Draw. Write. Now.

When I was homeschooling Sophie, I did Draw.Write.Now with her almost daily. It was a fun way to do penmanship and she got to learn how to draw. Now it is Alfee's turn. Although Alfee is still in kindergarten now, he is around the same age as Sophie when she started on this. I miss teaching Sophie, honestly. It was really very fulfilling while it lasted. Nowadays, I hardly teach her. I only jump in if she can't cope with the topic, especially Maths. And usually there would be a huge meltdown that fires through her emotional brain up to her higher thinking brain before any learning can be done.

Alfee is totally different from her. He's pleasant and obliging even though he takes a bit more time and effort to grasp the concepts. Of course he also has his attention and impulse issues that make teaching him a challenge. I don't know how much longer I can hold on for the kids. My health is failing me fast and there is still so much more work to be done on them.

Alfee's Official Chapter Book

I always worry that Alfee isn't the reader like Sophie. By 4, she was reading independently. Alfee prefers to run and jump although he's starting to show more interest in books lately. In fact, he's asking me to sit and listen to him read. Today, he read me the whole book of Hey Jack! that I had borrowed from the library. Even though it was a very easy and thin book, and there were words he couldn't read on his own, I am super proud of him. Unfortunately, I couldn't stay awake long enough. I was simply too tired. I fell asleep towards the end and he didn't mind at all. 

My Parent's Love

The kids could have another loving adult to dote on them but my sister passed on in 2001. I'm sure a part of my parents died with her. Today, my dad called me in the morning and asked if I was free to go to the temple with them. Usually he doesn't ask me to accompany them, but today he sounded a little more like SOS. Of course, I was unwell and hopeful that I could rest in the morning. Of course I could not turn him down.

I went over to their place and found my mother all groggy and fragile looking. She was surprised to see me and grateful as well. Guilt-stricken, I tried to ignore my own physical discomfort and chit chatted with her. My dad told me that they had planned to visit my sister at the temple yesterday but my mother kept refusing to leave the house. He had no choice but to ask me for help. So I coaxed her to change and got all of us into a cab with 3 huge bags of offerings.

Once we reached there, my dad went on doing the usual. It was actually rather heartbreaking to see how he took out each box or bag of food and laid them neatly on the table for her late daughter. He was so organised and so meticulous. My mother used to be the one who did all these, for my late grandparents and sister, but she could no longer do that. She just sat on a bench and watched my dad do it. In my heart, I understood then how parental love is like. All my past grievance and resentment towards my parents dissipated because I know if I was the one who died, that would be what they would be doing for me. They would feed me, burn me money and clothing and asked me if I was happy and fine over there - like any parents. Unlike my late sister, I got the chance to witness how my parents love the child they have lost. I am blessed with the knowledge and revelation.

Alfee's Rhythm

For the longest time, we have Sophie 's world the whole environment designed to raised Sophie. Now we've finally found Alfee's rhythm.