been having. God was indeed alive and kicking, through her I felt heard and alive. I cried like a baby and just simply couldn't stop. She understood. I had not even said a word and she understood.
The next evening, when she saw me again, she rejoiced. She saw that I was completely different. Indeed I was. With that divine encounter, I couldn't stay the same - cynical and embittered. In fact, upon hindsight, I believe it was because I had to serve on the worship team the next morning that I had this 'clean-up' so that I could worship Jesus without hindrance and to help lead His people to worship Him. Anyway, she said that she had such a huge burden for me the evening before that when she returned to her hotel room, she continued praying in tears for me. God really works wonders.
Besides this encounter, my cell-groupmates had the burden for everyone to come together before the day starts and after the day's activities to pray together. Every morning at 6.40am before the 7am prayer service and 10.30pm after the evening service. It was very exciting! In fact, as we gathered around outside the conference room to pray, our dearest pastor Mark was moved to tears at seeing that passion in our cell. Everyone has been ignited. And we need to protect our fire and fan the flame. Usually after each church camp, when the fire is not well-protected, it would perish due to neglect. However, when we united and close ranks, the fire keeps on burning. In fact, the cell now gathers at 7.30pm to have a pre-cell prayer before cell at 8.20, and yesterday cell was radically different! In fact our worship leader said that of all the cell meetings she's attended, yesterday was the most exciting so far! It was amazing! :D Praise God!
I'm so glad the kids have bonded so well with the cell group, especially with Eileen, Soks, Jeremy, Chellie and Anderson. Usually the kids would be rather shy, but after this camp and now that we're meeting so regularly, they are family to the kids!
God's really so good. In spite of challenges like Shalom's 40.3 deg Cel fever, we continued praying as well as giving med, sponging, and miraculously, today he's all well! Yesterday he was still above 39.5. Unfortunately, Abby's now down with fever, hovering around 39 plus, so it's really back to prayer, medication and sponging. As the cell prayed for healing for the two kids, we were expecting healing. Shalom's healed! Now's Abby's turn!
Praise God that Lina's back! Ben and I have learnt to appreciate her way much more, as we've had experience with other helpers during her absence, and the way she works is absolutely commendable. I'm just glad God's blessed us with her.
The hols are coming to an end, but God's proven Himself faithful. Although I feel like I'm treading into an absolutely chaotic territory come Monday, He has promised that He will see me through it all. Through Anderson's testimony during cell, I am encouraged by how the seemingly huge workpile was easily dealt with. I really pray for supernatural time management and efficiency so that I will meet my deadlines and be a responsible and proactive teacher. This really calls for a miracle!
When she started praying, she was spot on for every single bug in my life. From that coldness in my heart, to the fatigue, to that silent isolation which I hardly told anyone, and even healing for the backache which I have been having. God was indeed alive and kicking, through her I felt heard and alive. I cried like a baby and just simply couldn't stop. She understood. I had not even said a word and she understood.
The next evening, when she saw me again, she rejoiced. She saw that I was completely different. Indeed I was. With that divine encounter, I couldn't stay the same - cynical and embittered. In fact, upon hindsight, I believe it was because I had to serve on the worship team the next morning that I had this 'clean-up' so that I could worship Jesus without hindrance and to help lead His people to worship Him. Anyway, she said that she had such a huge burden for me the evening before that when she returned to her hotel room, she continued praying in tears for me. God really works wonders.
Besides this encounter, my cell-groupmates had the burden for everyone to come together before the day starts and after the day's activities to pray together. Every morning at 6.40am before the 7am prayer service and 10.30pm after the evening service. It was very exciting! In fact, as we gathered around outside the conference room to pray, our dearest pastor Mark was moved to tears at seeing that passion in our cell. Everyone has been ignited. And we need to protect our fire and fan the flame. Usually after each church camp, when the fire is not well-protected, it would perish due to neglect. However, when we united and close ranks, the fire keeps on burning. In fact, the cell now gathers at 7.30pm to have a pre-cell prayer before cell at 8.20, and yesterday cell was radically different! In fact our worship leader said that of all the cell meetings she's attended, yesterday was the most exciting so far! It was amazing! :D Praise God!
I'm so glad the kids have bonded so well with the cell group, especially with Eileen, Soks, Jeremy, Chellie and Anderson. Usually the kids would be rather shy, but after this camp and now that we're meeting so regularly, they are family to the kids!
God's really so good. In spite of challenges like Shalom's 40.3 deg Cel fever, we continued praying as well as giving med, sponging, and miraculously, today he's all well! Yesterday he was still above 39.5. Unfortunately, Abby's now down with fever, hovering around 39 plus, so it's really back to prayer, medication and sponging. As the cell prayed for healing for the two kids, we were expecting healing. Shalom's healed! Now's Abby's turn!
Praise God that Lina's back! Ben and I have learnt to appreciate her way much more, as we've had experience with other helpers during her absence, and the way she works is absolutely commendable. I'm just glad God's blessed us with her.
The hols are coming to an end, but God's proven Himself faithful. Although I feel like I'm treading into an absolutely chaotic territory come Monday, He has promised that He will see me through it all. Through Anderson's testimony during cell, I am encouraged by how the seemingly huge workpile was easily dealt with. I really pray for supernatural time management and efficiency so that I will meet my deadlines and be a responsible and proactive teacher. This really calls for a miracle!
Saturday, May 05, 2007
Shalom at 13m 3w
He's officially a toddler! His first long distance steps (about 15 at a go?) were taken today when I WASN'T around at his grandparents' place. Sigh. Oh well. :'(
He climbed down - feet first - from his sister's knee-high bed. I've been training him to go feet-first for quite a while - and he kept going palms down from his lower pull-out bed - and suddenly he just started going feet down. Thank God. Just now, he came down from Abby's bed feet first! Woohoo! He must get more used to it. And he helped me put back the books before bedtime! Erhm... I directed him the push the books back into the bookshelf - and tried to get him not to pull the books out again. Not easy, I say. :P
And he's talking quite a bit - he's pretty much parroting whatever people are saying, and I think he's slightly faster than Abby in terms of speech development. I remembered Abby as being comfortable with two-syllable words for quite a while, but this fella is managing more than 2 rather well. Or either that I spent more time with Abby and less with Shalom so it seems that Abby was longer. Hmm... Anyway, he's blabbering quite a bit and is rather shocking at times. For instance...
(at the beach last Sunday)
Abby the cheena girl (picking up the dislocated handle of a pail): Orh!! Didi nong huai de! (Didi damaged this!)
Shalom (almost immediately as he looked up from his sand digging): Mei you! (Don't have!)
It's really scary. And they repeated the scene, which Ben witnessed as well the second time round. Are they supposed to be having a conversation so early?
He can really say quite a number of words. I think I am just not doing enough for him.
Oh well. I am so looking forward to the church camp with Ben & the kids! Not easy, but not impossible I believe! :) I am also looking forward to 'retirement' (if God wills) when my time is up and be able to take care of the kids fulltime. That's always been my dream - to take care of my children myself. Will it ever be possible?
He climbed down - feet first - from his sister's knee-high bed. I've been training him to go feet-first for quite a while - and he kept going palms down from his lower pull-out bed - and suddenly he just started going feet down. Thank God. Just now, he came down from Abby's bed feet first! Woohoo! He must get more used to it. And he helped me put back the books before bedtime! Erhm... I directed him the push the books back into the bookshelf - and tried to get him not to pull the books out again. Not easy, I say. :P
And he's talking quite a bit - he's pretty much parroting whatever people are saying, and I think he's slightly faster than Abby in terms of speech development. I remembered Abby as being comfortable with two-syllable words for quite a while, but this fella is managing more than 2 rather well. Or either that I spent more time with Abby and less with Shalom so it seems that Abby was longer. Hmm... Anyway, he's blabbering quite a bit and is rather shocking at times. For instance...
(at the beach last Sunday)
Abby the cheena girl (picking up the dislocated handle of a pail): Orh!! Didi nong huai de! (Didi damaged this!)
Shalom (almost immediately as he looked up from his sand digging): Mei you! (Don't have!)
It's really scary. And they repeated the scene, which Ben witnessed as well the second time round. Are they supposed to be having a conversation so early?
He can really say quite a number of words. I think I am just not doing enough for him.
Oh well. I am so looking forward to the church camp with Ben & the kids! Not easy, but not impossible I believe! :) I am also looking forward to 'retirement' (if God wills) when my time is up and be able to take care of the kids fulltime. That's always been my dream - to take care of my children myself. Will it ever be possible?
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Shalom's Development @ 12m 1.5w
Tried looking for Abby's development at around the same age as Shalom but couldn't find anything. Was probably too busy to blog (*argh!*) so now I can only depend on vague memory recollection. Currently Shalom is picking lotsa words! Erhm, stuff that only parents and caretakers can decipher.
Stuff like:
1. Ah-Mah
2. Ye-ye (but rarely now. He calls his grandpa Ah-Mah! :D)
3. Daddy (Dadee)
4. Mummy (Mama)
5. Cat
6. Meow
7. Bird
8. Dog
9. Jesus (Thee-therth)
10. Kor Kor
11. Lina
12. Jie Jie (He can add 'Che Che' after 'Lina' - our helper)
13. Thank you (T'kew)
14. Neng neng (for milk)
15. Come (with hand wave)
16. No (with hand wave)
17. Beat (hits me coz he likes to pinch me, so I'll say 'No' to which he'll wave no and then I'll say 'Mummy beat!' He'll hit my hand and say beat! Shows that he knows what I'm talking about. He stops pinching after that.)
18. Bear
19. Car
20. Star (Tar - and he sings along to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, but in gibberish though... really cute!)
21. Flower (Wah-wer)
22. Ball
23. Book (Vibrates lips a lot before the rest of the vowels appear)
24. Lion
25. Tiger
26. Owl
27. Uh-oh! (for mini-accidents like stuff dropped from high chair)
28. Drop (ditto)
29. Up!
30. Mum-mum (for food!)
He can kiss by leaning over, mouth to whichever (cheek or lips), give a high-five, shake hands (he's our church's youngest usher - even has his own nametag!) spot cats and birds even before anyone else can see any, feeds me food, make funny faces (though impromptu just to get people's attention),scramble crawl away like mad when chased by his dad (and sometimes me) and then laugh like mad, pull himself up and push walkers (not those sit in type, but the push type) independently. Eats everything and is a joy to feed - finishes his sister's food especially when she's becoming quite a challenging eater at times. He can climb up stairs - his favourite hobby @ his grandparents' place - and now am trying to teach him to get off beds and sofas feet first, but he seems to prefer the 'head-first' way.
Found out that we've got two more pairs of shoes which haven't been worn - we thought they were still too big - and he's about to outgrow them soon. One's Adidas while the other's OshKosh, and they've got this cute indicators at the soles of the shoes - to indicate 'Too Small', 'Toe Zone' and 'Too Big'. The other two pairs of shoes - Weebok and Polo - are not worn very often but seems like they are too small for him. The OK looks waay bigger when placed next to them. All these are hand-me-downs from my cousins, and I'm so glad we've got them. Otherwise Shalom and Abigail would have to go barefoot at the rate I'm managing their wardrobe.
Found out today that he could be left under the care of others in the church's nursery while I went out of the room a few times. He happily played by himself and got my cellmate - Rachale - to play with him also. When it was time to go home, he managed to put all the toys into the box! :D So proud of him! :D He had his huge smile plastered on his face too! :D
Tonight, I told him that I wouldn't be nursing him to sleep. We used to endure long crying sessions because I wanted to stop nursing him to sleep... but then I did one thing wrong. I was lying down beside him as I tried to get him NOT to suckle. BIG MISTAKE. So this evening, I remained seated while he was lying down. After I told him, he was a little shocked, got up and tried to see if I was serious. Got him to lie down and managed to lull him to sleep successfully! :D Woohoo! Otherwise I would fall asleep with him and then get up about 3 hours later to do my stuff. Very unhealthy because it totally screws up my sleep. Sleep with him through the night also makes sleep very difficult coz he would want to nurse throughout the night.
I'm just so glad he's ok with not nursing to sleep when I'm around. It really is a huge relief. Now I'm not sure if I want to continue breastfeeding. I pump only once a day and am getting only 2 ounces. I enjoy the bonding with him yet my schedule hardly permits pumping. I aimed to nurse him till 2yo, but now only through the halfway mark I'm already thinking of giiving up. Maybe it's because I see my milk supply dwindling down and my workload rising. But I really am not too keen on giving up. Hmm... will continue to think about it. Meanwhile, just enjoy (except the occasional bites!).
*Update: Check out this site from a fan! :D
Stuff like:
1. Ah-Mah
2. Ye-ye (but rarely now. He calls his grandpa Ah-Mah! :D)
3. Daddy (Dadee)
4. Mummy (Mama)
5. Cat
6. Meow
7. Bird
8. Dog
9. Jesus (Thee-therth)
10. Kor Kor
11. Lina
12. Jie Jie (He can add 'Che Che' after 'Lina' - our helper)
13. Thank you (T'kew)
14. Neng neng (for milk)
15. Come (with hand wave)
16. No (with hand wave)
17. Beat (hits me coz he likes to pinch me, so I'll say 'No' to which he'll wave no and then I'll say 'Mummy beat!' He'll hit my hand and say beat! Shows that he knows what I'm talking about. He stops pinching after that.)
18. Bear
19. Car
20. Star (Tar - and he sings along to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, but in gibberish though... really cute!)
21. Flower (Wah-wer)
22. Ball
23. Book (Vibrates lips a lot before the rest of the vowels appear)
24. Lion
25. Tiger
26. Owl
27. Uh-oh! (for mini-accidents like stuff dropped from high chair)
28. Drop (ditto)
29. Up!
30. Mum-mum (for food!)
He can kiss by leaning over, mouth to whichever (cheek or lips), give a high-five, shake hands (he's our church's youngest usher - even has his own nametag!) spot cats and birds even before anyone else can see any, feeds me food, make funny faces (though impromptu just to get people's attention),
Found out that we've got two more pairs of shoes which haven't been worn - we thought they were still too big - and he's about to outgrow them soon. One's Adidas while the other's OshKosh, and they've got this cute indicators at the soles of the shoes - to indicate 'Too Small', 'Toe Zone' and 'Too Big'. The other two pairs of shoes - Weebok and Polo - are not worn very often but seems like they are too small for him. The OK looks waay bigger when placed next to them. All these are hand-me-downs from my cousins, and I'm so glad we've got them. Otherwise Shalom and Abigail would have to go barefoot at the rate I'm managing their wardrobe.
Found out today that he could be left under the care of others in the church's nursery while I went out of the room a few times. He happily played by himself and got my cellmate - Rachale - to play with him also. When it was time to go home, he managed to put all the toys into the box! :D So proud of him! :D He had his huge smile plastered on his face too! :D
Tonight, I told him that I wouldn't be nursing him to sleep. We used to endure long crying sessions because I wanted to stop nursing him to sleep... but then I did one thing wrong. I was lying down beside him as I tried to get him NOT to suckle. BIG MISTAKE. So this evening, I remained seated while he was lying down. After I told him, he was a little shocked, got up and tried to see if I was serious. Got him to lie down and managed to lull him to sleep successfully! :D Woohoo! Otherwise I would fall asleep with him and then get up about 3 hours later to do my stuff. Very unhealthy because it totally screws up my sleep. Sleep with him through the night also makes sleep very difficult coz he would want to nurse throughout the night.
I'm just so glad he's ok with not nursing to sleep when I'm around. It really is a huge relief. Now I'm not sure if I want to continue breastfeeding. I pump only once a day and am getting only 2 ounces. I enjoy the bonding with him yet my schedule hardly permits pumping. I aimed to nurse him till 2yo, but now only through the halfway mark I'm already thinking of giiving up. Maybe it's because I see my milk supply dwindling down and my workload rising. But I really am not too keen on giving up. Hmm... will continue to think about it. Meanwhile, just enjoy (except the occasional bites!).
*Update: Check out this site from a fan! :D
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Burning up, burning out
We just celebrated Shalom's birthday yesterday. Now my weeks go according to the school's weekly label - Term 1 Week 10. Week 9 is now officially known as NIGHTMARE WEEK... or should it be WEEK MARE NIGHT? Oh well.
I haven't had any time planning for any bash for Shalom. Just silently grateful that we've made it past the one year mark. He was clearly exhilerated when he realised we were singing the birthday song for him just after he heard his name...
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SHALOM!..."
Even when we sang the Chinese version, he clapped and was really thrilled.
Wish I caught it on video. I think a relative or two might have.
Update: Ben's sis caught it, but only the second part. Nevertheless, it's great. :) Thanks! :D Note to self: Assign videographer/photographer (Claire?) during such events.
It was a Chinese do at a Teochew restaurant. First time in my life, I invited only my mum's relatives. I did not invite my dad's. Frankly, it was only quite close to the event that I realised I forgot to invite my dad. But I did, nevertheless. I'm glad I did so. Time apart does wonders. It doesn't hurt now. Only my maternal granny was fuming when she saw him there. She has to learn that he'll always be the kids' gong gong. Provided I don't forget about him.
I didn't invite the rest coz it seems quite mian qiang for them to attend. For Ben's side, it's about ren qing and to a certain extent, mian zi. My side, no issues like that (no need to give mian zi). I did check with my dad, and he also agreed to leave things as status quo. My paternal granny and my dearest aunt aren't here anyway, so inviting the rest seems painful for them. I think. Although I must admit that I do enjoy their company - the wives of the husbands. Oh well.
I requested for the kids not to stay overnight at their grandparents' place after the event. MIL wasn't too thrilled about the arrangement. Ben thinks that they might miss the kids too much coz they won't get to see them from Friday night through the weekend.
What about me? EVERY SINGLE WEEK I SLOG, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE WEEKEND ONLY TO FIND THE HOUSE EMPTY.
The original idea was to let the kids stay over coz PILs may feel the vacuum after we move out. But MIL picks Abby up from school everyday and stays with the kids from 11am all the way till 8pm, or sometimes later!
I get up at 5am, slog till 7pm, only to rush dinner at home to get the small window of 'opportunity' to nurse Shalom to sleep at 8.
And like I don't miss them.
My original intention was to spend loads of time with them this short one week break. But no.
STU had to take up the first two days of my holidays. AND INFORM ME ONLY ON THE LAST DAY OF TERM 1 WEEK 10. What the hell is wrong with them? I replied saying that I couldn't make it, coz I had prior arrangements, (I overlooked in the email the part where a replacement is needed in my absence) so I CAN'T CANCEL THE #@$#$#%) TRAINING.
So two days gone.
Wed - heart check up at NHC for irregular heartbeat and heart palpitations.
Fri - FULL DAY TRAINING FOR MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCE.
That leaves only Thursday free. AND I HAVE A SCENIC MOUNTAIN RANGE AROUND MY TABLE.
My original goal for this break was to Repair (the damages done in Term 1), Recharge and Rejuvenate for Term 2 and the rest of the year. I hate the fact that we get our class allocation so late (2 days before school started in Term 1) so there's absolutely no way to prepare anything at all.
Oh well.
I had an enjoyable time today with the kids. Although I wasn't feeling too great - eyes were stinging and I felt really sleepy - I felt recharged especially when I was watching Abby at the playground. I was clearing the music files in my phone and songs were playing. The breeze was heavenly, and that moment was frozen in time. It was refreshing.
It was then when I realised that recharging doesn't have to take a week or longer.
I feel recharged when I have stuff planned out. I hate firefighting and being late. I've been doing that for the past 10 weeks.
My Urgent and Important tasks:
- 2007 Workplan for P4 Science Club
- 30 week plan for P4 Science Club
- Lit program for P4 HA kids starting Term 2 - Sing to the Dawn
- PSLE Oral Communication Skills workshop (due in Term 2 Week 1)
- Science Diagnostic Test - mark and return
- Schedule Journal Topic for fortnight entries
- EPMS Meeting
My Urgent and (not that) important tasks:
- Straighten Compo files for both English classes
- Straighten My Pals WS files for both English classes
- Straighten English Unit Worksheet Files for both English classes
- Miscellaneous worksheets to mark
- Mark compos - 3 sets for 2 classes
- Mark Science WB - plenty of work not marked
- Go through their journals
- Mark Spelling for one class
- Plan Science Remedial for the rest of the year (term at least)
- TRAISI Training
- Get my edumail sorted out - gosh, don't get me started on that
My Not Urgent but Important tasks:
- Chase teachers for Graphic Stimulus and Compre Cloze WS for the rest of the year
- Plan Scrabble competition due in May
- Come up with 6 Dictation passages to replace the Unseen Dictation
- Start drafting the kids' Report book comments
- Create supplementary worksheets to drill kids
- Set P5 EM3 paper together with my SH (we'll see what happens...)
These are the tasks flying around my head for the time being. I was supposed to get most of these cleared by the end of next Friday. Right.
I just hope my kids don't get into any more trouble. Somehow there's this impression that my kids aren't a fantastic lot. And I really don't like that. My kids are fine - just that their family background is really an issue. And I really don't like other teachers shelling my kids when they can't even manage their own. I guess it's stinking pride. It's damn sad. Even when my kids aren't talking, they still get scolded by other teachers. And I take two classes, so I know that my form class really isn't all that bad. I really need to reflect on helping them shed that poor image. It's damn irritating - and it affects my kids also. They've been getting shellings from me at the littlest trigger until they are all so disheartened. The last day of school was terribly bad. It was painful. No wonder teacher absentieesm is especially high on MUFTI days. Sad but true. The whole school was chaotic.
I panicked the day before when I saw what I had to do with the kids in my other English class. Until I found out that time table was suspended so I didn't have to manage them. But still(!), I had to get the kids to do this! The kids were supposed to bring their own plasticine, Plaster of Paris bandages (!?!?!?!?) and gold paint (?!?!!??!). I don't even teach art.
Check out the 3rd photo on that site. I bet if the kids really carried out this activity, I would have MANY phallic symbols and many discipline cases to handle. Next landmine - dealing with plaster of paris bandages. It would be totally messy! And in home clothes some more! Some rented Egyptian costumes, so it would really have been a challenge keeping them clean. Ah, whatever. And the best part - all this done in half an hour - first period of the day. YAH. RIGHT. After assembly it would be 15 mins gone.
Thank God we didn't have to do that. Last minute instructions were given via email to change the activity to some P6 hieroglyphic drawing which we didn't do as well.
As for one of the schoolwide activities, my kids had a really tough time. The LA couldn't do the stuff at all, and my 2 runners had to shuttle back and forth, even when we gave the correct answer, we were marked wrong by the prefects - repeatedly, even when we found the correct answer as well as the worksheet online. My runner said another class put another answer (which was incorrect) and got it correct, so she suggested we try that answer. Still we got it wrong. That was when the kids were really fed up and just wanted to know the answer for its own sake. The bell went off and the game ended. Fed up, searched for the answer, gave up playing. Everything went downhill from there. Even during the fashion parade, when our class representatives appeared, no one cheered. No one was in the mood to, nor did they dare. I blasted them so much for being rowdy in class that no one had the mood to do anything else. And then they got scolded for being rowdy. WAH LAU.
Maybe my management really sucks big time, and my kids are suffering for it. Perhaps I've been really too laxed with them. They should be treated like convicts or soldiers in military training, instead of curious and lively children. I should shout at them and break their wills so that they will be totally compliant. If that's the case, then I should be a columbarium caretaker instead.
I haven't had any time planning for any bash for Shalom. Just silently grateful that we've made it past the one year mark. He was clearly exhilerated when he realised we were singing the birthday song for him just after he heard his name...
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SHALOM!..."
Even when we sang the Chinese version, he clapped and was really thrilled.
Wish I caught it on video. I think a relative or two might have.
Update: Ben's sis caught it, but only the second part. Nevertheless, it's great. :) Thanks! :D Note to self: Assign videographer/photographer (Claire?) during such events.
It was a Chinese do at a Teochew restaurant. First time in my life, I invited only my mum's relatives. I did not invite my dad's. Frankly, it was only quite close to the event that I realised I forgot to invite my dad. But I did, nevertheless. I'm glad I did so. Time apart does wonders. It doesn't hurt now. Only my maternal granny was fuming when she saw him there. She has to learn that he'll always be the kids' gong gong. Provided I don't forget about him.
I didn't invite the rest coz it seems quite mian qiang for them to attend. For Ben's side, it's about ren qing and to a certain extent, mian zi. My side, no issues like that (no need to give mian zi). I did check with my dad, and he also agreed to leave things as status quo. My paternal granny and my dearest aunt aren't here anyway, so inviting the rest seems painful for them. I think. Although I must admit that I do enjoy their company - the wives of the husbands. Oh well.
I requested for the kids not to stay overnight at their grandparents' place after the event. MIL wasn't too thrilled about the arrangement. Ben thinks that they might miss the kids too much coz they won't get to see them from Friday night through the weekend.
What about me? EVERY SINGLE WEEK I SLOG, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE WEEKEND ONLY TO FIND THE HOUSE EMPTY.
The original idea was to let the kids stay over coz PILs may feel the vacuum after we move out. But MIL picks Abby up from school everyday and stays with the kids from 11am all the way till 8pm, or sometimes later!
I get up at 5am, slog till 7pm, only to rush dinner at home to get the small window of 'opportunity' to nurse Shalom to sleep at 8.
And like I don't miss them.
My original intention was to spend loads of time with them this short one week break. But no.
STU had to take up the first two days of my holidays. AND INFORM ME ONLY ON THE LAST DAY OF TERM 1 WEEK 10. What the hell is wrong with them? I replied saying that I couldn't make it, coz I had prior arrangements, (I overlooked in the email the part where a replacement is needed in my absence) so I CAN'T CANCEL THE #@$#$#%) TRAINING.
So two days gone.
Wed - heart check up at NHC for irregular heartbeat and heart palpitations.
Fri - FULL DAY TRAINING FOR MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCE.
That leaves only Thursday free. AND I HAVE A SCENIC MOUNTAIN RANGE AROUND MY TABLE.
My original goal for this break was to Repair (the damages done in Term 1), Recharge and Rejuvenate for Term 2 and the rest of the year. I hate the fact that we get our class allocation so late (2 days before school started in Term 1) so there's absolutely no way to prepare anything at all.
Oh well.
I had an enjoyable time today with the kids. Although I wasn't feeling too great - eyes were stinging and I felt really sleepy - I felt recharged especially when I was watching Abby at the playground. I was clearing the music files in my phone and songs were playing. The breeze was heavenly, and that moment was frozen in time. It was refreshing.
It was then when I realised that recharging doesn't have to take a week or longer.
I feel recharged when I have stuff planned out. I hate firefighting and being late. I've been doing that for the past 10 weeks.
My Urgent and Important tasks:
- 2007 Workplan for P4 Science Club
- 30 week plan for P4 Science Club
- Lit program for P4 HA kids starting Term 2 - Sing to the Dawn
- PSLE Oral Communication Skills workshop (due in Term 2 Week 1)
- Science Diagnostic Test - mark and return
- Schedule Journal Topic for fortnight entries
- EPMS Meeting
My Urgent and (not that) important tasks:
- Straighten Compo files for both English classes
- Straighten My Pals WS files for both English classes
- Straighten English Unit Worksheet Files for both English classes
- Miscellaneous worksheets to mark
- Mark compos - 3 sets for 2 classes
- Mark Science WB - plenty of work not marked
- Go through their journals
- Mark Spelling for one class
- Plan Science Remedial for the rest of the year (term at least)
- TRAISI Training
- Get my edumail sorted out - gosh, don't get me started on that
My Not Urgent but Important tasks:
- Chase teachers for Graphic Stimulus and Compre Cloze WS for the rest of the year
- Plan Scrabble competition due in May
- Come up with 6 Dictation passages to replace the Unseen Dictation
- Start drafting the kids' Report book comments
- Create supplementary worksheets to drill kids
- Set P5 EM3 paper together with my SH (we'll see what happens...)
These are the tasks flying around my head for the time being. I was supposed to get most of these cleared by the end of next Friday. Right.
I just hope my kids don't get into any more trouble. Somehow there's this impression that my kids aren't a fantastic lot. And I really don't like that. My kids are fine - just that their family background is really an issue. And I really don't like other teachers shelling my kids when they can't even manage their own. I guess it's stinking pride. It's damn sad. Even when my kids aren't talking, they still get scolded by other teachers. And I take two classes, so I know that my form class really isn't all that bad. I really need to reflect on helping them shed that poor image. It's damn irritating - and it affects my kids also. They've been getting shellings from me at the littlest trigger until they are all so disheartened. The last day of school was terribly bad. It was painful. No wonder teacher absentieesm is especially high on MUFTI days. Sad but true. The whole school was chaotic.
I panicked the day before when I saw what I had to do with the kids in my other English class. Until I found out that time table was suspended so I didn't have to manage them. But still(!), I had to get the kids to do this! The kids were supposed to bring their own plasticine, Plaster of Paris bandages (!?!?!?!?) and gold paint (?!?!!??!). I don't even teach art.
Check out the 3rd photo on that site. I bet if the kids really carried out this activity, I would have MANY phallic symbols and many discipline cases to handle. Next landmine - dealing with plaster of paris bandages. It would be totally messy! And in home clothes some more! Some rented Egyptian costumes, so it would really have been a challenge keeping them clean. Ah, whatever. And the best part - all this done in half an hour - first period of the day. YAH. RIGHT. After assembly it would be 15 mins gone.
Thank God we didn't have to do that. Last minute instructions were given via email to change the activity to some P6 hieroglyphic drawing which we didn't do as well.
As for one of the schoolwide activities, my kids had a really tough time. The LA couldn't do the stuff at all, and my 2 runners had to shuttle back and forth, even when we gave the correct answer, we were marked wrong by the prefects - repeatedly, even when we found the correct answer as well as the worksheet online. My runner said another class put another answer (which was incorrect) and got it correct, so she suggested we try that answer. Still we got it wrong. That was when the kids were really fed up and just wanted to know the answer for its own sake. The bell went off and the game ended. Fed up, searched for the answer, gave up playing. Everything went downhill from there. Even during the fashion parade, when our class representatives appeared, no one cheered. No one was in the mood to, nor did they dare. I blasted them so much for being rowdy in class that no one had the mood to do anything else. And then they got scolded for being rowdy. WAH LAU.
Maybe my management really sucks big time, and my kids are suffering for it. Perhaps I've been really too laxed with them. They should be treated like convicts or soldiers in military training, instead of curious and lively children. I should shout at them and break their wills so that they will be totally compliant. If that's the case, then I should be a columbarium caretaker instead.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Woo Hoo!
I have internet access! :D Anyway, quick updates...,
> Found Shalom's ears to be really dirty when we brought the kids over on Saturday. I checked with lina and Eka, and assumed it was just itchy fingers that traveled from the cereal bowl into the ear. We cleaned the ears, especially the right one. The next day, it was waxy again. It seemed like it splattered from inside. I started to panic. He was having a slight fever, on and off also. He was generally well, except for runny nose. We thought it was from the dust at our new place. At times he was fussy, but he's rather feisty, so no alarms set off. On Monday morning, I saw the bed stained. I checked Shalom's ears and found thick fluid flowing out! I was frantic. Grabbed breakfast and tried to surf the net on GPRS for info while waiting for GP's opening hour. I wasn't sure about the operating hours, so I waited abit. Doc checked and said that his eardrum was BROKEN. I was horrified. It was a middle ear infection, most likely triggered by the frequent colds and ailments that he's been suffering, thanks to Abby going to childcare and other reasons. Anyway the doc said that it's a good thing that the ear drum's broken, so that the fluid would flow out instead of building up, which would possibly lead to hearing loss. The ear drum would heal by itself (THANK GOD!) and he'll be fine. Just that now he needs to be put on rather strong antibiotics, plus medicine for runny nose, cough and phlegm. As much as we've been restricting his diet (no sugar no salt) the medication he's been taking so regularly is so filled with sugar, I feel our efforts are pointless. However, he keeps coughing and then throwing up whatever medication he takes (strong gag reflex) that I doubt any medicine has been getting in. It's only sometimes that he doesn't throw up.
> Abby's schedule to go for eye op this thursday. The styes have found themselves a new recruit - so altogether there are three visible ones (two have already affected her skin so there'll be scarring, regardless whether she undergoes surgery) and a couple of dormat ones. KKH Eye centre snr consultant will do an I&D (incision and drainage) to clear the styes. There was this nurse today who tried to explain the procedure to Abby, but it sounded so horrifying I distracted Abby halfway and tried to get her NOT to pay attention to the nurse. It went something like, "Girl, you go for operation okay! The doctor will cut your eye then take it out. It will be very painful but the doctors and nurses will make you better ok?" ARGH. Abby had this horrified look on her face. She knows that she's going for surgery. In fact she's been in such pain she keeps asking for "Put towel eye" - warm compress on her eye. Except that she's not willing to put the medication. I think they sting.
> We had our house blessing yesterday. Mum and my aunt's family came over and prayed for the place. When we went around anointing the house, Abby also took part in the action. It was so cute seeing her with her right palm facing up holding a drip of anointing oil and anointing the house, AND praying and walking around. Mum just came back from Israel, so she bought some stuff as well as a cross for the house. :)
> The place is almost ready, except for the upgrading stuff and curtains and feature wall (if we save up enough). Nevertheless, it's really our very own pad. :) Now the kids sleep separately from us, and we're having separation anxiety.
> Found Shalom's ears to be really dirty when we brought the kids over on Saturday. I checked with lina and Eka, and assumed it was just itchy fingers that traveled from the cereal bowl into the ear. We cleaned the ears, especially the right one. The next day, it was waxy again. It seemed like it splattered from inside. I started to panic. He was having a slight fever, on and off also. He was generally well, except for runny nose. We thought it was from the dust at our new place. At times he was fussy, but he's rather feisty, so no alarms set off. On Monday morning, I saw the bed stained. I checked Shalom's ears and found thick fluid flowing out! I was frantic. Grabbed breakfast and tried to surf the net on GPRS for info while waiting for GP's opening hour. I wasn't sure about the operating hours, so I waited abit. Doc checked and said that his eardrum was BROKEN. I was horrified. It was a middle ear infection, most likely triggered by the frequent colds and ailments that he's been suffering, thanks to Abby going to childcare and other reasons. Anyway the doc said that it's a good thing that the ear drum's broken, so that the fluid would flow out instead of building up, which would possibly lead to hearing loss. The ear drum would heal by itself (THANK GOD!) and he'll be fine. Just that now he needs to be put on rather strong antibiotics, plus medicine for runny nose, cough and phlegm. As much as we've been restricting his diet (no sugar no salt) the medication he's been taking so regularly is so filled with sugar, I feel our efforts are pointless. However, he keeps coughing and then throwing up whatever medication he takes (strong gag reflex) that I doubt any medicine has been getting in. It's only sometimes that he doesn't throw up.
> Abby's schedule to go for eye op this thursday. The styes have found themselves a new recruit - so altogether there are three visible ones (two have already affected her skin so there'll be scarring, regardless whether she undergoes surgery) and a couple of dormat ones. KKH Eye centre snr consultant will do an I&D (incision and drainage) to clear the styes. There was this nurse today who tried to explain the procedure to Abby, but it sounded so horrifying I distracted Abby halfway and tried to get her NOT to pay attention to the nurse. It went something like, "Girl, you go for operation okay! The doctor will cut your eye then take it out. It will be very painful but the doctors and nurses will make you better ok?" ARGH. Abby had this horrified look on her face. She knows that she's going for surgery. In fact she's been in such pain she keeps asking for "Put towel eye" - warm compress on her eye. Except that she's not willing to put the medication. I think they sting.
> We had our house blessing yesterday. Mum and my aunt's family came over and prayed for the place. When we went around anointing the house, Abby also took part in the action. It was so cute seeing her with her right palm facing up holding a drip of anointing oil and anointing the house, AND praying and walking around. Mum just came back from Israel, so she bought some stuff as well as a cross for the house. :)
> The place is almost ready, except for the upgrading stuff and curtains and feature wall (if we save up enough). Nevertheless, it's really our very own pad. :) Now the kids sleep separately from us, and we're having separation anxiety.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Spikey Suppository
ARGH. Just returned not too long ago from a certain 24hr clinic around our area. Poor Shalom is unwell AGAIN - high fever and vomiting stuff besides breastmilk. It started yesterday - he felt slightly feverish so we gave him paracetemol, then thought everything would be fine. He started throwing up when we administered another dose at 7pm - and then kept throwing up eversince. The vomiting was almost involuntary - his stomach kept pumping out whatever was within. Last night was really long. He was really hot - our less than reliable thermometer registered 38.9deg Cel and when his temp was taken at the clinic (and he felt much cooler to the touch than the night before) it was 39.4! Last night we kept sponging him, and kept trying to feed medicine to keep his temperature down. But he just kept throwing up. It's amazing how much milk I produced to keep up with the nursing marathon. We were up almost every hour until about 4am. Shalom finally knocked out - and so did I - while Ben continued to sponge him.
When we woke up this morning, he was much better and even attempted to wave a 'Bye-bye!' - raised right hand, rotating wrist! It was so heartmelting to see him happy again, especially after the ordeal the night before. He really wanted to get out of the room and kept tapping his granny's shoulder to get out. Essentially it was - I've said my byes, let's go! But it started going downhill in the afternoon again. I wasn't feeling very well either. So by around evening, we decided to take him to the doc coz there was no way to keep his temperature down. So off we went.
Shalom was rather limp in my arms throughout the ride there and we had priority coz of his high temperature. It seemed like a privilege until we entered the doctor's office. I probably stepped on her tail the moment we entered it, and she had her claws outat on me throughout the whole consultation. Within me, I was just grateful for my MIL for who she is - instead of this person! She was extremely rude, told me off repeatedly even when I wasn't talking to her, extremely impatient with me when I couldn't provide precise and prompt answers to her questions. Overall, I wanted to bite her. I really did. But for the sake of Shalom, I didn't. *grits teeth* Although I almost wanted to swing Shalom's legs at her head, but better judgment cautioned me against doing so. Supposed to be civilised.
However, she was nice and patient with Ben! Maybe she really thinks I'm an incompetent mother because I didn't know if my son pooped today, couldn't give his precise weight - even at last measure (but isn't this a clinic? Couldn't she just get the weight by measuring him?), couldn't answer whether he pukes when breastfeeding. I thought I explained to her clearly by saying that he only pukes when given medication and sometimes a while after breastfeeding. Ben saw I was really pissed by her and intervened. She even made Ben call the operator to get the pharmacist at Guardian Centrepoint coz the clinic did not have the suppository.
It was extremely annoying. I really wanted to get out of there. Strangely enough, the doctor at the other office was faced with a difficult patient who wanted an injection for cough and flu. He nicely tried to tell the patient that there was no such thing, and later even got the nurse to explain to the patient, but in the end the patient got fed up, exclaimed that other clinics had such injections except here, and said he didn't wanna see the doctor anymore and left. Gosh. If there was a spectrum of doctors, these two would be at the opposite ends. Ours even lectured me on not relying on the maid coz they are forgetful yadda yadda, and even when I was asking ben to ask the doctor (I didn't wanna talk to her anymore) whether teething causes fever (I know it doesn't but MIL keeps insisting that it does so i wanted 'DOCTOR SAY DON'T HAVE) and I KENA FROM DOCTOR AGAIN! Dissed me off by saying that it's an old wives' tale. She was darn nice to Ben but absolutely horrible to me! When we exited, Ben commented, "This doctor must be absolutely biased against maids and daughters-in-law."
Out of all the suppositories, she's one of the spikiest.
When we woke up this morning, he was much better and even attempted to wave a 'Bye-bye!' - raised right hand, rotating wrist! It was so heartmelting to see him happy again, especially after the ordeal the night before. He really wanted to get out of the room and kept tapping his granny's shoulder to get out. Essentially it was - I've said my byes, let's go! But it started going downhill in the afternoon again. I wasn't feeling very well either. So by around evening, we decided to take him to the doc coz there was no way to keep his temperature down. So off we went.
Shalom was rather limp in my arms throughout the ride there and we had priority coz of his high temperature. It seemed like a privilege until we entered the doctor's office. I probably stepped on her tail the moment we entered it, and she had her claws out
However, she was nice and patient with Ben! Maybe she really thinks I'm an incompetent mother because I didn't know if my son pooped today, couldn't give his precise weight - even at last measure (but isn't this a clinic? Couldn't she just get the weight by measuring him?), couldn't answer whether he pukes when breastfeeding. I thought I explained to her clearly by saying that he only pukes when given medication and sometimes a while after breastfeeding. Ben saw I was really pissed by her and intervened. She even made Ben call the operator to get the pharmacist at Guardian Centrepoint coz the clinic did not have the suppository.
It was extremely annoying. I really wanted to get out of there. Strangely enough, the doctor at the other office was faced with a difficult patient who wanted an injection for cough and flu. He nicely tried to tell the patient that there was no such thing, and later even got the nurse to explain to the patient, but in the end the patient got fed up, exclaimed that other clinics had such injections except here, and said he didn't wanna see the doctor anymore and left. Gosh. If there was a spectrum of doctors, these two would be at the opposite ends. Ours even lectured me on not relying on the maid coz they are forgetful yadda yadda, and even when I was asking ben to ask the doctor (I didn't wanna talk to her anymore) whether teething causes fever (I know it doesn't but MIL keeps insisting that it does so i wanted 'DOCTOR SAY DON'T HAVE) and I KENA FROM DOCTOR AGAIN! Dissed me off by saying that it's an old wives' tale. She was darn nice to Ben but absolutely horrible to me! When we exited, Ben commented, "This doctor must be absolutely biased against maids and daughters-in-law."
Out of all the suppositories, she's one of the spikiest.
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