That Parent-Teacher Creature

How many of you find it easy to wake up in the morning? Hands up! Not many hands are up, I believe. Waking up early is one thing most people would rather NOT be doing. Sadly, on a school day, most households (especially mums) are up and running at the break of dawn. Waking up the kids is a nightmare.  I've had my share of  having a bright light being shone into my eyes or  having the fan being switched off (I hate that one!) or  having water being splashed onto my face! I do remember, though, that the best morning wake-up call was when my mum would settle herself on the bed near my head and gently stroke my hair to wake me up.  I dare say, each home has its own wake-up routine for different days. Here's how The Fairies are woken up every morning. Show and Tell: Warm Hugs! 1. Warm Hugs This is the most common morning wake-up routine we have, since it's the one we do on School Day Mornings.  I walk into the room, swit...

We each have hobbies or skills we are trying to work at and develop during these days of lockdown. Personally, I am grateful for this time. For years I've been dreaming of being an artist. I've seen myself whip out my trusty sketchbook and pencil, and after I was done sketching, splash a lot of colour onto the page, and voila! - in seconds I have a master piece! I am still a long way off from doing that. Right now I have to work a great deal on the skill of 'patience', the skills of 'hard work and practice' and the skill of telling my brain over and over again: Instant is not always good, Creature! The Husband is, as usual, passionate about his violin; and The Fairies are busy picking up piano skills aided by The Husband with occasional two-paise inputs from this Creature. So, here's how I have been going about developing my skill so far. And if this happens to work as good advice for you, GREAT! Thing 1: Identify What Skill You Would Like to Pick...

The Brownie (7 years old): My summer holidays have started. No more studying! Yay! That Creature (i.e. this blogger) : I'm sorry. But we have never NOT studied during the summer holidays. You're going to forget how to read and write and add and subtract if you're not going to study. And then I'll be forced to ask the school to keep you back in the second grade next year. The Pixie (10 years old - always the responsible one): Yeah, Brownie! Remember that we study for an hour everyday in the summer, anyway? The Husband: Ahem! Not an hour this time. You guys have begun your holidays way too early. Technically you haven't finished school yet. So day-long studying which includes piano practice, drawing and reading a story.  (Lots of groaning and moaning.) Okay. Here's the deal. You guys want gear cycles, don't you? The Fairies (a.k.a. The Pixie and The Brownie combined): Yes! The Husband: Great! Well, you're going to have to e...

When you tie the knot there is a mixed bag of reactions, but quite often it goes like this:  "That's it! Your life is over!" When you have kids there is a mixed bag of reactions, but quite often it goes like this:  "That's it! Your life is over!" That doesn't really mark the end of the world! What is so beautiful about life is that it does not stagnate. It shifts and moves like the currents in a river. No one ever steps into the same river twice! And it is up to each individual to either roll with the tide and have smooth sailing or fight the currents and drown.  My husband and I enjoy our sons, and we ignore cryptic remarks like: "Two boys! How on earth do you manage?" "Uh oh. I'm so glad I have girls. Boys are always up to mischief." "Wait until he's two. Then you'll be standing on your head and wishing he was still one." "You think things are tough now? Wait until ...