I'MM having Fun!

It has been 2 weekends since we had not been to IMM. Yup, 2 weeks is a long time to us considering the fact that we are super regulars of this shopping mall.

I encouraged Jaimie to go to the wet playground today as I had brought extra clothing along. She was a little embarassed to go topless but she was ok after I pointed out to her that there were many other babies in the playground running around in their diapers only. Heh heh heh... anyway, Jaimie is 3 years old already and this is about the last time I can allow her to go topless in public... must take pictures!! but I forgot my camera so I'll just make do with the one in my handphone.

Jaimie had so much fun that she refused to get off the playground. Instead, she sprawled on the floor and 赖死 when I told her it's time to go.

It has been quite some time since she played at the wet playground... maybe it's time to call for another gathering at the IMM wet playground with the usual gang?!

Bento #81

Making bento is still the best way to destress... so I am waking up at 5.15am again to make bentos although I am having a flu! Anyway, it is ok because I will be seeing the doctor tomorrow...

I bought some mini egg tarts and realised that they look really cute and lovely in a bento. In my head I was picturing a "sunrise in the garden" with the food. Unfortunately, as usual, I did not scucceed due to my poor art and craft skills. Hence I just arranged them in properly in the box before the crust of the egg tart broke into crumbs.

The fried fish was bought from my school canteen. Every Wednesday is the much awaited "fried food day" in all schools. I bought the yummy fried fish at 80cents each and this morning I just needed to put in the oven toaster to heat it up and make it crispy again. I fried some green, red and yellow pepper with mushrooms and lots of garlic. Sushi rice makes the bento tastes better.

Clement's comment was that this was a crunchy, pretty and yummy bento. Hmmm. I think so too!! :)

Bento #80

I woke up at 5.30am to make bento again! But I guess this is the only one this week. It's bread roll with bacon roll with golden mushroom with veggis.

And then the usual broccoli, honey tomatoes and strawberries.

I just spread some nutella on the bread for breakfast while saving the bacon and golden mushroom rolls for lunch. As I am in a scavenger mood, even the rice was taken from my mom's rice cooker last evening.

Scavenger Hunt

In case you are wondering, I am still bringing lunch to work everyday but now I have reduced from bento making to scavenger hunting.

You see, April - Sept are the busiest time in school. Honestly I couldn't find the energy to wake up everyday at 5am to make bentos during this period. So I am either making something really simple like cold noodles or I wipe off whatever that was left on the dining tables of my mother/ mother-in-law, depending on which day. I just need to heat up the food by microwaving them for 5mins. It was so convenient, the extra hour of sleep is so tempting, and I grew to be lazy! Another reason is I didn't have new bento ideas. I had repeated the bento ideas a zillion times already.

I sure hope I will be able to find the energy to make nicer bentos again, soon!!

Say Cheese!!

Most of us would have stood inside one of those Japanese photo machines before and had our portraits taken. It was very popular about 10 years back and it was one of the fun things Clement and I used to do. Yes, we would make faces in front of the machine and get the thrill of seeing them in prints. We used to have a collection of our photos but I can't remember where I have put them when we moved house.

This is the first one we took with Jaimie. She was very uncooperative. We needed some time to choose the frame, select the background, decide whether there should be wind or not blowing at our hair etc. Jaimie ran in and out of the neoprint machine and thought that seeing those aunties spending a dollar after a dollar trying to push some mentos out from the moving trays was far more interesting

In the end, we managed to take some photos in a haste. It's fun. We should do it again.

Sound of Music | Central Station Antwerp (Belgium)

My friend linked this video in facebook. I am truly amazed!!! and I wonder if Singapore can ever have such performances!!!

A Good Friday

A public holiday that falls on Friday is GOOD. A day spent with family is GOOD. A day spent with friends is GOOD. A day whereby our daughter has a lot of fun is GOOD.

On Good Friday, we went to West Coast Park in the morning for breakfast and then to the playground to have some bubble fun at the playground.
Jaimie enjoyed busking with the artist.

She had more bubble fun when we reached home.

In the evening, we met up with Clement's best friend, Nic and his family at Square 2 for a simple dinner and tea. The daddies had a good chat, the mommies had a good chat, the children had fun playing together.

This was a GOOD Friday. Many good things happened to us. Some dreams are being put into action, some good opportunities are being presented to us. Some good efforts are made, some good moments are shared.

In all things, I give thanks.

Beautifully Imperfect

We are all imperfect... but love makes us beautiful in imperfection ...

Happy 3rd Birthday

It's Jaimie's 3rd birthday today!! The celebration was a simple family affair. First we had dinner together yesterday for the family members. Because Jaimie is into Disney characters now, she requested to have a Mickey Mouse cake. Her yeye bought her this one from Bengawan Solo.

Both Clement and I could not take leave from work today. My mom helped me to collect the cake from Bengawan Solo (again!) to bring to Jaimie's childcare centre so that the children can have a little celebration with her.

Jaimie with her por-por and classmates.

Jaimie with the school principle, Mdm Aw, who dotes on little children very much.

Jaimie with Yang Laoshi and Mrs Sim, her N1 class teachers.

In the evening after dinner, we went over to Swensens for the free birthday ice cream. Jaimie was only interested in the cherries and strawberry ice cream. In the end, I was the happiest person because I got to eat most of the ice cream! Muhahahaha~~

Happy Birthday, my little princess. Mommy and Daddy love you very, very much.

Bento #79

Frying Udon is really quite easy and delicious. Since (1) YH missed my bento #78 and I have left over ingredients, I made fried udon again today. Replacing the chicken balls is minced chicken.

Bento #78

The bentos today are simple are delicious! Fried udon with green and red pepper, mushroom in oyster sauce. Side dish is tomotoes and chicken balls. Fruit of the day is kiwi. And you end off with a toblerone chocolate bar. This is what you have missed, YH. :) Anyway, I am terribly paranoid about headaches now. Hope you recover soon and it's nothing serious.

Gone Fishing!

I read about Meekfreek bringing Izzy to Kids Kampong last weekend for longkang fishing and I thought it was fun! Then, I received Joyce's sms and she invited us to join her and Meekfreek to Bottle Tree Park for longkang fishing on Saturday. Of course I said YES! I told Jaimie about the weekend plan a few days ago and she was looking very much forward to it. In fact, she was into "fishing" lately. She would sit on the sofa and dangle a string to the floor, claiming that she was fishing.

When we reached the Bottle Tree Park, she wanted to jump into the longkang immediately but we held her back and asked her to wait for her friends to arrive. She was really, really excited about the longkang fishing. While waiting for Cherrlyn and Izzy to arrive, she admired people's catch.
Finally, she went into the longkang. She was so happy to catch the first fish. Wait, I think it's Clement who caught the fish. Nevermind.

Well, actually it was Clement who caught all the fish because it wasn't easy to catch the very "street wise" longkang fishes! They knew how to hide from the fishermen! Jaimie was just following behind Clement's backside most of the time.

Same for Chai San, he was the hero who caught all the fishes for Cherrlyn.

Here comes Izzy. She was reluctant to join in at first...

but later Jeff needed to take some time to convince her to get out of the longkang. So did the rest of us. The kids (and their daddies) had such a great time playing in the longkang!

After an hour of water fun, we had dinner together at the restaurant. The food was yummy yummy yummy! Thank you, Jeff and Meekfreek, for the generous treat!

After dinner, we took a walk around the park...

with our pets.

The girls had fun running, jumping and taking pictures...

...while the mommies had a great time chit chatting.

The children had some more fun at the playground before the sun set.

We had such a fun filled afternoon! Jaimie said she wanted to go fishing again. Yes, we'll definitely do this again!

Bento #77

Last night I told Clement I would not want to wake up early to make bento the next day because I was very, very tired. I needed that extra 45mins of sleep. I was not going to care about the unfinished food in the fridge.

However, this morning at 4am, the princess who had gone diaperless for almost a year had a little accident. She wet herself a little before she woke up and told me she wanted to go to the toilet. After cleaning her up and changed her pyjamas, I looked at the clock -- 4am.

Oh well. Since my mom gave me some yummy fried carrots yesterday, I shall just cook some brown rice to go along with it. Aiyah, there's a little broccoli left. Ok, I shall slice them up and blanch them. Hmmm... some seaweed chicken will taste good, throw a few in the oven lah. Ohhh.. so many tomatoes and zucchini left, huh. Pack them in the box, don't waste food.

What? I made my bento #77 at 4am?


Excellent. Let me go back to bed now.

I Hate Thursdays

Some of my friends know I freaking hate my Thursdays because of my extremely hectic timetable for this day.

5.5hours of lessons is stretching my physical endurance to its limits. Most of the time, because of lessons progress, it is impossible to plan for some classes to do work during class time. In other words, I have to stand for 5.5hours in front of a class of 20-30 students, use my strength to project my voice for 5.5hours, concentrate very hard for 5.5hours... it is entirely different from sitting behind your working desk for 5.5hours.

Like today, I ended my day with a bad ache at the back of my neck which stretched down to my entire back. My throat felt a little sore. I am having this lightheaded sensation that if I turn my body too fast, I might lose my balance. Needless to say, I am not in a good mood either due to the physical and mental tiredness.

Well, I don't blame the timetabling committee for such timetables because they have many, many, many constraints to look into. And I am not saying I am the most pathetic soul because there are many people who worked really hard too. I am just letting off steam here.

Bento #76

The simpliest and plainest bento I have ever made. I am even a little hesitant to call it a bento. However, it was the yummiest! Yam cake was a special homemade one given by a lovely colleague. I can assure you that this homemade yam cake was THE BEST OF THE BEST I have ever tasted. siew mai was frozen ones which I just had to steam it. The siew mai tasted good although they were frozen food.

Not so healthy but I will make it up with a ham and cheese sandwich with loads of veggis for lunch. The sandwich was stuffed inside a plastic bag, so NO PHOTOS, PLEASE.

Getting Excited!

Finally, after a long wait, Jaimie got her place in the Shichida class in Toa Payoh Hub. She'll be starting her lessons in 2 weeks' time. I am so excited because...

(1) the place that sells absolutely the best kaya toast, Yat Kun is available at TPH.

(2) there are 2 stalls which sell absolutely tasty roast pork.

(3) there is a bubble tea shop which sells expensive but absolutely the best bubble tea I have ever drank.

(4) I can walk over to Fortunate Restaurant for an absolutely sinful dim sum breakfast.

(5) I am absolutely spoilt for choice when it comes to choice of food in TPH.

...and I am absolutely excited for all the wrong reasons.

Bento #75

A yucky day which consists of (1) a headache from the flu (2) policies which I do not agree (3) students not handing up their homework on time.

A happy day which consists of (1) a yummy yam cake from a colleague whom I respect and love a lot (2) fish crackers from Taiwan -- Happy Pig is so generous to share half of what she has with me! (3) happy moments with Jaimie and Clement.

Bento #74

I was in a super sianz mood yesterday. When PMS meets eve of school reopening, you get a FIERY MONSTER. Sigh. After so many years in the work force, I just couldn't escape from the curse of the pre-school-reopening syndrome.

The "sianz" feeling spilled over to today. The only time I didn't feel sian was when I was making the bentos and when my last lesson for the day ended.

Anyway, the terriyaki chicken was overcooked and it became very tough, sianz...

The hard boiled eggs were too small for the mould and it didn't turn out very nicely,sianz...

80% of my students had never heard of Sun Yet Sen, or Sun Zhongshan, or 孙中山... sianz.

I am about to catch a flu. I am having a runny nose for the whole day, sianz.....!!!!!

Hungry Frogs

Last evening we went to Jurong Point (again) to catch the Thomas Tank Engine show. After that, we went to Kiddy Palace (again) to wild away some time.

Since the Fishing game I bought for Jaimie didn't turn out quite well as a family game, I wanted to buy another game. While walking around the store, I suddenly thought of "Hungry Hippo". It would be a simple and perfect game for us! Clement couldn't find any "Hungry Hippo" but he found "Hungry Frogs" instead. Ok lah, "boh Hippo Frog mah ho". More importantly, the none originals were much cheaper.

给孩子的礼物

语言和文化是一对双胞胎。种族和文化是光和影子。我认为这是真理，不是假像。以我浅薄的学识，我不知道世界上有哪个语言灭亡了，但是文化还是存在的。语言一旦灭亡，种族，文化就奄奄一息了。不管是西方历史还是中国历史，被侵占了的国家，首先要消灭的，就是战败国的语言。

许多移民社会都排外。在那里，许多移民的文化根源狠狠，狠狠地被大环境剪断了。我们很幸运的，是新加坡是少数一个移民社会融入群体的社会的同时，提倡保留自己的文化。所以，我完全不理解那是什么“选择”与“自由”的问题。因为，如果你的根没有被大环境掐断，学习自己的母语不是天经地义的事吗？

“根”的概念，不是每个人都有，也不是每个人都觉得重要。这是个人的自由与选择。它不是个人生死存亡的问题。

无论是什么语言的使用者的父母，我觉得父母能给孩子最大的礼物，就是鼓励他们学习自己的母语。无需在一旁加油添醋，煽风点火，说华文难学，说我们的政府没有给我们自由。不是每个人都有语言天分，这是毋庸置疑的。但是实在没有必要因为这样就做逃兵。

我有土生华人的朋友，从小家里没讲过一句中文，他上小学的时候甚至连自己的中文名字都不会写，连他的父母也不知道自己的孩子的名字怎么写。他唯一的语言，就是英文。现在，他做了父亲。他跟着孩子一起学华文，听中文歌曲，在自己的能力之内用中文和孩子简单对话。我很敬佩他。

我有朋友，明明就是中文比英文强很多，却偏偏选择用支离破碎的英语和孩子沟通。我很不屑。

我有很多朋友，夫妻俩明明就是用中文沟通的。可是不知为何，一转身面对孩子，就转口用英文。我很不解。

就如婚姻需要经营，语言的学习也要经营。婚姻要幸福，需要刻意，不是理所当然的。要掌握好一个语言，也是要下苦功的。

要不要改变自己的家庭用语，因人而异。我同意资政的话，因为我看到了家中三岁的小朋友已经开始被大环境同化了。她的语言学习能力相当强，所以我们认为她在外面一直在吸收英文的养分的同时，我们家庭应该尽量补足她的母语的养分。在她更小的时候，因为要给她一个平台学习英文，所以我们两夫妻一人负责一种语言。现在，我们看到了她在英文这个平台上显示出有能力站稳，在幼儿园的学习一点问题也没有，我们就要把精力转移到另外一个平台上了。作为父母的，我们只能够为孩子建立许多平台，他日后能不能展翅高飞，主要还是看孩子自己的资质和兴趣。

我们有经济能力的，都会送孩子学音乐学舞蹈学绘画。我们不是要他们成为音乐家舞蹈家或画家。我们只是要建立平台，让他们有机会接触艺术，如果将来他们有兴趣，他们才可以进一步学习与发展。如果父母可以做到这样，那么，为什么有语言能力的就不能制造学习华文的环境呢？制造一个学习母语的环境，竟然变成值得争论的事。

当然，我觉得我们不需要因为资政的一席话而马上做出改变。但是我觉得资政的话提供了一个让我们好好思考的空间，如有必要，再做出适当的调整。对我们家庭而言，资政的话是当头棒喝，提醒了我们一个事实。对于一个心力交瘁的华文教育工作者，资政的这番言论，对我来说是莫大的鼓舞。

我们给我们的孩子的礼物，就是让她从小有运用与学习母语的机会。她将来爱不爱自己的母族文化是她自己的事。但是，我们能够做到的，就是不剥夺她的机会。

再谈 学习华语

(It might be too long to write as comments to reply to the previous post, so I am writing as a new post instead)

三十年前，政府推广讲华语运动的目的，是为了“少说方言”。我一点也不同意把方言连根拔起，可是我同意大家应该有一个共同的语言。当年福建人和广东人水火不容而导致社会的动荡和无为的流血事件，所以我觉得大家都讲华语是必要的。

随着经济的起飞，我们与西方国家有紧密的贸易关系，英语成了一个非常重要的工作语言。我们这一代的父母，许多都因为不懂得英语而被时代边缘化。空有满腹墨水而无用武之地的他们，一辈子郁郁不得志。因此，为了不让下一代重蹈覆辙，他们铁了心，不管自己的英语有多么破烂，他们都要让孩子学英语，讲英语。这中间，或许还有一点点弥补自己的自尊心的成分在内。

做惯了奴隶，都忘了自己是自己的主人。现在，我们的下一代竟然问：“我为什么要学华语？”对不起，他们是说:" Why must I learn Chinese?"更让人感到可悲的，是他们还引以为傲地说:"I don't know how to speak Mandarin."我眼中的他们，是一群手脚铐上铁链，脖子架着一个枷锁的奴役，自豪地说：“我为什么要自由？”当然，这是他们的自由。林肯总统要解放黑奴，黑奴也可以指责林肯说，你为什么硬要给我锁匙强迫我打开我的脚镣？

二三十年前的大环境，与现在完全不同。当年我们的大环境并不是英语普及的一个社会，加上没有家庭环境，我们学起来很艰苦。现在，英语已经是强势语言，你想去拒绝它都办不到。如果在家中，家长还不保留学习华语的环境，那么我们怎么能把责任推到“华语”的身上去而不做自我的反省？

我不是在主张每个人都必须在家里讲华语。我的最基本原则，是你必须跟你的孩子说标准的语言，无论那个是什么语言。“标准”或者太苛刻了。但是至少是把语言的污染减到最低的那个语言。其次，就算你自己不会说华语，你能够做到的，就是鼓励孩子喜欢这个语言，或者陪他们一起学习这个语言。言教不如身教，没有什么比爸爸妈妈的榜样更有力量了。

时代已经不同了。如果硬要把经济价值和语言学习挂钩的话，那么，当年我们的劣势将会是我们孩子的优势。

不要剥夺孩子学习自己母语的机会。孩子对那个语言有什么看法，有一半的责任是父母怎么灌输他们对这个语言的认识。

身为一个华文老师，我不要求你在家里一定要跟孩子讲华语。我只希望你多给他接触华文的机会，多给他对华文的热情。至少，你要做到不要让孩子抗拒这个语言，你才对得起他。



Kimberly：
你要记得，你的名字是你学习时的最好提醒。在能够自由自在地在钢琴上弹奏出如诗的曲子前，你必须刻苦地学好你的基本功。你的中小学老师在帮你打好基础。模仿，背记是打基础的一部分。在你有了一定的功力之后，你才能融会贯通，展翅高飞。所以，你要好好谢谢你的中小学的华语老师。没有他们，你也没有办法在高中的时候更加愉快地学习更多的华语知识。