Touch of Warmth & Tenderness

Everyone knows how Sophie and I struggle with piano since she was 3 1/2 years old. We started with Yamaha music programme even earlier and Kindermusic when she was a toddler. We tried for years but she just couldn't, wouldn't progress. It's especially painful when I see how other kids learn their instrument slowly but steadily and there are so many adults we know who can play their instrument well. Yet nobody can help Sophie. Unlike CK, I wanted to give up on her too many times. He said to me that those kids out there who can't play the piano, they probably tried and gave up. Those who are playing piano are those who persisted… whose parents haven't given up. Then he quoted me as an example. He said I didn't even try learning piano or any instrument because my dad didn't believe… no, because he believed I would give up halfway. Ck doesn't want Sophie or Alfee to live with the same kind of regret that I have. I almost cried. 

Thus, I started asking around for recommendations for a piano teacher again. This time, I asked the mummy chat group from Sophie's school. These are some PRC mummies from the Parent Support Group. I was apprehensive at first because we hardly have much in common and I'm so insanely uncomfortable socialising with people. But my neighbour asked me to join so I did out of courtesy. Only one person responded but she was helpful. I couldn't use her advice much but I guess I still appreciate her effort in advising. 

I was about to let the matter pass and move on in my search for a piano teacher. Then my neighbour called me. She started telling me about her son's piano teacher and that she had asked her to teach Sophie on my behalf. I was so grateful and touched by her gesture. And we barely know each other. If this arrangement works out, I'll be forever grateful. I am impressed that she thinks so little of our usual Singaporean kind of competitiveness. She doesn't keep her information a secret to have a competitive edge over us. In fact, their family neither hide the boy's talent from us nor boast about it. He's a year younger than Sophie but he's as good as Grade 5 in piano. She even told me to let the kids learn together and keep each other motivated. In a way, she showed me that the true spirit of "winning" is to compete based on one's real ability and how you strive with any given condition. Of course Sophie isn't much of a competitor either.

This incident taught me that if I need a hand, I must extend my arm towards other so that it's easier for others to reach out to me. And I'm right to do what I do and offer others help and impart my skills to others for free. Although there are many who has since surpassed me in skills and knowledge, I am glad I have been part of their process and I'm given motivation to keep improving myself.

Daily Conversations

In bed...
Alfee: (put his hand on my tummy) When are you going to have another baby?
Me: ... don't have already...
Alfee: ... no more? Oh u have to get married again to have a baby, right?
Me: ... er...
Alfee: ... but u cannot marry anymore...

Audiobooks & Headphones

We tried to play some audiobooks by Jim Weiss and Alfee wouldn't sit still to listen. He wasn't keen at all, only Sophie sat through the stories. Alfee would run, jump and play with toys instead. He didn't hear a word. And I always thought he's a auditory learner. Even though he's got excellent hearing, he tends to filter out anything that he's not concerned about. Or maybe he hears everything so it's very hard for him to filter out irrelevant information.

Frustrated and disappointed, I went to Popular and bought a headphone. I let Alfee sat and listen to the stories using it. True enough, he sat still. He's still not interested in the story but we managed to sit through a 7 min story. He was able to capture the title and some details. He's forced to stay on the stool because of the cords, I suppose. And environmental noises (distractions) was minimal, that helped. Meanwhile, he needs some help to improve his working memory so that he can visualise the stories better and stay motivated to sit through each story. For now, I'm glad the headphone strategy is working.

The Loy Kids

Time flies when you are busy trying to micromanage kids and put a household in order. Even though I'm still struggling, I kind of got used to this sort of lifestyle. In a way, my life would never come to a stable equilibrium. The only certainty is 'change' and we just have to adapt and move accordingly. 

 

Sophie is still emotionally jammed and Alfee is starting to show more and more of his ADHD traits. I'm more concerned with Alfee's issue because is too obvious and he's bound to get into trouble in primary school. Apparently our attempt to provide him with a more suitable sensory diet didn't yield as much as we have hoped. 

Our last hope (for now) is Brain Gym. We need to rewire their brains so that they can function properly. Together with strategies to manage their behaviours and diet control, perhaps we might have some luck in improving their lives. 

All About LCK

CK plays at All About Eve on alternate Mondays but this is probably the only picture of him on a well lit stage. Although he always says he's not good, I'm still very proud of him when I'm his audience.

D & D (Drumstruck and Domani)

Lessons at Drumstruck resume on the 4th day of the lunar new year.

Sophie requested (or demanded) for lunch at Domani (Ngee Ann City). The food is average and I find it a little costly to dine there. Fortunately, CK has some coupons that cut down our dining expenses.

CNY 2015 Reunion Dinner 1 (Loy Family)

This year, we had our reunion dinner at Jumbo (Dempsey) a couple of days ahead. We thought it would be less stressful for the kids who still had to be in school on the eve of CNY. To our pleasant surprise, it is also much cheaper. Because it was a Sunday, we were all able to turn up on time. In fact, we were too early to even enter the restaurant so we lingered around for some photo shots. 

We are so glad the kids have cousins. We are all from small nucleus families so the kids don's really have many cousins to interact and play with. And undeniably, 'lo hei' was much more fun with kids around to toss all the food everywhere. 

It has become very apparent that all of us are ageing fast and furious. My wrinkles and fats are showing, my energy level is lower and it really doesn't help that I am still trying to recover from a nasty flu episode. I call it an episode because nowadays, i take forever to recover.

 

I love selfless and wefies. We look much better when we can see how we look in a photo BEFORE taking them. Of course the angle also hides our imperfections well. 

CNY is a good opportunity for family portraits. At least we were all nicely dressed up and the mood was great. Everyone looked wonderful.

CK likes to talk about the 'thick and thin's that Ah Boh went through every weekends with Sophie and Nae Nae when Sophie was just a toddler. Because of that, they are very bonded. In fact, Ah Boh has much more shared memories with Sophie than with Alfee. The little Missy isn't well and she could hardly open her eyes over dinner. Why do we have to fall sick during CNY? 

 

We were photobombed by Alfee. He's such a cheeky boy. And sometimes I wish he was more of a silent and serious type instead. Looking at CK and me, I very much doubt he would ever be solemn. 

Dinner was great though the food wasn't super fantastic. The wonderful companions compensated for all the shortcomings of the food. Happy Lunar New Year, everyone!