Last weekend, I brought the children along with our helper to watch The Clone Wars in the cinema. It was a show most eagerly-anticipated in our household. We had McDonalds' for lunch (a sure winner) and bought the mandatory pop corn and drinks. I was surprised that there were fewer than 20 people in the cinema hall. It would seem that the rest of KL was not captivated by this inter-galactical tale.
Sons No 1 and No 2 did not take their eyes off the screen throughout the show. There were more than enough action sequences to keep them mesmerized. The complete opposite can be said about Son No 3. This was his second full-length feature film in the cinema, the first being Narnia - Prince Caspian. In Narnia, he sat quietly and happily as his complete attention was focussed on the pop corn.
In this movie, however, Son No 3 seemed unbearably distracted. It was freezing in the cinema. He was feeling cold, although he wore a sweater and I gave him my wool wrap as a blanket. Throughout the show, he could not help fidgetting and climbing onto me for a cuddle, all the time airing his grouse that he was too cold. If the cinema was packed, the people behind us would have been quite annoyed.
Did I enjoy the show? Not much. To put things in perspective, it must be recognised that it is a children's show. It had the feel of a television pilot for the TV series that will be launched soon. After the memorable words "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...." appeared on the screen, die-hard Star Wars fans would be disappointed that the iconic crawl of words, that disappeared into the distance, did not follow. Instead, a narrator described the situation - I think this could be for the benefit of the target audience - the children - who might not be able to read.
It was good to see the familiar characters again... Anakin, Padme, Obi-Wan, Yoda. I find the new character, a padawan trainee called Ahsoka, quite irritating. She is too "modern" (as if this is a sin for a futuristic show!) for my liking. Brash, opinionated, disobedient and loud-mouthed. How can such a character join the sage and dignified army of Jedi knights, I wonder. She was surely crafted purely for marketing purposes - heaven forbid, the younger generation can probably identify with her! Other comments - the plot was simple, the length of the show was manageable below 2 hours and the dialogue was minimal.
Conclusion: This is not a show for adult Star Wars fans, but for Star Wars fans who are still children. Are there many of them around? Maybe not in this part of the world. Well, I am at least grateful that the show is released just when my children are having the Star Wars fever. For us, the timing couldn't have been better.
Sunday 31 August 2008
Friday 29 August 2008
Another Moral Lesson From Star Wars
Yesterday, I wrote about the moral lessons I gleaned from Star Wars.
Today, in a moment of vanity and self-importance, I decided to google "star wars, moral", secretly hoping to find my blog somewhere right on top of the search. But surprise, surprise! I found pages and pages of results that pertain to those words - evidently, this topic has been researched and debated to death! Just shows how "un-read" I am. To rub salt to the wound, after looking at 10 pages of results, my blog entry was still nowhere to be found.
I just want to clarify to my readers that my blog was entirely based on my own analysis of the show and was not in any way plagiarised from any source. Just because great minds think alike...... haha.
Seriously, gee, it is good to be brought down to earth. I must stop thinking myself as smarty-pants!
Hmm... it started me thinking on something else though... how do these search engines work? What do I need to do to be ranked top in the search results for every blog? Ya, that shows the competitive spirit in me. Ya, that is definitely something worth looking into .... :)
Today, in a moment of vanity and self-importance, I decided to google "star wars, moral", secretly hoping to find my blog somewhere right on top of the search. But surprise, surprise! I found pages and pages of results that pertain to those words - evidently, this topic has been researched and debated to death! Just shows how "un-read" I am. To rub salt to the wound, after looking at 10 pages of results, my blog entry was still nowhere to be found.
I just want to clarify to my readers that my blog was entirely based on my own analysis of the show and was not in any way plagiarised from any source. Just because great minds think alike...... haha.
Seriously, gee, it is good to be brought down to earth. I must stop thinking myself as smarty-pants!
Hmm... it started me thinking on something else though... how do these search engines work? What do I need to do to be ranked top in the search results for every blog? Ya, that shows the competitive spirit in me. Ya, that is definitely something worth looking into .... :)
Thursday 28 August 2008
5 Moral Lessons From Star Wars
My three sons are huge fans of Star Wars. We have the entire suite of Star Wars on DVD(Episodes I to VI). At home, when they are short of time, they would select one chapter from one of the episodes to watch. On weekends, they might even watch entire episodes again and again. They would also bring the DVDs with them even while they are on holiday. On top of that, the Star Wars Wii Game is one of their favourite electronic games.
What is this timeless appeal of Star Wars? After all, the first instalment which took the world by storm was released way back in 1977, some 3 decades ago.
Observing the children, I can see that they, being typical boys, are enthralled by the considerable power of the Jedis, the dazzling fighting sequences with light sabres, as well as the giddy array of weird creatures from across the galactica, thanks to Lucas Animation. Son No 1 is also impressed by the visual and sound effects.
Son No 2, on the other hand, is fascinated by Yoda. He would occasionally walk hunch-backed, doubled-over, pretending to walk with a walking stick a-la Yoda. Among his prized possessions is a miniature Yoda figurine (a gift from his loving uncle) which accompanies him to bed every night. I have also noticed that the colour green has recently become Son No 2's favourite colour. I did not know why until it was revealed to me that it was because Yoda uses a green light sabre. Thank goodness he has not adopted Yoda's sentence structures... not yet, anyway.
That aside, there are many reasons why I like Star Wars. Now that I have re-watched all 6 shows through the eyes of a mother, I can see at the heart of the story strong and sound moral lessons that the children should learn from. I have listed them below as follows:
1) Triumph of Good over Evil - I love the unambiguous ending in Episode VI when the Good side (Jedis) finally won. Good over evil is also portrayed when Darth Vader finally redeemed himself at the end. There was once when Son No 3 wanted to be Count Dooku for he was in awe of the evil lord's power. I gently reminded him that Count Dooku "lost" in the end. Well, every child wants to be on the winning side - so Son No 3 has since ditched Count Dooku.
2) Power of Love, particularly that between the father and the son - This is one of the main themes in the show - how Darth Vader saved Luke and how Luke persuaded his father to return to the good side.
3) Choice and Consequences - Anakin Skywalker was not a victim of circumstances; he had a choice whether to turn to the dark side. Having made the choice, he must live with the consequences. I feel this is an important learning point for young people (teenagers) who are constantly faced with such temptations and influences.
4) Size is not Might - A small band of rebels can overcome the mighty empire, the diminutive Yoda can be a powerful Jedi. Ya, small can be beautiful ... and not necessary a liability. To all the little people in the world, this is a comforting thought. The same can be said for the citizens of a certain Little Red Dot.
5) Embracing Diversity - Earthlings are largely divided based on skin colour and religious affiliations but they are all humans. But in Star Wars, we see the seamless interaction between specimens that are totally dissimilar. While some are arch-enemies, there are also many who just co-exist peacefully. It's not such a big challenge for us then, is it? Mankind is really just one species.
End here, I must. May the Force be with you.
What is this timeless appeal of Star Wars? After all, the first instalment which took the world by storm was released way back in 1977, some 3 decades ago.
Observing the children, I can see that they, being typical boys, are enthralled by the considerable power of the Jedis, the dazzling fighting sequences with light sabres, as well as the giddy array of weird creatures from across the galactica, thanks to Lucas Animation. Son No 1 is also impressed by the visual and sound effects.
Son No 2, on the other hand, is fascinated by Yoda. He would occasionally walk hunch-backed, doubled-over, pretending to walk with a walking stick a-la Yoda. Among his prized possessions is a miniature Yoda figurine (a gift from his loving uncle) which accompanies him to bed every night. I have also noticed that the colour green has recently become Son No 2's favourite colour. I did not know why until it was revealed to me that it was because Yoda uses a green light sabre. Thank goodness he has not adopted Yoda's sentence structures... not yet, anyway.
That aside, there are many reasons why I like Star Wars. Now that I have re-watched all 6 shows through the eyes of a mother, I can see at the heart of the story strong and sound moral lessons that the children should learn from. I have listed them below as follows:
1) Triumph of Good over Evil - I love the unambiguous ending in Episode VI when the Good side (Jedis) finally won. Good over evil is also portrayed when Darth Vader finally redeemed himself at the end. There was once when Son No 3 wanted to be Count Dooku for he was in awe of the evil lord's power. I gently reminded him that Count Dooku "lost" in the end. Well, every child wants to be on the winning side - so Son No 3 has since ditched Count Dooku.
2) Power of Love, particularly that between the father and the son - This is one of the main themes in the show - how Darth Vader saved Luke and how Luke persuaded his father to return to the good side.
3) Choice and Consequences - Anakin Skywalker was not a victim of circumstances; he had a choice whether to turn to the dark side. Having made the choice, he must live with the consequences. I feel this is an important learning point for young people (teenagers) who are constantly faced with such temptations and influences.
4) Size is not Might - A small band of rebels can overcome the mighty empire, the diminutive Yoda can be a powerful Jedi. Ya, small can be beautiful ... and not necessary a liability. To all the little people in the world, this is a comforting thought. The same can be said for the citizens of a certain Little Red Dot.
5) Embracing Diversity - Earthlings are largely divided based on skin colour and religious affiliations but they are all humans. But in Star Wars, we see the seamless interaction between specimens that are totally dissimilar. While some are arch-enemies, there are also many who just co-exist peacefully. It's not such a big challenge for us then, is it? Mankind is really just one species.
End here, I must. May the Force be with you.
Tuesday 26 August 2008
Vacation In Singapore
Now that the children are safely back in school, I can breathe again. As every mother will tell you, her workload actually doubles during school holidays. Ya, school vacation is the time when the children and their teachers get their break - not the mothers!
During the children's one-week break, we took a bus down to Singapore on First Coach (see picture #1). The children had a wonderful time there where they are blessed with a doting grandma and equally doting auntie and uncle to cater to their every need and want.
There were some experiences that were enjoyed by all 3 boys. My guess for the top three of these, based on my observation, would be:
Ya, simple pleasures... We will also miss the black pepper crabs, katong laksa, hainanese chicken rice, yong tow foo and fish soup. I did not get to eat my steamed egg at J8, but there will be a next time, I hope, if the stall is still there.
During the children's one-week break, we took a bus down to Singapore on First Coach (see picture #1). The children had a wonderful time there where they are blessed with a doting grandma and equally doting auntie and uncle to cater to their every need and want.
There were some experiences that were enjoyed by all 3 boys. My guess for the top three of these, based on my observation, would be:
- Playing on the beach at East Coast (picture #2) and the scrumptious poached gong-gong (a type of seashell) that followed
- Eating Hokkaido ice-cream at Ngee Ann City (picture #3)
- Riding on the double-decker bus from Toa Payoh
Ya, simple pleasures... We will also miss the black pepper crabs, katong laksa, hainanese chicken rice, yong tow foo and fish soup. I did not get to eat my steamed egg at J8, but there will be a next time, I hope, if the stall is still there.
Thursday 14 August 2008
Kids Say The Darnest Things!
Anecdote 1
"Mummy, I am scared..."
"Scared of what?"
"Ghosts and monsters..."
"No need to be scared. God is always here to protect you..."
"Where? I can't see Him ..."
"God is everywhere. You just can't see him."
"Oh, I know. God is like germs!"
Some time ago, I was reminding Son No 3 to keep hygienic habits because germs are everywhere, they are just too tiny to be seen. He remembered!
Anecdote 2
My three sons are all huge fans of Star Wars. One day, Son No 3 came across a group of shoppers wearing the traditional black burqa, covering the whole body and face, except for the eyes. He pointed to them and exclaimed, "Look, it's Darth Vader!"
Anecdote 3
On entering a boutique with me, Son No 3 seemed to take a particular interest at the shop assistant who was standing glassy-eyed near the counter. His gaze continued to return to the girl even as he tagged along with me round the shop. As we left the shop after browsing, Son No 3 then asked me, "Mummy, was that a statue?"
Truly, Son No 3 is not capable of sarcasm, but what a damning verdict on the state of customer service here!
"Mummy, I am scared..."
"Scared of what?"
"Ghosts and monsters..."
"No need to be scared. God is always here to protect you..."
"Where? I can't see Him ..."
"God is everywhere. You just can't see him."
"Oh, I know. God is like germs!"
Some time ago, I was reminding Son No 3 to keep hygienic habits because germs are everywhere, they are just too tiny to be seen. He remembered!
Anecdote 2
My three sons are all huge fans of Star Wars. One day, Son No 3 came across a group of shoppers wearing the traditional black burqa, covering the whole body and face, except for the eyes. He pointed to them and exclaimed, "Look, it's Darth Vader!"
Anecdote 3
On entering a boutique with me, Son No 3 seemed to take a particular interest at the shop assistant who was standing glassy-eyed near the counter. His gaze continued to return to the girl even as he tagged along with me round the shop. As we left the shop after browsing, Son No 3 then asked me, "Mummy, was that a statue?"
Truly, Son No 3 is not capable of sarcasm, but what a damning verdict on the state of customer service here!
Visit to the Bread Factory
Son No 3 went for a field trip to the High 5 Bread Factory at Shah Alam today. ["High 5" is the brand of the bread, and has nothing to do with the children's pop group from the land Down Under.]
One thing he liked about the trip: he could touch the flour.
One thing he did not like: the photo-taking at the end because it was too crowded :)
Tuesday 12 August 2008
Disturbed By Bible Stories
I am disturbed, very disturbed.
I have started reading the "Read With Me Bible" with my two younger boys every night. The illustration in the book is rich and colourful and the wordings simple and suitable for children between 4 and 8. We would read not more than one story every night and it's been more than a week now. We are reaching the end of Genesis, the first book of the bible.
Son No 3 is not really interested... he's actually quite lost with all the characters and sub-plots but that's not my concern. My concern is more on Son No 2's interpretation of the events as described in the first book of the old testament. Son No 2, by virtue of his being two years older, has developed more mature and independent thinking. Very often, while reading the "stories", he would express his indignance on God's actions:
1. Cain and Abel - why was God pleased with Abel but not with Cain? (This led to Cain killing Abel.)
2. Noah's Ark - ok, the people were sinful and disobedient but why was God so "bad" as to kill all of them (except Noah and those in the ark)?
3. The Tower of Babel - why did God change all their languages so that they will not understand each other? (He understood they were trying to build that tower to reach the sky - but could not fathom why God had to respond in this way.)
4. Abraham - why did God ask for the sacrifice? (Can't quite grasp the idea of "testing".)
The story of Esau and Jacob was no better. Favouritism was overtly displayed in Isaac and Rebekah's actions. How could Rebekah help Jacob deceive her husband and elder son?
We are now in the midst of the story of Joseph and the multi-colour coat. Last night, Son No 2 learnt a new word - jealousy. He could identify with the emotion immediately. In the story, the brothers were jealous of Joseph because their father favoured Joseph and gave him the multi-colour coat. Of the several plans that the brothers made to get rid of Joseph (killing him, throwing him into the well, selling him), they finally decided to sell Joseph to Egypt. Son No 2 had a different idea though and seemed to favour killing Joseph. I had to emphasize to him that Joseph was their brother and thus, they should not kill him. Tonight, we will continue the story and will talk about Joseph forgiving his brothers - I hope that Son No 2 will see true brotherly love there.
On the whole, I can see that Son No 2's image of God as the benevolent provider and protector is being challenged. That God is all-powerful, he is left with no doubt. I am just not sure how to proceed from here. Some of the stories in the Old Testament are not pretty, not to this age group.
I am more likely to abandon the attempt to read the Bible, at least not the sequential approach. If there are serious messages there to be delivered, I may not be the right person to do so. Or the children are too young to have such "bible study". A better approach might be to just cull stories that are inspiring to this age group, like Jesus Feeds 5,000 or Jesus Walks on Water.
And it's decided. That's how it is going to happen. I am glad that as I write, it helps to clear my mind. Nevertheless, all other advice is welcomed .... :)
I have started reading the "Read With Me Bible" with my two younger boys every night. The illustration in the book is rich and colourful and the wordings simple and suitable for children between 4 and 8. We would read not more than one story every night and it's been more than a week now. We are reaching the end of Genesis, the first book of the bible.
Son No 3 is not really interested... he's actually quite lost with all the characters and sub-plots but that's not my concern. My concern is more on Son No 2's interpretation of the events as described in the first book of the old testament. Son No 2, by virtue of his being two years older, has developed more mature and independent thinking. Very often, while reading the "stories", he would express his indignance on God's actions:
1. Cain and Abel - why was God pleased with Abel but not with Cain? (This led to Cain killing Abel.)
2. Noah's Ark - ok, the people were sinful and disobedient but why was God so "bad" as to kill all of them (except Noah and those in the ark)?
3. The Tower of Babel - why did God change all their languages so that they will not understand each other? (He understood they were trying to build that tower to reach the sky - but could not fathom why God had to respond in this way.)
4. Abraham - why did God ask for the sacrifice? (Can't quite grasp the idea of "testing".)
The story of Esau and Jacob was no better. Favouritism was overtly displayed in Isaac and Rebekah's actions. How could Rebekah help Jacob deceive her husband and elder son?
We are now in the midst of the story of Joseph and the multi-colour coat. Last night, Son No 2 learnt a new word - jealousy. He could identify with the emotion immediately. In the story, the brothers were jealous of Joseph because their father favoured Joseph and gave him the multi-colour coat. Of the several plans that the brothers made to get rid of Joseph (killing him, throwing him into the well, selling him), they finally decided to sell Joseph to Egypt. Son No 2 had a different idea though and seemed to favour killing Joseph. I had to emphasize to him that Joseph was their brother and thus, they should not kill him. Tonight, we will continue the story and will talk about Joseph forgiving his brothers - I hope that Son No 2 will see true brotherly love there.
On the whole, I can see that Son No 2's image of God as the benevolent provider and protector is being challenged. That God is all-powerful, he is left with no doubt. I am just not sure how to proceed from here. Some of the stories in the Old Testament are not pretty, not to this age group.
I am more likely to abandon the attempt to read the Bible, at least not the sequential approach. If there are serious messages there to be delivered, I may not be the right person to do so. Or the children are too young to have such "bible study". A better approach might be to just cull stories that are inspiring to this age group, like Jesus Feeds 5,000 or Jesus Walks on Water.
And it's decided. That's how it is going to happen. I am glad that as I write, it helps to clear my mind. Nevertheless, all other advice is welcomed .... :)
Chef For The Day
Son No 3 baked a cupcake in school today. Here he is, with his proud creation!
The cake was quite delicious!
Monday 11 August 2008
The Magic Word
This evening, during dinner....
Actually, Harry Potter fans would know the correct word for a summoning spell is "Accio"!
Son No 3: Mummy, can you give me the chicken?
Mummy: (deliberately ignore)
Son No 3: Mummy, can you give me the chicken?
Mummy: (no reaction)
Daddy: Didi, did you forget the magic word?
Son No 2: (chipping in) Hocus-pocus? Expalliarmus? :)
Son No 3: (earnestly) No-la, please, thank you, excuse me, you're welcome.
Son No 3 got his chicken.
Actually, Harry Potter fans would know the correct word for a summoning spell is "Accio"!
Picture: Sons No 2 & 3 doing their homework together. A sublime moment of peaceful co-existence!
Sunday 10 August 2008
My Gift - A Digital Archive
Now that I have been blogging for about 2 months, I can't help but feel kind of ...regretful.. that I did not start earlier. Like all parents, I really cherish the times that my children and I have together and I realise these times will not last forever. I always believe that our children do not really belong to us; we are here to guide them for the first 20 years or so before they become full-fledged adults.
Every minute I have with them is the "now" that will never come back again. We can't return, we can only look behind from where we came (sounds familiar?). That is why it is so important (to me, at least) to document their growing years. And that is also why I have decided to start a new label/tag called "Reminiscence" where I may occasionally write about those days before I started the blog. Hmm... like when they were babies!
Such documentation is not a new-fangled idea, of course. My mother used to bring us siblings to the photo studio on each of our birthdays to take a birthday photo. During those times, a camera was a luxury and not many households owned one. We would pose stiffly in a well-lit studio, wearing our sunday best - (please, not our birthday suits :)). My mother still keeps those black-and-white photos in a yellow-edged photo album. It's our personal archive.
With Son No 1, my significant other and I faithfully took photographs of him right from Day 1 and recorded every step of his growth. These were statics. Although we owned a video recorder, we did not find it as handy compared to snapping a photo. The photos, which I painstakingly labelled with printed captions, are arranged in albums and remain a source of enjoyment for all the children as they flip through the pages.
With Sons No 2 and 3, the photographs got fewer in number. With increasing childcare responsibility, taking photographs, developing them and arranging them in albums with printed captions - well, it just took too much effort.
When digital cameras became the norm, things got simpler. We would take the photos and upload them in files. Hallelujah! That was what we were doing until this blogging business began.
Now, in addition to taking digital photos, I have a platform to record thoughts and conversations as well as add comments to all things sundry. In time to come, I hope the boys would appreciate this gift to them - their own digital archive.
Now that's a good reason to buy Google shares (the owner of blogger) and help ensure they do not fold! Seriously, I wonder whether blogger and other blog hosts realise what an important function they play as custodians of people's thoughts, ramblings, hopes and digital treasures.
To Joni Mitchell fans, they would have recognised that in the second paragraph, I have made reference to the lyrics of one of her songs, a favourite of mine called The Circle Game. The song is touching in its simplicity and never fails to remind me the transience of time. Thought I will share it here for the younger generation!
Every minute I have with them is the "now" that will never come back again. We can't return, we can only look behind from where we came (sounds familiar?). That is why it is so important (to me, at least) to document their growing years. And that is also why I have decided to start a new label/tag called "Reminiscence" where I may occasionally write about those days before I started the blog. Hmm... like when they were babies!
Such documentation is not a new-fangled idea, of course. My mother used to bring us siblings to the photo studio on each of our birthdays to take a birthday photo. During those times, a camera was a luxury and not many households owned one. We would pose stiffly in a well-lit studio, wearing our sunday best - (please, not our birthday suits :)). My mother still keeps those black-and-white photos in a yellow-edged photo album. It's our personal archive.
With Son No 1, my significant other and I faithfully took photographs of him right from Day 1 and recorded every step of his growth. These were statics. Although we owned a video recorder, we did not find it as handy compared to snapping a photo. The photos, which I painstakingly labelled with printed captions, are arranged in albums and remain a source of enjoyment for all the children as they flip through the pages.
With Sons No 2 and 3, the photographs got fewer in number. With increasing childcare responsibility, taking photographs, developing them and arranging them in albums with printed captions - well, it just took too much effort.
When digital cameras became the norm, things got simpler. We would take the photos and upload them in files. Hallelujah! That was what we were doing until this blogging business began.
Now, in addition to taking digital photos, I have a platform to record thoughts and conversations as well as add comments to all things sundry. In time to come, I hope the boys would appreciate this gift to them - their own digital archive.
Now that's a good reason to buy Google shares (the owner of blogger) and help ensure they do not fold! Seriously, I wonder whether blogger and other blog hosts realise what an important function they play as custodians of people's thoughts, ramblings, hopes and digital treasures.
To Joni Mitchell fans, they would have recognised that in the second paragraph, I have made reference to the lyrics of one of her songs, a favourite of mine called The Circle Game. The song is touching in its simplicity and never fails to remind me the transience of time. Thought I will share it here for the younger generation!
Saturday 9 August 2008
Wayan's Birthday Party
Son No 3 has been looking forward to Wayan's birthday party for weeks. The party was held at 3 pm today at MegaKidz, an indoor playground at Mid-Valley.
Son No 3 wanted to look his best, so he actually requested for a haircut! I told him not to worry, he looked fine. He said a haircut would make him look "handsome". Now, in all my years of parenting my three sons, this is the first time that a son of mine would actually want to look good. Hmm...
Anyway, he had a fantastic time.
Bottom (from left): Wayan, Eugene, Son No 3
Far bottom: Having fun at the bouncy castle
Friday 8 August 2008
08-08-08 and the Olympics
Today marks the start of the Beijing Olympics. It is also my younger sister's X2nd birthday. I told her with the rapid advancement of medical science, she may yet be celebrating another 08-08-08 birthday in a century's time!
Anyway, the Olympic Games has always held special memories for me since 12 years ago. Then, the 1996 Olympics Games was held at Atlanta and it was the only Games where I got to watch almost all the events, even those which were telecasted past midnight.
At that time, I was on maternity leave with my firstborn. Son No 1 had bouts of colic and to a newbie mom, it was distressing. To the uninitiated, colic is characterised by unexplained cries by infants at certain times of the day, normally night time. No one really knows the reason for it - though the Chinese tend to attribute it to "wind". It will go away after a period of time.
So, to pacify the crying child, I would cradle him to sleep close to my chest in the recliner chair. He seemed to be comforted by the warmth and maybe the mother's heartbeat and would then fall asleep. In the quiet of the night while he laid sleeping, I was glad to be entertained by the Games athletes - whose names have blurred in my memory now. It was a games about "The Power of the Dream" by Celine Dion and one where the legendary Mohammad Ali lit the Olympics torch.
Son No 1 knows this story well. He first heard it during the 2000 Sydney Olympics, again during the 2004 Athens Olympics and now in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In time to come, I hope it becomes a story for him to tell to his children every four years.
Anyway, the Olympic Games has always held special memories for me since 12 years ago. Then, the 1996 Olympics Games was held at Atlanta and it was the only Games where I got to watch almost all the events, even those which were telecasted past midnight.
At that time, I was on maternity leave with my firstborn. Son No 1 had bouts of colic and to a newbie mom, it was distressing. To the uninitiated, colic is characterised by unexplained cries by infants at certain times of the day, normally night time. No one really knows the reason for it - though the Chinese tend to attribute it to "wind". It will go away after a period of time.
So, to pacify the crying child, I would cradle him to sleep close to my chest in the recliner chair. He seemed to be comforted by the warmth and maybe the mother's heartbeat and would then fall asleep. In the quiet of the night while he laid sleeping, I was glad to be entertained by the Games athletes - whose names have blurred in my memory now. It was a games about "The Power of the Dream" by Celine Dion and one where the legendary Mohammad Ali lit the Olympics torch.
Son No 1 knows this story well. He first heard it during the 2000 Sydney Olympics, again during the 2004 Athens Olympics and now in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In time to come, I hope it becomes a story for him to tell to his children every four years.
Thursday 7 August 2008
Like Mother, Like Son
Couldn't resist taking this picture. It has always been my habit to do some reading while having my breakfast, lunch or tea. Son No 3 has somehow picked up this habit as well! Here he is, during lunch today, with his favourite Pokemon book.
He's such a sweetie when it comes to indulging mummy's requests to take photos.
Tuesday 5 August 2008
Blackie - RIP
Blackie, one of our two pet hamsters, passed away suddenly this afternoon. Time of death: around 4 pm. Cause: Unknown.
We broke the news to the children just before dinner. They took it matter-of-factly. They did wonder why she died but we have no answer. Son No 1 started to count the number of pet deaths so far and this included 2 terrapins and >12 fishes. They remembered that the first terrapin which died was buried near the barbeque pit at Bishan.
We decided to bury Blackie in the grounds of the condominium. There was no ceremony or anything like that. We found a suitable spot, dug a deep enough hole and said bye-bye to Blackie.
On the way up in the lift, Son No 3 asked why we needed to bury Blackie. I said something about the Nitrogen Cycle and that its decomposition will provide food for the plants. Oh well, I am sure he did not understand it but sometimes I do resort to hiding behind scientific explanations because to simplify things can make things real complex. Go figure.
We broke the news to the children just before dinner. They took it matter-of-factly. They did wonder why she died but we have no answer. Son No 1 started to count the number of pet deaths so far and this included 2 terrapins and >12 fishes. They remembered that the first terrapin which died was buried near the barbeque pit at Bishan.
We decided to bury Blackie in the grounds of the condominium. There was no ceremony or anything like that. We found a suitable spot, dug a deep enough hole and said bye-bye to Blackie.
On the way up in the lift, Son No 3 asked why we needed to bury Blackie. I said something about the Nitrogen Cycle and that its decomposition will provide food for the plants. Oh well, I am sure he did not understand it but sometimes I do resort to hiding behind scientific explanations because to simplify things can make things real complex. Go figure.
Monday 4 August 2008
A Mother's Love
"I love you, mummy."
"I love you too."
"I love you very much."
"I love you very much too."
"I love you the most."
"... I love you very much too."
The above dialogue is played out almost every night with my two younger boys before their bedtime. I am most touched when they look into my eyes and tell me they love me the most... not sure if I am being laid a trap here because I cannot say the same that I love either of them the most... I have to be very careful not to give the idea that I love one of my boys more than the others.
In fact, I would hesitate to say that I love them equally. What is true is that I love each of them deeply but there is no way to quantify or prove that the love for them is equal.
So I never say, "You are all the same and I love you all the same."
Instead I say, "You are all different and I love each of you in a special way."
"I love you too."
"I love you very much."
"I love you very much too."
"I love you the most."
"... I love you very much too."
The above dialogue is played out almost every night with my two younger boys before their bedtime. I am most touched when they look into my eyes and tell me they love me the most... not sure if I am being laid a trap here because I cannot say the same that I love either of them the most... I have to be very careful not to give the idea that I love one of my boys more than the others.
In fact, I would hesitate to say that I love them equally. What is true is that I love each of them deeply but there is no way to quantify or prove that the love for them is equal.
So I never say, "You are all the same and I love you all the same."
Instead I say, "You are all different and I love each of you in a special way."
Sunday 3 August 2008
Picnic and Pancake
This morning, we had a picnic by the waterfall. Which waterfall? Here, right at our condominium!
Now, we are at the poolside again. The children are frolicking around, the Significant Other is reading a book and I am blogging by the pool.... cool, eh? Enjoy the pictures!
The two younger boys have been clamouring for a picnic and were thrilled by just the mention of the word "picnic". I prepared all the ingredients deemed necessary for a picnic, namely a picnic basket, a straw mat for sitting on the ground, lots of food and drinks. The location was the least important factor.
Later in the day, Son No 1 made pancakes for us. Son No 1 enjoys cooking. Since he was about 9 years old, he has been popping corn, boiling edamame and making glutinous rice balls (not the frozen variety, puh-leez.. the real thing from rice flour!). He also likes to make his own sunny side-up. Earlier this year, he made sushi for us.
Say No To Fairy Tales
Sons Nos 2 & 3 heard the fairy tale stories of Snow White and Cinderella for the first time last week.
We were passing a row of bridal shops in SS2 when I chanced upon an ornate oval mirror through the shop window. I remarked, "Ha, that looks like it came straight from Snow White! Mirror, mirror, on the wall....!" Son No 2 promptly asked, "Who is Snow White?"
Aw shucks, I then remembered that my children were pretty ignorant when it came to fairy tales. It was deliberate. I did not want to fill my children's heads with the values perpetuated by these fairy tales which are very questionable. I'd rather tell/read them stories like Topsy and Tim, who share their daily experiences like taking the train/aeroplane, going to the hospital or having a pet. Now that they are older, I guess they would need to know, lest they appear ignorant in front of their classmates and teachers.
So, that night, before bedtime, I told them the story of Snow White. The first question was "What is a stepmother?" Good, we need to paint all stepmothers black. "What is 'fairest'?" Now we need to glamorise beauty. Well, at least, the hunter who let Snow White escape showed true compassion, as did the seven dwarfs. The part about the Prince coming to save Snow White from death? What can I say - sigh. I ended my story with the traditional line, "... and they lived happily ever after. The End." Sigh of relief.
But wait, my children have one last question, "What happened to the Queen?" Err... I really don't know. Struck by lightning or similar violent death - as due justice for evil deeds - meted out by an all-powerful 'unknown'? Ya, that will scare them no end.
The next night, they asked for another fairy tale. OK, the magic mirror and the seven dwarfs did lend some enchantment to the sordid tale. Well, to continue their education on fairy tales, I went on to tell them the story of Cinderella. Another stepmother story. It started well enough with the appearance of the fairy godmother but by the time we talked about the ball (ya, you guessed it, what is the ball?), dancing and glass slippers, they were positively bored.
There were no more requests for fairy tales after that. The next night, we were back to reading about animals.
We were passing a row of bridal shops in SS2 when I chanced upon an ornate oval mirror through the shop window. I remarked, "Ha, that looks like it came straight from Snow White! Mirror, mirror, on the wall....!" Son No 2 promptly asked, "Who is Snow White?"
Aw shucks, I then remembered that my children were pretty ignorant when it came to fairy tales. It was deliberate. I did not want to fill my children's heads with the values perpetuated by these fairy tales which are very questionable. I'd rather tell/read them stories like Topsy and Tim, who share their daily experiences like taking the train/aeroplane, going to the hospital or having a pet. Now that they are older, I guess they would need to know, lest they appear ignorant in front of their classmates and teachers.
So, that night, before bedtime, I told them the story of Snow White. The first question was "What is a stepmother?" Good, we need to paint all stepmothers black. "What is 'fairest'?" Now we need to glamorise beauty. Well, at least, the hunter who let Snow White escape showed true compassion, as did the seven dwarfs. The part about the Prince coming to save Snow White from death? What can I say - sigh. I ended my story with the traditional line, "... and they lived happily ever after. The End." Sigh of relief.
But wait, my children have one last question, "What happened to the Queen?" Err... I really don't know. Struck by lightning or similar violent death - as due justice for evil deeds - meted out by an all-powerful 'unknown'? Ya, that will scare them no end.
The next night, they asked for another fairy tale. OK, the magic mirror and the seven dwarfs did lend some enchantment to the sordid tale. Well, to continue their education on fairy tales, I went on to tell them the story of Cinderella. Another stepmother story. It started well enough with the appearance of the fairy godmother but by the time we talked about the ball (ya, you guessed it, what is the ball?), dancing and glass slippers, they were positively bored.
There were no more requests for fairy tales after that. The next night, we were back to reading about animals.
Friday 1 August 2008
My Work-In-Progress
Perhaps I should re-name my blog "My Work-In-Progress".
Because my three sons are my work-in-progress (WIP). It may be a quaint way of looking at things but blame it on my business background! The transformation activity, from raw material (ya, egg and sperm) to finished goods, takes easily 20+ years and the scary thing is we are given only one chance to get it right. If I had done a bad job as a parent, I wouldn't know it until they are grown-ups. There may be interim warning signs, and I sincerely hope these will not go unnoticed, but what if it is too late? This business that I am in is indeed a high-risk business!
Two obvious questions come to mind:
The second question brings to mind the speech given by my eldest brother during the wedding reception of his only daughter. He described his daughter (my niece) as kind and considerate, putting others before self. And how proud he and his wife were that she had turned out that way. Now that was a beautiful speech. And indeed, the "finished goods" should be the whole person, the good person, the moral person. That should be the whole point.
Often, I feel kind of envious of people with grown-up children - they are able to see the results of their labour. I hope they like what they see... because their children is a reflection of themselves.
I wonder what I will see in time to come...
Because my three sons are my work-in-progress (WIP). It may be a quaint way of looking at things but blame it on my business background! The transformation activity, from raw material (ya, egg and sperm) to finished goods, takes easily 20+ years and the scary thing is we are given only one chance to get it right. If I had done a bad job as a parent, I wouldn't know it until they are grown-ups. There may be interim warning signs, and I sincerely hope these will not go unnoticed, but what if it is too late? This business that I am in is indeed a high-risk business!
Two obvious questions come to mind:
- when is the point that we can declare that the goods are "finished" and
- what do we hope the finished product to be?
The second question brings to mind the speech given by my eldest brother during the wedding reception of his only daughter. He described his daughter (my niece) as kind and considerate, putting others before self. And how proud he and his wife were that she had turned out that way. Now that was a beautiful speech. And indeed, the "finished goods" should be the whole person, the good person, the moral person. That should be the whole point.
Often, I feel kind of envious of people with grown-up children - they are able to see the results of their labour. I hope they like what they see... because their children is a reflection of themselves.
I wonder what I will see in time to come...
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