"It's ok"

One of them overdue post.  It happened just days ago, so the details are now a little blurry.  The kids were playing at the lawn late in the afternoon.   I think I was asking them to wash something (probably their toy, or was it their feet?).  Well, they ended up wetting their clothes, what with getting a hold of the hose, more often than not, ends up in water play.  So I asked them to already stop.  Then M1 asked me, Mommy, do I still have clean clothes? [Yes.] So, it's ok!  Reassuringly. Coolly. As a side note, he sounds a lot like me whenever he says, it's ok.  And I noticed, he used that a lot with his little brother... It's ok... He's echoing me.  And that's something I'm smiling about.  
Anyway, I have to look for the article my hubby once read.  It's about helping the kids to suceed by -- getting out of their way.

Taekwondo, etc.

We will not be having swimming lessons for their PE class.  The instructor told us that both the boys have learned whatever they can learn at their age.  We'll just arrange for a session with her every other month for the maintenance of their skills.  She encouraged us to go swimming regularly (on week-ends) so the boys will not forget.

Swimming has been replaced by Taekwondo which happens every Tues, Thurs, and Sat morning & afternoon, an hour per session.  Mommy & Poppa have also joined them, so this is our version of family fitness program.  (Today was our 2nd time).  But Taekwondo is more than just for physical fitness, and self-defense, it's also for developing character, especially discipline, respect, courage, and perseverance, among others.

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Focus on virtues:  Attentiveness.
M1 get's easily distracted when he's not that keen about what I'm making him do, like going over his workbooks.  And so from today until the end of the month probably, our character training will be on attentiveness.  

* * *

Lesson learned on parenting.  Never let the children feel judged.  They'll be more open if they don't feel that they're being judged, or scrutinized.  As M1 and I were on his math practice, he was having a little confusion with the numerals 6, 8, and 9.  I asked him if he was wasn't sure about identifying one of them.  I sensed his hesitancy to tell me honestly, but when I gave him tips on how to remember, he realized that I only wanted to help.  And when I asked him if he's having the same challenge with the next numeral, he readily said 'yes', knowing that we'll be figuring out how he can remember.

Anyway, how we did it, we used rhyming words, and objects that can represent the numbers.  For 6, we played with the rhyming words six - yoyo tricks, as the yoyo can also look like number six.  For 8, "Eight! I see gate" with fingers forming binoculars which we then rotate vertically.  And, for 9, "nine, the lolipop is mine".  M1 is word smart, and visual, which probably explains why he appreciates the rhyming words coupled with our objects
.

* * *

I was flattered this morning with M2's comment.  He was showing me a sticker of that yellow mini car from Disney's Cars when I wrongly named the car (instead of Luigi, I was calling it Guido).  He was giggling at my mistake, and so I also laughed at my mistake.  Then he said, "ang cute mo Mommy" (Mommy, you're cute) with a really sweet smile.  That sure warmed my heart.

A learning on patience. (Just for laughs)

My two boys were quarreling over a toy this morning.  Grabbing the opportunity to teach Markus to wait for his turn.  Our conversation turned like this:

Mommy:  Markus, wait for your turn.  Be patient.
Markus:  Ayaw ko ng patient. (I don't like to be patient)
Mommy:  Markus, be patient.  Wait for kuya to finish playing with the toy.
Markus:  Wag lang patient.  Ayaw ko ng patient.  (Don't tell me to be patient.  I don't want to be patient)
Mommy:  Be patient...
Markus:  Mommy, hindi ako patient, doctor ako!  (Mommy, I'm not a patient, I'm a doctor!)

The Purple Submarine

Purple submarine

This wasn't Marek's first time he held a watercolor and a paintbrush, but it was his first non-abstract work (with a little help from mommy... yes, sheer talent runs in the blood).  The artwork was inspired by his little brother, Markus' singing of the Yellow Submarine (by the Beatles) chorus.  But he decided to make the underwater vessel purple since it was among his favorite colors, (next to yellow, and before brown).  After placing the finished product on the wall, he was staring at it for quite a while.  It was very nice to see him full of pride.

Precious moments

As I relaxed a bit after putting my patient to sleep, I look at the clock: it's eight o'clock. The kids must be sleeping. Except for around 2 hours before their bedtime, and onwards, I spent the entire day playing with them. When I finally had work to do at the hospital, at least they'll be sleeping by then. Or so I thought. I arrived home 3 hours past the boys' bedtime only to find Marek greeting me with an obviously excited voice, from the dark, asking why I was home already. He, apparently, was waiting for me, and according to our yaya, he claimed that he wasn't sleepy, and had wanted to call a tricycle so they can go to the hospital to see me. He wanted me to be there beside him when he falls asleep. I asked him why he was still up, I was met with a face grinning from ear to ear, eyes that are telling of what is in his heart, and two small hands holding my head, happy I'm within reach.

So maybe playschool (or toddler school) may only take an hour our two, but if an hour or two amount that much to my children, then it's only right that at their tender age, they should have all their waking moments, their learning moments in the atmosphere that is home, (or wherever mommy happens to be). Never mind that a lot of toddlers, including our friends' tots, are now being sent to these toddler schools. My kids are happy to be home, and they're advancing just fine.

(As for my job, my husband and I have found a way so we will not be tied and be slave to our jobs-- getting there is already a work in progress).

Potty training... one down!

M1 now wears briefs during daytime. He knows how to pee in the potty already. And he sure is proud about it. Every time after he pees, he beams and tells me that he peed in the potty. Then I congratulate him. I rewarded him with a small yellow car. Next up-- poo in the potty (if only he wasn't constipated most of the time). I can finally lessen our expense on diapers. =)

Reading by Demand!

M2 has developed a gusto for reading. It's the first thing that he asks in the morning, and the last thing that he asks for at night. Above anything else! Or else he'll throw a fit! Like when he woke up this noon after his nap. The moment he opened his eyes, the first thing that got out of his mouth was "Read tayo" (Let's read!). This compensates for his almost daily demand to watch "Finding Nemo" (he's not supposed to watch yet because he's not two years old... but he is such a choleric!).

Marek's 1st read word

Hooray! M1 just read his first word! We were reading his Alphabetti Book (from Progressive Phonics), and he read d-o-g. He's well on his way!
Take a look at Marek's reward. Maybe it doesn't look like much, but he sure is happy about it, and we are, too.