Loud and Tough

Chloe is just the opposite of Lucas in terms of character. Chloe talks loud that the neighbours can hear her. She is not shy of trying to say the words out loud. That's why she is blah blahing all the time. She walks when she is still not very steady.
Lucas is just the opposite. He is soft spoken and gentle. He doesn't talk loud and will only say the word when he is very confident. When he is 1, he doesn't say much. He only started after he turned 2, and his words were very accurate. Less blah blahing. When he walked, he is already very steady, no falling down. That tells us their characters.

Chloe is tough. She makes her displeasure known. No doubt about that. There is no wrong or right character, or better and worse, it is just them. We always joked that next time in school, Lucas will get bully and Chloe will come to his rescue. She will tell the bullies 'Hands off my brother'. We have no doubt about that too!

Biggest and Smallest

I bought some books for Lucas, preparing for his school holidays. He was so excited, he started reading the books and doing the exercises. Then, one of the exercise is circle the biggest number (from a list of 4 numbers) and cross the smallest number (from a list of another 4 numbers). He doesn't understand the meaning of biggest and smallest number. I tried to explain by saying 'If you count from 1, the biggest number will be the number you reached last. The smallest number is the number you reached first'. He doesn't get the explanation and got most of the exercise wrong.

Later that night, I asked Dominic if he has better explanation. He said the same thing as me:( Now, we have to think harder on how to explain the concept to him. Is this the beginning of a more difficult explanations to come? If he learns new concept from me, I am very happy that I can 'educate' him. It's the parents' job and not tuition teachers' job, right?

Last Week of School

Lucas is in his last week of school with his current playschool. It is sad to have him to move to a new school, but I suppose we have to move on. He truly enjoyed himself there - the teacher, his classmates, activities that they did. I like that school too. One an a half year ago, I was desperately looking for a school for him when we moved to this current place. I took him to 2 others playschool in the neighbourhood for trial classes. He did not like them at all. I weren't that impressed either. On the second day of trial, he cried when we are at the compound and he refused to get out of the car. I did not want to force him. Then I found this current school. It was a bit far from the house. Lucas knows what he wants, very precisely. After his first day trial, I asked if he wants to come back and he nodded his head. I must said this is the best decision we made for his schooling. He enjoyed learning so much - that's a good start for young children.

Now, I hope he will enjoy his new school just as much. Or else, I'm in trouble.

I tried to prep him about his last week of school - he won't see his teacher and classmates. Instead, he will have a new teacher and friends.

Me: Lucas, this week is your last week of school in PJ. Then you will have holidays and T starts on Sept 1.
Lucas: Why can't I stay at PJ?
Me: You are too big to go to PJ. You have to go to big boys school.
Lucas: But Y (his classmate) is 6 years old and she is still in PJ. S (his other classmate) is 5 and he is still in PJ. I am only three and three quarter.
Me: Urg.....

Dominic said I should just tell him it is too far to drive him there. Knowing him, he will answer 'But you drive me to school everyday. Why not tomorrow?'. How to out talk him? I know these because we had this kind of conversation earlier.

Before leaving for school,
Me: Lucas, wear your own school shoes. (I always wear for him and decided that he needs to do it himself. I knew he knows how to wear his shoes and socks because he did it in school)
Lucas: You wear for me.
Me: No, do it yourself.
Lucas: You wear for me everyday, why not today?
Me: Urg...

Going to the toilet. I always take him to the toilet and again decided he needs to do it himself and he knows how to do it.
Lucas: Mommy, I want to go pee.
Me: Go on your own, you know how to do it.
Lucas: But you do it for me all the time.
Me: I have changed my mind. I am not doing for you from now on. You have to do it yourself (sounds like I am smarter now, isn't it?)
Lucas: You are not allowed to change your mind!