Mad Mad Witchy Witch Witch

Today, I roped in KZ to help me bring Aricia home from school.

All becoz' of vanity!! There was a promotion for the laser thing to remove skin tags, oil clots, milia etc.... the one which they told me $10 for 一粒 before. $299 I get to do my whole face, why not? I have lots on my face. It's not painful, which beautician say I'm the only person so far who have such good pain threshold. I told her the eyebrow tattoo which I did years ago was not painful too, though the woman kept poking me alot of times coz' my skin can't absorb the colour fast. But I hate the chao-tar smell.......... told her with my fats + removing alot of my oil clots, I feel like I'm a 烧肉.

I came out looking like a leprosy woman, people looked at me.... Che-che says I look like Strawberry Shortcake.

Worst still >> S, che-che's buddy (our clashes) didn't talk to me for the first time. Today, was a rare chance for me to see her outside the gate. I smiled and wave at her, she looked at me didn't know who I was until che-che came out from the gate. She must have thought I'm a witch coz' I do look damn ugly. Hee!
Won't post any photos here coz' I prefer to scare you right infront of you. Heehee!

All because of vanity......... I want to look pwetty and be the next Mrs Singapore. Hahaha! Okay, I'm kidding about this last part coz' I can't make it lah....

The entertaining ride

I was told by KZ how much my lil' one attracted attention from strangers all the time when she's in the bus. This is the 3rd time she had to help me bring Aricia home from school, so that I can spend a longer time pampering myself, last 2 times was printing frenzy - for 6 hours straight. (I'm a bad bad mummy)

It's always that Bus Service 10 ride when she plays with all the schoolgirls. The che-ches found a new playmate in the bus, she found it fun to be entertained calling all the che-ches in the bus. And today's ride was relatively funny. The lil' girl was in a cheery mood and started singing very loudly in the bus "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", "Baa Baa Black Sheep". Everyone turned to look at that small but loud-voice girl. KZ tried means to keep that girl's volume down, ssh-ing her; coaxing her and that girl just continued singing/shouting loudly "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star". Then she decided the last resort is to tell her to keep quiet & pop in one mini-M&M. Wah.....wrong move! That was a booster!! That girl after munching it, changed her lyrics to "I dowan wan I dowan. I dowan wan I dowan.(to the tune of Baa Baa Black Sheep)" coz' she didn't want to stop singing.

When KZ alighted from that bus, the Bus Captain told her to come back again the next day coz all his passengers had free entertainment today. Oh boy! He must have meant "torture"

Scraps

Haven't done bento-ing for a really long time. Mother can't get up early!!

Tonight, I used the scraps of the madeira cake I did for che-che's tomorrow's recess. I put some Nutella for her in the HK sauce container.

Hmm.......better do something nice for her. All the stuffs are redundant in the shelves now.

think think think

I'm getting lazy and tired. In 2 months' time, mei-mei will be 3 and another 2 months' later - che-che's birthday.

I haven't done anything except to get the online purchases for mei-mei's classmates in MMI. I want to give her a party (to be fair to her) but I'm so tired. You know how I'd prefer to bao-ga-liao everything just coz' I didn't want people to earn my money and I like that personal touch. (yah yah as if the kids will know)

It's always the venue problem. Use PIL's place function room, gotta go all the way to Jurong. Then it means I also gotta leave early to do decorations and I need all the manpower to help me coz' I need to put up decorations fast. Use our place, can do decorations slowly day by day but it means our place a mess after that. Source outside, afterwards che-che sees green, then say she wants too. And all these don't come cheap!
After going to E's and V's BD party early this year, I thought it's easier to have 2 BDs in 1 party. But their BDs are one month apart, my 2 girls are 2 months apart.

Recently, che-che received a BD invite from her classmate. According to her, the whole class of 29 other girls were invited. Woah! That's alot. And then she 心癢癢 wants one for her classmates too, which I told her she's allowed to have it in school (only a cake and no favor boxes) this year. Still, it has to be celebrated in advance coz' her BD falls during the school hols.

Hmmm...................... think think think.

Overheard

I couldn't help but overheard this short conversation between a couple while watching their kids play in the playground.

Conversation goes something like this : (all the time I can hear the woman's voice. No need to explain why I can't hear the man's voice)

Woman : "We go and see new condos. (flip papers) So many new ones now."

Man : (look at papers)

Woman : " We go and find. I want those with roof terrace upstairs, then I can have plants. I only want those kind, the rests I don't like."

Man : (I'm sure he was trying to say something but I just couldn't hear.)

Woman : (she stood up and walked away)

I'm shocked and maybe the husband was shocked too?! Perhaps he was thinking there goes his plans of early retirement.

That comes to remind me that a friend in property told me about the increasing number of people struggling to pay for their condos, they can't afford condos but want to hao-lian and now ending up with lawsuits.
So the rationale is to spend only what you can afford and no need for face-saving or pride when you can't hold on to it.

There's something which I learn when I was working in my previous job. Once I had a casual chat with my lady Director, and she was telling me that she didn't have any helper at all. No car too.....I was puzzled. I mean, a lady Director and her husband probably someone of the same position or higher position - two who earn a little more than some can simply afford these 2 but didn't want them. By then I realise the importance on humble living.
a)Some choose to live extravagantly but have to give up other perks eg. holidays, purchases.
b)Some choose to live simple and get to enjoy everything.
c)Some stinge to live simple, get to enjoy everything and have the future all planned for.

I chose b) when I was working. But after I stopped working and only having hubby supporting the whole household. I have to see what he prefers, hubby prefers to save save save. - (c) Even our plans of moving to the East has to be put on hold. He gave me a budget to work which I think it's damn ridiculous. I mean he can come out with another 100K on top of his current budget it'll be easier for me to look. Mom asked why, with his salary he can simply afford one immediately. But after being his wife for 8 years and knowing him for 12 years, I know he's one who will upgrade slowly and prefers to have $$$. Let's just say my man calculates his $ carefully.So now I can't be bothered to source for anything. Stay put in my ulu- Punggol and who knows may die in here too! Unless I wait for one day I strike lottery........haha! as if I buy lottery tickets!

Which category do you fall under?

Aricia

PTM
Parent-Teacher Meeting with her teacher today.

She is no longer the "best student I have..." as commented by her previous teacher who's since left. The truth is out. She behaves the same both in school and home, sharp loud voice in the school. Hmm.......don't wish to say anymore.

The funniest thing is her chinese teacher said her chinese is good when I told her she speaks funny. On the contrary, she feels that she's the best in pronouncing her words. Huh? She's speaking as compared to her peers.

Toilet training - they can't do it either!! She refuses to pee out so will have to wait until she's ready. It's good that she's small size so we can use the M size diapers longer. Ai yoh! Why is she like that?

Principal (owner) asked me how the PTM went, I explained to her. She says it's good that she don't have different behaviours. It also shows that she has great confidence of herself and there's no pretend "what you see is what you get". But then she does understand my point if that girl continues the same behaviour in primary school.

Bang!
Aricia has this bad habit of not looking where she's going. She turns her head to see something behind and continue walking. Bang! Can't remember how many walls she walked into, she walked once into the dustbin. And another time in school, she wanted to walk into the classroom area, she didn't see where she was going and ended up in the room behind the counter. Sigh.....
that girl ah.....make me angry and make me laugh. tsk tsk

Rebellious
Okay okay I know kids have their moods too. Sometimes I'll tell her, "Aricia, 读书读书." (my way of saying I'm doing her home sessions & all the whatever activities we do with her) She'll rebel saying," I dowan 读书" then runs away. A while later she comes back and I ask her to bring her lion to 读书, she obeys. She then forces her lion to sit properly and make it seem like lion is the one 读书-ing. I don't mind as long as I have her attention.
The cute thing about her is she has to memorize LM - 50 cards in all. Depending on her mood, she recites to you nicely or she rebels. For example I have to prompt her with the full sentence of the story and she needs to tell me what the picture is, she'll just say "dowan cat", "dowan bus." etc.... when in actual fact she's already telling me the pictures are cat, bus. All 50 cards she does that. So if you think I'm long-winded, she is more long-winded than me.

Noisy/pek-chek
No joke! Hear her sharp voice and her yakking all the time, screaming all the time wears me off. Sometimes I feel like just walking out of the house to give myself that break but I can't. I'll be thinking about the works both have to do; both will need me around.
When she sleeps, the house is quiet. Thank God! But then I still have that sharp voice ringing in my ears. Am I going insane? Not used to it? Perhaps!
Even mom who comes over to stay just 1 night can say she cannot tahan the screaming, noise during meal time and the sharp voice the whole day. Ever thought of how much I've been enduring?! Every day, every hour, every minute (except when she's sleeping & when I'm washing car)
Despite her being herself (though I really wish she can tone down a little), I love her all the same. Must drink more Red Bull to gear up for the more challenging years ahead!!

Happy

Singapore Post came in the evening, he was grinning at me. Can memorize my unit number liao!

I'm so happy, my things came. Expecting another lot from Japan, some アンパンマン DVDs for the children.

Today's presents :




Athena liked this horse- designed cake from the above book. Hmm.........I don't think I can do it leh.

FW: Liquid Hand Sanitizer

Subject: FW: Liquid Hand Sanitizer

Warning for all parents/grandparents, a friend sent this to me and I thought it was important enough to send on.....we all know someone with children -

Yesterday, my youngest daughter, Halle who is just 4 years old, was rushed to the ER by her father for being severely lethargic and incoherent in her classroom.He was called to her school by the school secretary who said that she was 'VERY VERY SICK ' !

He told me that when he arrived at her classroom, Halle was barely sitting in the chair. She couldn't hold her own head up and when he looked into her eyes, she couldn't focus them.

He immediately scooped her up and rushed her to the closest ER, and then called me. When he got there, they ran blood test after blood test and did x-rays,every test imaginable. Her white blood cell count was normal, nothing was out of the ordinary. When I arrived at the ER, the doctor there told us that he had done everything that he could do so he was transferring her to Saint Francis
Hospital for further tests.

Right as we were leaving in the ambulance, her teacher arrived at the ER and told us that after questioning Halle's classmates, she had found out that our little girl had licked liquid hand sanitizer off of her hands !!

Hand sanitizer, of all things. But it makes sense. These days they have all kinds of different scents and flavours and when you have a curious child, they are going to put all kinds of things into their mouths.

When we arrived at the Saint Francis' Hospital ER, we told the ER Doctor there to check her blood alcohol level, and yes we did get weird looks, but they did it.

The results showed her blood alcohol level was 85% - six hours after we first took her. There's no telling what it would have been if we would have requested it at the first ER.

Since then, her school and a few surrounding schools have taken the liquid hand sanitizers out of all the lower grade classes, but what's to stop middle and high schoolers from ingesting this stuff?

After doing research on the Internet, we found out that it only takes about 3 squirts of the stuff ingested to be fatal to a toddler.

For her blood alcohol level to be so high, it would be like someone her size drinking 120 proof liquor. So PLEASE PLEASE don't disregard this because we don't ever want another family to go through what ours has gone through.


Please send this to everyone you know who has children or are planning to have children.

It doesn't matter what age. This could affect anyone of them

The top 5 cancer-causing food

Subject: The top 5 cancer-causing food





Live Life Without Limits!

The top five cancer-causing foods are:


1. Hot dogs

Because they are high in nitrates .the Cancer Prevention Coalition
advises that children eat no more than 12 hot dogs a month.
If you can't live without hot dogs, buy those made without sodium nitrate.


2. Processed meats and bacon
Also high in the same sodium nitrates found in hot dogs, bacon,
and other processed meats raise the risk of heart disease.
The saturated fat in bacon also contributes to cancer.




3. Doughnuts
Doughnuts are cancer-causing double trouble.
First, they are made with white flour, sugar, and hydrogenated oils, then fried at high temperatures.
Doughnuts, says Adams , may be the worst food you can possibly eat to raise your risk of cancer.




4. French fries
Like doughnuts, French fries are made with hydrogenated oils and then fried at high temperatures.
They also contain cancer- causing acryl amides which occur during the frying process.
They should be called cancer fries, not French fries, said Adams .


5. Chips, crackers, and cookies
All are usually made with white flour and sugar.
Even the ones whose labels claim to be free of trans-fats generally contain small amounts of trans-fats.



BRAIN DAMAGING HABITS


1. No Breakfast
People who do not take breakfast are going to have a lower blood sugar level.
This leads to an insufficient supply of nutrients to the brain causing brain degeneration.

2. Overeating
It causes hardening of the brain arteries, leading to a decrease in mental power.

3. Smoking
It causes multiple brain shrinkage and may lead to Alzheimer disease.

4. High Sugar consumption
Too much sugar will interrupt the absorption of proteins and nutrients
causing malnutrition and may interfere with b rain development.

5. Air Pollution
The brain is the largest oxygen consumer in our body.
Inhaling polluted air decreases the supply of oxygen to the brain,
bringing about a decrease in brain efficiency.

6. Sleep Deprivation
Sleep allows our brain to rest. Long term deprivation from sleep
will accelerate the death of brain cells.

7. Head covered while sleeping
Sleeping with the head covered increases the concentration of carbon dioxide
and decrease concentration of oxygen that may lead to brain damaging effects.

8. Working your brain during illness
Working hard or studying with sickness may lead to a decrease in effectiveness of the brain as well as damage the brain.

9. Lacking in stimulating thoughts
Thinking is the best way to train our brain,
lacking in brain stimulation thoughts may cause brain shrinkage.

10. Talking Rarely
Intellectual conversations will promote the efficiency of the brain



------------ -------- - --------- ------------ --------- --------- ------------ --------- ---------

The main causes of liver damage are:

1. Sleeping too late and waking up too late are main cause.

2. Not urinating in the morning.

3. Too much eating.

4. Skipping breakfast.

5. Consuming too much medication.

6. Consuming too much preservatives, additives, food coloring, and artificial sweetener.

7. Consuming unhealthy cooking oil.
As much as possible reduce cooking oil use when frying,
which includes even the best cooking oils like olive oil.
Do not consume fried foods when you are tired, except if the body is very fit.

8. Consuming raw (overly done) foods also add to the burden of liver.
Veggies should be eaten raw or cooked 3-5 parts.
Fried veggies should be finished in one sitting, do not store.

We should prevent this without necessarily spending more.
We just have to adopt a good daily lifestyle and eating habits.

Maintaining good eating habits and time condition are very important
for our bodies to absorb and get rid of unnecessary chemicals according to 'schedule.'

DO TAKE CARE ABOUT YOUR HEALTH

AND PASS THIS TO ALL WHOM YOU LOVE & CARE FOR

School

It's the time of the year again. Last year at this time of the year, I marched into the school grounds to register my che-che for primary school. Next step for mei-mei, it's through the school direct.

This year, a new batch of younger parents (darn! I just get older and older) gets nervous over the registration. Suffer and go through hell for first kid and then pave the way for the younger sibling/s.

A few friends are this batch of parents (but no.......some are not younger than me. Hahahaha!). Yui's confirmed in Tao Nan. Congrats!
Good luck to the rest of my friends!!

H1N1 - what's the fuss now?

I don't mean to sound cynical/insensitive over this issue. H1N1 is endemic within our communities, anyone can simply get it without stepping out of the country. Since it displays the same signs and symptoms as flu, it can be disregarded as the normal flu. Chinese will cite the sudden change of weather as one of the reason.

Suddenly I don't get paranoid over the fact that hubby might come back with the swine flu and infect the whole lot of us (of course che-che will be very happy coz' she'll be quarantined the whole week from school). I always tell him "be careful" whenever he leaves the country. These few times now, he'd look at me and say "be careful for what? Singapore also have?"

Where is the control? Honestly, not many people practice social responsibility. Take hubby for instance, he comes back from a listed country on Tuesday, goes to office on Wednesday & Thursday, flies off to another listed country on Friday. He has to work!! How to self quarantine? And everyone else have to work.

Recently, I had a scare myself. I developed flu-like symptoms. I checked against the list, wah piang eh.........if only I can strike lottery so accurately! I went to the nearest PPC thinking they are more resourceful as compared to other clinics. I was the only suay one to have fever, and so I was given a mask (the one and only) and sent out of the clinic. So depressing. Turned out that it was due to a sore throat, no need for antibiotics but there was no reason to substantiate for my runny nose. Still, I was expecting that a PPC can help to run tests alongside polyclinic. They couldn't and according to the doctor "unless you're prepared for all those traumatic experience. Ambulance, take temperatures, tests and tests and tests." Nah! I'm not prepared, the way he put it across to me scared the shit out of me. And no follow up from the clinic?? See whether I'm dead or in ICU or alive and screaming at my kids. So what's the purpose of going all the way to a PPC??

No need to fuss about anything, schools are still conducting their checks. But they won't close the whole school.

As for now, I'm only paranoid if my kids put their hands into their mouths after touching things outside. I bring a sanitizer along with me. Worst is you get the flu without any warning (eg. people sneeze or sniff, we still can avoid them).

No cause for alarm though, it's only those with underlying health conditions who will have to play extra caution.

I wish everyone good health.

Athena's school

My girl has been in the school for half a year now, seems like a really long time to me. Think think think... another 5 1/2 more years to go + Aricia's another 4 years after that. Goash! A decade!!

These 6 months can be really interesting too! I hear funny things from my girl when she tells me what happened in school etc...

Let's start with the beginning :
Around the second week of school, when PE commences. I get a "panting" girl coming into the car. Her cheeks were red, hair messy. And then she tells me "mummy today I have PE. We play. *pant pant*" - though I think her panting is not from PE.
Then the following week, the P1s start with their gym enrichment on Fridays. And the girl told me while I was driving,"wah.....mummy gym very difficult leh. Even more difficult than PE. I cannot leh..."
Me : why?
She : *shrugs shoulders*
Me : Why? Is it because you have to roll forward?
She : *nods her head*
I burst out laughing, my girl is too pui pui cannot roll. Heehee!

And after the long June hols, first day of school... she complained to me that her leg was painful after her Dance. Tuesday, she told me she couldn't do PE. She told her FT and she sat down.
What do you think the reason was? Never exercise enough lor...

Since Day 1, she has this habit of looking like she's ready for War in the mornings- she can't be bothered to neaten up her pleats (and I had to tell her until I get frustrated). And when I pick her up in the afternoons, she just came back from the battlefield. Very untidy! *slap head*
She has this funny habit of pulling up her skirt so that she'll sit on her panty and not her skirt or dress. Likewise, she does that every morning. And most of the time, I see a girl with the back pinafore shorter than the front (sometimes revealing her panty) walking through the gate.How to stop the car and shout to her to pull down her pinafore? Hmmm... I'm sure the teachers will tell her when she's inside. But imagine almost every morning she gives a free show of her pink panty to the fathers/mothers in other cars. Heehee!

Helpful
I'm so proud of my girl, she is rather helpful. When her friends' fall, she goes to help them. But a sad thing is, when she fell recently she said nobody helped her (well her reason was coz' no one was with her at that time). Nonetheless I felt really sad.. I mean my daughter leh...
I've been telling my girl to help, to be gracious. But for some favor not to be returned back, it feels awkward.

Her friends
She has countless friends. She makes friends with other children in other classes, and I feel sad when she tells me that she goes to say Hello to my classmate's daughter in another class and that girl couldn't remember her. sob sob....
However she has a really good friend in her class, that girl seems to like her and stick with her all the time. The only thing is >> that girl,S, is well-known to be the naughty girl. As a parent, I worry if mixing with her will make my girl turn naughty. But I can't be telling her not to friend her, so I tell her not to learn everything from her. I didn't know that they were that very close until the playdate when her friends were surprised that 'her buddy was not invited'. "Her buddy?!?"

S, I've been hearing the countless of naughty things she does in school. And how the FT scolds her. And there were 2 occasions when that girl gave my girl money. Once was 70 cents. The next time she gave she increased the amount to $4. Wah piang eh........how much money does that girl bring to school daily?? We must have look poor to her, that she keeps giving che-che money. Of course we returned her money back the next day.
At that time too, she kept saying that "my mother is crazy. Everyday play computer."
She also asked che-che if she can go to the same secondary school as her next time. Hmm......she loves my girl so much!! And last week, she asked che-che the same question again. Che-che didn't know how to answer her. I had to teach her to answer her diplomatically. Well, if it's meant that they're going to be good friends for life, I think it'll be great. Well.........who knows what happens years down the road? They fall out? Maybe one of them is gifted and goes to another school? Maybe things change when they're in secondary school?

Months later, I learnt that her mother is not crazy as what she claims. Her mother is not a gaming addict but a LAWYER!! Both parents are lawyers. I laughed at how the way things turn out to be. And of course I get to understand that the girl, S, is infact a very smart girl. and very eloquent. Which I can't attest to it. Coz' when I greeted her, she blinked her eyes and turned her head away from me. (our clashes) When I told this to the other parents during the playdate, they laughed at me saying that they were never treated this way. Duh!

Rubber bands
One fine day, she brought home rubber bands belonging to her classmate who loaned it to her. My childhood memories flooded back... playing zero point /ye-ye at the courtyard next to the canteen. I asked her to play, she saw how I played and said that's not what they play. They use it to play "snake" and "laundry". When she explained to me how the game is played, I found it hilarious. What kind of game is that?
I remember a classmate and I agreed that we were smarter than the kids now, we invent games coz' there weren't that many toys available then... and our parents couldn't afford them too. Now it's proven!

Anyway, I showed her how we used to play. And oh boy! I tell you I used to be able to jump across without touching the rubber band. Now I can't do it, old already cannot jump across properly. Wah piang eh.... I even got my toes in it. ?!?! LOL. Really funny! I kept laughing at myself.

And must admit I'm very old coz' the words they say when they play those clapping games sound really funny.
"Hamburger x2, ham x3
Tomato, cheese

Coconut, chess! (scissor, paper or stone)"
What's the connection between the hamburger and the coconut and chess?!?!

We used to go "ping pong, ping pong, ping ping pong. Zuo shui you shui ....."

Happiness

they don't call this happiness for nothing.

I shouldn't go T3 any more!!! It's not only Chocolat Factory, there's Candy Empire, Secret Recipe etc.... okay.........it's poor self-control.


Ah.....................happiness

This is funny!

Kiwi airline bares all for safety
AFP - Friday, July 3

WELLINGTON (AFP) - - New Zealand's national airline has come up with an imaginative way of encouraging passengers to pay attention to the pre-flight safety video -- showing cabin crew in the nude.

The Air New Zealand video for domestic flights features staff covered in body paint mimicking their uniforms, their modesty concealed by careful camera angles and strategically placed seat belts and other equipment.

"We wanted to find a way to deliver these important pre-flight messages to our domestic travellers in a way that was genuine, engaging and fun," said Air New Zealand general manager for marketing, Steve Bayliss.

The safety video follows a domestic advertising campaign using the same eye-catching stunt. Even chief executive Rob Fyfe had a brief cameo role as a baggage handler.

**Footnote : I can't imagine if SIA is going to adopt this. Nah! We're too conservative..........but then again the uniform is so ....... make men so hum sup so what's the difference right? I think suspense is still better then show it all.

Be patient

Try to give me some days break from blogging. I am in the midst of transferring my photos files to disc. My laptop's memory is almost full.

Major housekeeping needs to be done.

Aricia II

When I picked the girl up from school, Teacher A told me she was bitten by a child in her class earlier. Apparently the 2 of them were fighting for the same chair, the child resorted to biting. I didn't ask who won the fight or who eventually sat on the chair. My first question was "is she one of the child Aricia bullies?"

Just then another mother came to pick her son (from older class) up and looked at us when Teacher A and myself were talking, Teacher A simply commented "she's so bossy...(referring to my girl)" and smiled. In that situation, she was lightening up our conversation but that mother was so serious siah! She turned to look at Aricia and asked "who? she? she's bossy? So young?" then she began to scruntinize my girl. I tried to make a joke and commented "ah..... not me! I'm not like that!!" Stupid woman don't understand it's a joke and her tone sounded serious, "how old is she?" (continue to scruntinize my girl) When Teacher A replied, that idiot - I feel like slapping her - commented "so small size, 3 yrs old?" Normally I don't mind people when they comment my girl is small size but I didn't like that woman's tone...... I don't take it positively. She gives me the impression that she's a very yim-jim person.

Anyway, to the part where she is brave enough to boss the submissive ones and smart enough to keep away from the bigger size/or she thinks are fiercer than her children - I feel happy that she's able to stand for her rights. Yet on the other hand, I do not want to raise a big bully.......I do not want to be called back to the Principal's office & the fear of her being expelled from school next time.

Then again.......since she's extremely naughty, this girl is really very very smart.
1. At this age, she knows how to "lie" Eg. asks me permission to eat something, I say no. Walks outside, KZ asks her what's my answer, she says "mummy say yes". When I question her later, she looks down on the floor - guilty as charged - and gives a sheepish smile

2. She takes her diapers to wear, realised no more diapers in the drawer. I asked her "oh no! No more diapers!!" She looked at me for3 seconds and then ran to her schoolbag. She took out a diaper for me and tell me "there? I have diaper!!"

3. Maybe this is the 2nd child syndrome. She learns to 'tell tales'. Tells her teacher "Teacher you see....so and so never eat finish her lunch. I eat finish (shows her bowl).

How to tell if your preschooler is a gifted

How to tell if your preschooler is gifted

by Jill Levey

Highlights

Signs of giftedness in a preschooler
Testing your preschooler for giftedness
When giftedness is hard to diagnose

"Did you hear what he just said?" Many parents see every word their child utters or every squiggle he draws as evidence of his being gifted. Though most children aren't identified as gifted until they begin formal school, some show signs of being gifted at a very early age.

Gifted child Ben Hellerstein of Larchmont, N.Y., for instance, was actually reading nonfiction books and memorizing facts by the age of 4. His mother wishes she had realized that he was academically advanced at that time. "If I had," she says wistfully, "he could have gotten the help he needed in school earlier than he did, and his first year of school wouldn't have been so unhappy."

Signs of giftedness in a preschooler

Your 2- to 4-year-old may be gifted if he:

• Has a specific talent, such as artistic ability or an unusual facility for numbers. For example, children who draw unusually realistic pictures or who can manipulate numbers in their head may be gifted.

• Reaches developmental milestones well ahead of peers.

• Has advanced language development, such as an extensive vocabulary or the ability to speak in sentences much earlier than other children his age.

• Is relentlessly curious and never seems to stop asking questions.

• Is unusually active, though not hyperactive. While hyperactive children often have a short attention span, gifted children can concentrate on one task for long periods of time and are passionate about their interests.

• Has a vivid imagination. Gifted children often create a vast and intricate network of imaginary friends with whom they become very involved.

• Is able to memorize facts easily and can recall arcane information that he learns from television shows, movies, or books.

Other signs of giftedness may be a little harder to discern. By age 3 or 4, for example, some gifted children begin to realize that they are "different" from their peers. This can make them feel isolated and withdrawn; it may also make them likely targets for bullying.

They may begin to experience intense frustration because they can think more rapidly than they can express themselves, verbally or physically. If your child appears unusually angry or frustrated, you may want to consult a mental health professional.

Testing your preschooler for giftedness

Though you may want to know if your preschooler is gifted, most children don't need to be tested for giftedness before entering elementary school. However, consultations with a mental health professional may be appropriate if your preschooler appears to be unusually bored in school or shows any signs of emotional or social problems.

If your child is enrolled in preschool, speak to the teacher or school director to find out if the school is affiliated with any mental health professionals who specialize in working with gifted children. If your child is not in school or the school isn't being receptive to your concerns, ask your pediatrician to refer you to a child psychologist who conducts tests for giftedness. Keep in mind that that although private testing is often expensive (testing and follow-up consultation can run as high as $1,000), your insurance plan may cover the cost.

Children as young as 3 can be given IQ and ability tests, but experts believe that IQ test results obtained before the age of 5 are unstable — that is, if a child is retested, his scores can fluctuate significantly until this age. Years ago, children whose IQ scores were over 130 were considered gifted (the range for average intelligence is 85 to 115); today, however, IQ is one factor among many that need to be evaluated before a child is identified as gifted. Often parents and teachers will be asked to write their impressions of a child, and these subjective measures are considered along with test data.

When giftedness is hard to diagnose

You might be surprised to learn that a child can be both gifted and learning disabled. In most cases, the disability is recognized while giftedness goes undetected. Giftedness in children from ethnic minorities and disadvantaged backgrounds, and in those for whom English is a second language, is often overlooked as well. If your child falls into any of these categories, it's best to find a psychologist who is sensitive to these issues. It is also important to ask your child's teacher to observe him and look for talents that conventional tests cannot detect.

To find other resources for parents of gifted children, visit NAGC's Web site.

Aricia

Yesterday was her last class in R's, a bit reluctant to withdraw her out but........I need the extra time for Athena (and hopefully to be able to make up to Aricia by spending more time with her too!)

Of all days we need to be late, it has to be TODAY!! All thanks to che-che who kept delaying time. Throw a big fuss wanting to tie her hair without blowdrying her hair, already going to be late, then say want to go; dowan to go; want to go; dowan to go. Buay tahan! In the end, left without her. And mei-mei missed her favourite opening song. Duh!

The value they learnt this term is on Obedience and R cited example of her being obedient and disobedient in her baking. Let the children try both, the 'disobedient cookies' were extremely saltish. But Aricia love it. Nodded her head said it's nice, thought she's being diplomatic. After some time, I feel she's greedy instead not diplomatic. Hee!

The kids are expected to recite the whole MT today and get their rewards from the Shop. I showed Aricia a lion cup (she adores lion, remember?) and she nodded her head in approval. She waited for her turn, so obedient.
It's not really her turn yet, S hasn't turned her head to look at her and my girl stood up & started reciting loudly.. and then her voice trailed off softer and softer until I can't hear her. She knows but the words can be too mouthful for a child her age, so she mumbles in her own way shortcut to alot of names. Once everything's completed, she walks happily to take her lion cup which she was eyeing all the time & made sure nobody takes it.
Photos are here (shucks!I've used up the max quota for photos in blogger, now have to subscribe to more storage space. Duh!)





She's very pleased with herself , I'm happy too that che-che was not here coz' she'd choose what she wants. The first term she chose what she wanted, not for the mei-mei. Aricia kept holding on her cup so dearly. Back home, she ran back to show KZ her proud cup, she'll wait for daddy to return back the next day before she can show it to him. Meanwhile, she pulled her lion toy by the head and shove the face into the cup saying "see lion , lion."

And this morning, on her way out to school. She ran back to grab the cup. Haha! She kept insisting she had to bring the cup, managed to convince her not to bring in to school only after some time.

Poor thing
Last evening my lil' cried buckets. She was in tremendous pain. She didn't poo since Sunday and she had already forewarned us about her "I stomach pain, I wan to poo-poo", cry but nothing came out (and when she poos, she refuses to sit on toilet seat or potty but prefer to stand and grab hold of the wall/sofa and gives that funny expression).
Didn't realise that her stools were really so hard that she was screaming in pain. She kept asking me to wash her buttocks but didn't want to stand while I remove her diapers, hugged me for her dear life. Then refused to let me touch her buttocks, one finger touch and she screams. How to wash? I asked for KZ's help to carry her while I wash then I saw the poo sticking out (she just can't expel it out). I tried to remove it for her, she screamed in pain. Sat her in a comforting position on the basin and tried again. Screamed and oh my! her anus was expanded so big that I was so prepared to rush her out of the house and run to the clinic opposite and shove her backside to the doctor's face. Real scary!
KZ suggested putting soap inside so that her poo will slip out and the soap will be expelled out. But no way are we going to try to shove things up her ass when we're not experts. So worried it might tear.
Subsequently, she poo-ed another time. Another screaming fits (like child labour without the anesthesia) from her, tried extracting it for her and tell you that girl ah.......small but very strong. Her kick almost killed me, she didn't want me close to her at all coz' the mummy is doing all the bad things.

Managed to talk to her after that and she finally allowed me to touch her, put oil around her anus. Poor girl!

Despite all these noise, that che-che was still so sound asleep.. ZZzzzzzzzzz
Unposted photos
Crazy mother is a bad influence to the children. I put the stick on manicures for Aricia. That girl remembered how I kept asking her sister to pose for me; posed for me.

To be happy or not?

School informed us today.


29 June 2009
Dear Parent/Guardian

NO COMMON TEST (CT2) IN TERM 3, 2009

1. In line with the Primary Education Review and Implementation (PERI) Committee recommendations, the school is exploring the implementation of holistic assessment of pupils to support learning. This would enable teachers to provide more meaningful feedback to you on your child’s progress in the academic and non academic areas.

2. In the light of the above and in order to facilitate teachers’ design of appropriate assessment tools for their learners, I wish to inform you that there will be no Common Test 2 (CT2) for P1 to P5 pupils in Term 3.

3. Your child’s learning of the various subjects taught in class will be monitored using varied modes of assessments and will be carried out at the professional discretion of their teachers. The assessments which may be in small portions are aimed to help build pupils’ confidence and desire to learn and may vary from class to class.

4. Hence, in place of Common Test 2 (CT2) teachers will conduct two or three shorter class tests/assignments targeted at the ability level of the class and at the appropriate juncture of the syllabus or scheme of work. Class teachers will inform the pupils of the dates of these tests.

5. The school will continue to have its Semester 2 Assessment (SA2) exam for pupils in Term 4.

Yours faithfully,

Mrs Margaret Tan (Principal)

The week in a gizz

So the school hols is coming to an end, I can't wait for the children to be in school - to free me from their fights; screams etc.. Yet on the other hand, it means that I have to wake up early and the days that never seem to end. But yet, on the other hand, I worry about the spread of H1N1 which seems to be increasing at an alarming rate.

I didn't manage to bring the children out to the Zoo or BirdPark as promised. I managed 2 playdates all squeezed to the end of the school hols. Apart from that, it's work work work for Athena. She had her fair share of play as well.
She didn't go for the Shichida Camp coz' she's afraid. Sigh......
No Meet & Greets either coz' I didn't pay attention to the newspapers for info. Plus, no more heart attacks for the mummy.

With a new term, I hope Athena will do better in class.

With a new term, I hope Aricia don't bully her classmates. (yup! she does as what I just found out.) My lil' one was seen standing akimbo and moving her fingers about while scolding (or speaking in her high pitch voice) to her classmates. She does it when the teacher is not around, and she knows how to choose the children. Gasp! (on one hand feels that we don't have to worry much about her coz' she knows how to fight for her own rights. But yet on the other hand, she seems like a bully. Hee!)