Monday, January 19, 2009

Explaining analog camera.

One of the things I would like to see myself do more this year is spend more time to tutor the kids, especially korkor. The first 2 years, I had thought it could be a good idea for him to learn how to "swim" by himself. Now that the syllables are getting tougher, if I don't provide some "floats", he might "sink and drown". Compared to many kids I know, they are already in tuition classes one after another since Year 1, while mine was still enjoying the privilege of watching TV, playing computer games and idling the time away.

Last week, I tried to develop a routine for weekdays to do some study after dinner. On Friday, he really made me lose my cool by complaining about it. Really vomit blood. I scolded at him and set a rule once and for all,

1. School day, evenings, study! No computer games, no TV.
2. Exceptions only on weekends, public holidays and school holidays.
3. Want to complain and object? Fine, no more vacations, he can very well go and stay with grandparents while didi and meimei tag with us during school holidays.

And he? *sulks even more*.

But, I shall give him credit when credit is due. Today, he indeed made me proud by obediently getting some study done after dinner was over. Hence, busy checking his kamus-dictionary.

After which, I sat down with him going through the paragraph and it was indeed very satisfying to see him enlightened and "learned". The story touched on digital camera briefly and he asked me the kind of camera we used last time. I then went on to tell him how we used to take and develop pictures before, starting from the film to the processing. It feels good to see him in awe and interested in my story/facts telling.



My, for a slight moment, I felt peculiar too, how different last time taking photos were, compared to this new digital era. And it seemed not too long ago too, we were still using the films when he was born. I showed him the even older photographs which were in black and white, and it seemed like his first time to see that's his maternal grandma when she was young.

Hope we have the discipline to keep this routine going.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

when i read thru yr post, it reminds me of my days with my big son too.. when he was in std 1, i tutored him myself.. and it was real stressful, to the extent of throwing books.. who threw? me la! after the first year, i sent him to tuition.. phew.. my blood pressure gone down since..and no regrets..
thank God ... but it is good to spend quality time with them, other than teaching.. :)

Anonymous said...

"..the pictures were black and white because the world then was black and white..only sumtime in the 70s that the world became colourful"

-calvin's dad fr. The Essentials of Calvin and Hobbes

See how knowlegable i am? Wan me becum tuition teacher moe?

tasy said...

claire,
i threw books too, come, *shake hands*

but i told myself i have to learn to be patient, patient, more patient. very stubborn of myself, don't want to ferry him up and down for tuitions mah.. so, i learned to cool down, keep reminding myself he's still a child, and it got better year after year...liddat loh!

tasy said...

gooly,
pigi! main jauh jauh.. kakajiaujiau. people talking about calculus and world resources, you go talk about calvin and hobbes!

:)

eh, kong siew jek.. kambek laa.. sayang balik..

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