School Starts

Today is the start of the school new academic year. Chloe is in Year 1 and Lucas is in Year 3. Things are easy today because classes start at 10am. The teachers were giving orientation to the new students.
Tomorrow, it will be 7.40am. Early morning for all of us now.

Lucas is in Year 3 and is considered independent enough to buy his own food from the canteen. In the last 4 years, the parents paid for the meal plan and the kids got fed for breakfast and dinner. No fuss on what food to pack or how much the kids should take to school. So, yesterday, we had to strategize what to do with his meals. We tried to find a hidden pocket inside his school bag so that he can keep some emergency cash. In case he lose his wallet, he still have some cash stashed. Then we talked about when he wants to bring food and when he wants to buy from the canteen. The school has cash card system. Parents can buy pre-loaded value card and the kids just swipe it in the canteen. Cashless. We thought he should handle cash so that he knows how much he spent and the value of the food he buys. Today, I packed him cheese sandwich and gave him RM10 (US$3.30). I told him he can only buy 100 plus once a week, french fries once a week. He can't buy those food everyday. When he came back from school, he said he can't find the cheese sandwich in his school bag (??). So he bought a sandwich from the canteen and a packet of juice. He said he waited 20 mins for pay for his food and spent RM5.50. We told him he can keep the change in his piggy bank and that would be his savings. Tomorrow, I will pack him some fish ball and rice and will give him RM4. I do not want him to buy packet drinks or soft drink everyday. Such are the extra work I have to do - think of what to pack for him for his meal. If he has his way, he will buy french fries and 100 plus everyday.
Then I asked what did you do in school today? He said he spent 4 hours unpacking his stuff to the locker and drawers. On the first day of school, the kids bring ALL the books and stationary. All these will be left in the classroom and never brought home until the last day of school. The only book the children bring home is the planner i.e. the communication between the teachers and parents, and homework in folder.

Chloe is in Year 1. It is a 'big' building and the kids are no longer be cuddly molly by the teachers. My only reservation is the toilet is outside the classroom. In early years, the toilet is inside the classroom and the teachers can keep an eye on them all the time. She said she went to the toilet once today and she forgot to tuck her shirt in. Other than the toilet, I have no reservation. They are escorted everywhere by the teacher - to canteen, to library, to computer room, to PE, to pick-up points. When I asked her what did she do today, she said she was putting all her stationary in the cubby hole. Oh..she said all the children had to go to the auditorium and was welcome by the principal.

At the end of every year, the teacher asked them to write 5 friends whom they would like to be together for next year. This girl is the one of the 5 names Chloe chose.

In Year 1, Lucas chose these 3 friends of his to be with him but none was selected. Skip a year. these 4 good friends are together in Year 3. Lucas is very happy.

Waiting for 10am and had a snack in the canteen. I showed Lucas how to buy food just to make sure he knows what to do. Actually, it was unnecessary worry. The teacher queued with them and guide them when buying food.

It is all right

A joke Lucas told me - what would you say if you have your left leg and your left arm cut off? .
The answer is ÏT IS ALL RIGHT.


He is getting sharp at picking up jokes.

Reverse Psychology

One day, in the car during a journey to somewhere, Lucas started this conversation


Lucas: Mom, I have a method to get all the things I ask for from you.
Me: Hmmm...
Lucas: I won't tell you the method.
ME: OK.
Lucas: Do you want to know ? (he is getting impatient).
Dom: Lucas, if you tell Mom, then Mom will know.
Lucas: (can't hold any longer) It is reverse psychology.
Me: Ah...where did you find this?
Lucas: Dairy of Wimpy Kid
Me: What did it say?
Lucas: It says if I tell you I do not want something, I will get it.
Me: You can try and see if you will get it.
Dom: Lucas, you can play iPad the whole day. (laughed).
Me: Yeah, right. You will not get it either way I said it.


When we get home, he showed me the few pages on reverse psychology. It was quite funny. It has a few scenarios and at the end, it says "Your mom has been using reverse psychology on you all your life and you don't even know it'.


Funny and true indeed!

Graduation and Holidays Pictures

Here are some pictures on their graduation and our a day trip holiday to Frasers Hill.
My Dell notebook can't upload pictures after I've done some cleaning. The notebook was so sluggish that is takes forever to boot up and change screen. I have to copy the pictures to USB thumb drive and use Dominic's notebook to upload. This is so cumbersome.

Chloe at her graduation ceremony. She was getting ready to give her performance, singing and dancing.

Getting her certificate from the principal.

Our stop over before Frasers Hill. This town is called Kuala Kubu Baru (KKB). We stopped for lunch and wonder around the town. It is just like the town I grew up 30 years ago.

This shop sells live bird and fish. He was hand making a rattan bird cage.

Shop that repaired CRT TV. No flat screen.

The older version of Toy R Us.

We stopped for durian..NOT. We stopped for toilet break and someone was selling durians nearby.

First stop and final stop in Frasers Hill…playground.

We did boating

Lucas was brave enough to try to walk inside a ball.

Little miss posing. She took a picture of me and I took a picture for her.

Summer Holiday

The last week of school was rather chaotic. There were so much activities. Chloe graduated from Early Years/Kindergarten. She is moving on to Year 1 later this month. Lucas graduated from Key Stage 1 (Year 1 and 2). He is moving on to Key Stage 2 (Year 3 and 4). So, there were graduation ceremonies parents can attend. On top of that, there were last day of school party where the parents bring some food for the party.


Their year end result were out. Chloe's teacher has 'promoted' her to be on her top tier students. The fact that she achieved it was not because she has grown smarter overnight. The teacher managed to build her confidence and she is comfortable in speaking up in class. I am very grateful to the teacher and I told her so. I am praying hard that she will get a good teacher for Year 1 and she will continue to build her confidence. She is smart by nature (ha ha..all parents said that about their children). She just need some push to build her confidence. At home, she is completely different. She is such as feisty girl. Lucas always complained why is Chloe such a bossy girl.


Lucas was doing good too. His teacher has emphasized many time that he needs to work harder to move his story writing to the next level. I must said I am disappointed with his story writing too. Now that he brought all his school work home, I read all of it.  His work is rush work, he was too lazy to think harder. not that he is not able to. The teacher gave me hips of tips to get him to improve. I need to find time to sit down with him.


There is no plan for holidays this holidays. We had done all the holidays or at least planned out. I would like to take them to snorkelling or beach this holiday but the it was not easy to plan. Plus we are doing a small renovation at home on our sinking patio. Maybe we will do a day trip such as going to Batu Caves. Another 3 and a half week of holiday and they will be back to school.

Diaper and Formula Milk Free

One of Chloe's 5th birthday resolution is to be diaper free and stop drinking her formula milk. And she kept her promises. On her 5th birthday, she reminded me that she is supposed to be diaper free but I insisted on her wearing diaper to sleep for another night. The fact is I was not ready for her to have accident on the bed at night. So, I told her 'Today is the last day". The next day, I quickly bought a mattress protector, just in case accident happens at night. After she felt asleep, I slide the mattress protector under her. Sometime past midnight, she took off the mattress protector and throw is on the floor. And the bed was dry the next day!.
On the second day, again, I slide the mattress protector under her. When I woke up, the mattress protector is on the floor again.
On the third day, I gave up and not bother with the mattress protector. Until today, I have not have a wet bed yet. She is good....really good. The surprising thing is she is not even in a hurry to go to toilet when she wakes up in the morning.


And for milk, she had been drinking milk 3 times a day, almost like a baby. She drinks milk first thing in the morning, after she comes back from school and before she goes to sleep. I told myself this has to stop. On her 5th birthday and coincidentally her formula milk finished. She has separation anxiety with her milk. She asked a few times if I am going to buy her milk. I said no. Lucas took sympathy on her and said maybe I should buy her the last can as her 5th birthday gift. I said no. I asked Chloe to try drinking fresh milk. She took a sip and said she doesn't like it. After a week of missing her milk, she has now totally forgotten about her milk. Never asked for it again.


In fact, yesterday, I threw away all their old milk bottles. There must be at least 8 bottles. Lucas was so sentimental that he wants to keep one for memory.


Now, travelling should be lighter. I will not have to lunged diapers and milk and bottles everywhere I go. :)