A very scientific discussion with koko.

Koko, home from school today, asked me the question, the inevitable, most difficult to answer, question of all time.

"Where do sperms come from?"

My first response : pretend busy.

Then, few seconds later, feeling bit guilty, I asked him again like I couldn't hear him right "What did you say?"

He asked me the same question. I asked what sperms he's talking about. He told me the man's sperms la! Boy! *wipe sweat* where does he learn this from, I wonder.

However.... being a firm believer in parenting to provide honest answers, rather than saying "Look! A spaceship", I told him, in a matter of fact-ly manner, that the sperms come from his private part. And I thought that this would be the end. Heck NOOooo!

He asked me how it manages its way to a woman's body next! Err...

I mumbled (while looking at my lappie, pretending VERY busy liddat) something about putting it into a woman's body... and he went YUCKSSSSS!!!!!!! *horror*! I turned to him and said "Can you not show your private part to people anymore now?", and he ran away, still disgusted at the very idea of what I told him, I think. *whew* lucky no more further questions. My heart was still thumping then.

Patience is the only virtue where BM is concerned.

OK, I lied. I don't like tutoring my sons BM actually. I have to deal with the constant whining and crying and complaining, and I have to resort to using the cane, making me look like a wicked witch. I'm so tempted to just pay money and let someone take over this task, solve my problem, it's that easy.

Somehow, I can tell they are able to learn, but they really don't have the interest. I wonder if it's the subject matter is unattractive or the flow is not so organized. It's just so hard to get their attention in it. I try to use different teaching methods, but it's just the same, almost. Anyway, I know I just have to persist.

As for korkor, he is really rather weak. I'm sure he'll learn eventually, but the journey would be a struggle for him, just like I did. I just hope they will understand one day, I don't mean to be so fierce and "ugly" when I teach. Heiz!

Anyway, after the harsh moment with them and time dragged on with worksheets to-be-completed, some incentives like TV or games or toys would cheer them up back at once! And I can return to my laptop for more idols-digging, gossips-chatting, bloggers-connecting and sabotaging on FB. Boy! Do I have a life!

(p/s: This idol thing, Robert Downey Jr totally stole my heart away, first when he was Iron Man, and now after watching Sherlock Holmes. have you watched it yet?)

English lesson - UP

It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP?
At a meeting, why does a topic come UP ? Why do we speak UP, and why are the officers UP for election and why is itUP to the secretary to write UP a report? We call UP our friends and we use it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car.

At other times the little word has a real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.

To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special.
And this up is confusing:
A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP.

We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night. We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP !

To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP , look the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4 of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions

If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more.

When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP . When the sun comes out we say it is clearing UP. When it rains, it wets UP the earth. When it does not rain for awhile, things dry UP.

One could go on & on, but I'll wrap it UP , for now ........my time is UP , so time to shut UP!

Oh...one more thing:
What is the first thing you do in the morning & the last thing you do at night?

U P

Don't screw up. Send this on to everyone you look up in your address book.

Now I'll shut up

(from my mailbox someone sent to me this morning)

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.

Good, strict, disciplined tuition teacher

Remember last week I told the dramatic story on "House on Fire"? Aiyah, 2 posts below only, browse down to read if you had not.

Anyway, I was saying I was yakking on the phone before my mom almost yell "Fire! Fire!", right? Then I remembered I cut short the conversation so suddenly, I should have the courtesy to call back and continue our yakking.

So, that was what I did just now, and to my horror of horrors, she told me about her experience with this so-called "strict, discipline, velli good" tuition teacher.

Apparently, she sent her son to one of a mutual friend's recommendation just 2 days ago. Before it started, the teacher had given him an activity book which the son claims that it's exactly the same that they use in school. Well, her instructions for the little 8 year old.. to complete the whole book's exercises from day 1 of this year right up till the current where she is teaching.

The son, of course, will object like what a sane boy would do, and pleads for leniency from his mom with the fact that he had done those long ago and long forgotten. What's the point, right?

So, the mom feels his point of argument is rather valid, and she calls her to convey the message. Apparently, she thinks the teacher said "do to his best effort", that translate to "ok", right? Wrong!

She told me today, the teacher suddenly called and ordered her to pick her son home right there and then, as she is very strict and can't tolerate any students who thinks he/she is brighter than anyone else. Apparently, that's because he didn't do his "homework".

My friend told me how outrageous it was and was very angry with her. I understand, and I helped to diss that !@#$%^ fler, hoping that would make her feel better?

It sounded insane, right? Poor little kids, only 8 years old nia.. why so serious?

Ok, can be serious a bit, but at least be logical.

It's so strict and serious in the formal school, at least these "extras" should be a little wee bit more of fun nature to encourage them love learning. I think those students are psychologically tortured by her or these kind of tuition masters. Boy! Lucky I didn't listen to my friend and send my son there. I would be mentally tortured by her too leh.

So, the moral of the story is.... Call someone to help tiu that fler if you feel tulan?