How Can I Tell Her About It???

A few days ago, I received a phone call while working. It's from our kindergarten teacher.

I held my breath as she announced the audition result through phone. Our daughter was not selected. :(

At the same moment, images of her eyes shining while practicing flashed through. You see... our little girl loves to perform. She wanted this part. She knew the text by heart, has been practicing even without me.

Afterwards, I dialed my hubby. Wailing over the phone, I lamented to him... Oh no... how can I tell her? I told him that part of me was upset too... How can they not wanting my baby??? My ultra-reasonable other half reminded me that we're dealing with other parents' 'babies' too, here.

In the evening, upon reaching home, hubby quickly asked me, "How? Have you told her?". With a shrug I shook my head.

I waited for THE perfect moment, and soon it was bedtime. Inside my heart... there's a tiny but brilliant idea, a wish that perhaps, she'll even forget about it. In that way, perhaps, I won't need to let her down.

However, again, my great voice of reason throw another scenario... How if she heard it from her friends... That'll be even more fatal.

So I put her in my lap, and told her that her teacher called me. Immediately she stiffened. Not dilly-dallying, I told her that they've selected the other kid. As expected, tears welled up. As I hugged her and rubbed her back, I mouthed to hubby, "You see... you see...?"

We sooth her that it's not because she's bad... Simply because the other kid is better than her. It's okay to fail, because at least she has tried, gave it her best shot. And finally, she brightened up a tad hearing that there'll be plenty opportunity in primary school.

Drifting off to sleep, I smiled at the thought. Today, my daughter has learned to fail. Quite gracefully, I'd like to think. A vital life lesson well learned.

As for me, I learned that there will be no perfect moment to deliver upsetting news. It simply has to be done.

[Through the eyes of a child] Smile to the world and the world smiles back at you

From times to times, my six year old daughter can be one grumpy girl. Not a proud thing to confess, but she is.

And she's also been blessed by the power of speech. More or less, the gift enables a certain feature which talk back, reversing logic, remembering all past ruling I've made... To put it simply, sometimes I do beg her to stop *shamefaced* Am at her mercy. (I think most humanly mother will, because this situation is normally coupled with the other kid demanding attention, and the phone rings, or the water spills... Mother knows best).


What I observe, and I told her too, is that normally if she's calm and happy, things flow smoothly for her.

Quantitative proof comes in forms of abacus homework. (Abacus is a form of calculation method using series of beads, and the homework is not for the faint hearted. Simply tons of it) Whenever she does the problems in foul mood, there will be tons of mistakes.

I think for a kid, this is a good visual proof. So our little lawyer does agree with me on my above theory.

Then recently she told me that she forced her friend to smile. (Things that they tell you after works are still fascinating at this stage)
Me : Why?
Her : Because when we smile, other people will smile back to us!

After some probing, turns out that she observed a passing lady smiled a lot, bless her, and many people smiled back at the lady.

So there you go... smile... expect the best from life and from the world... and they will smile back right at you. :)

Daddy's Wisdom : Function of Stools in the Women's Shoe Section

On Sunday, we went shopping at Orchard area.

My daughter and I were looking at shoes in the women's area (she's my personal shopper).

Then, I saw both Daddy and son slouching on the stool near the wall. Both wearing the same bored, blank, expression (the kind of 'switched-off' peacefully face). The resemblance in the look was uncanny.

Of course, I burst out laughing.

Then, dear hubby proudly explained, 'I have explained to him. This is what boys do when girls look at shoes'.

Thank you very much. :)