Preparing Zech's heart for Christmas

It's Zech's second Christmas this year. Since he's older than last year, I want to make Christmas more meaningful for him. Most importantly, I hope he can understand the meaning and significance of Christmas. We have done quite a few things together so far. Putting up the Christmas tree, playing with his Christmas sensory box and the most satisfying of all, counting down the days of Christmas with a story each day using 'Truth in the tinsel' which tells the complete story of the birth of Christ and the events leading to the special day. A craft is done after the story and Zech seems to like it as he loves displaying his art pieces.

Trying to hang an ornament.

Success at first attempt! It certainly wasn't easy and this was the only ornament he hung on the Christmas tree. :)

Zech's Christmas sensory box!

Getting acquainted with the Christmas items.

His two favourites! Christmas cap and wrapping paper.

One of the craft items from the ebook 'Truth in the tinsel'. Zech sure is proud of his crown, a reminder of the real King, Jesus.

What Zech has done so far... God sent Jesus, the light, into our dark world. It was prophesied in Isaiah that a King will come and rule the world forever. An angel, Gabriel, told Mary that she will give birth to a child and He is to be named Jesus. The stories and craft activities are adapted from 'Truth in the tinsel'. Love it!

For the rest of Dec, we are going to continue with the story of Christmas as we count down each day leading to Christmas. This, I feel, will be very meaningful for Zech. Merry Merry Christmas!

When uncertainty calls

When uncertainty calls, the world seems to have come to a standstill. Even when people and things continue revolving, complete silence has engulfed me. As I laid on bed most of the time for 2 weeks, it was dreadful not knowing what tomorrow brings. I wish the dark clouds will pass me by quickly. Counting down the weeks, marking each day as it goes past became a daily routine. Everytime I step into the clinic, it's reality check for me. Everytime I get an injection, I'm grateful. No more complains about the pain. Just relieved and thankful.

When uncertainty calls, there is truly no one else but God. A gentle breeze carries His whisper. The soft pitter-patter of the rain bears His mark of grace. The morning sunlight streaming through the curtains is a sign of His daily faithfulness. When uncertainty calls, God's mercy and protection overrides all doubts. Knowing He is the one who holds the key to life, I can only surrender my will, my thoughts and my dreams of the future to him. When uncertainty calls, I'm willing to wait for Him to reveal His will. For even if the worst happens, I know for sure this tiny little life in my womb is safe in His hands.

One thing that amazed me and still does is how such a tiny one has so much fighting spirit. After all the trauma, I'm just filled with awe at how it's so fully alive and kicking with all its might on the ultrasound. That moment gave me courage and strength to stay positive.

Thank God for seeing me and this baby through 13 weeks, for unfolding Your love once more through all these.  And to all my dear brothers and sisters who have been praying for me and the unborn child, may God bless you.

These are some of my favourite things.

What has Zech been up to? At 22 months now, he seems to take an interest in certain activities.

Daily activity. He takes them out to play every day. Wondering if it's a boy thing. He's into puzzles and this is one of his many favourites.

A DIY activity given by a dear friend. Trying to teach him colours. On his own, Zech enjoys inserting the paintbrushes into the pockets.

Made these recently to reinforce his concept of shapes. Since he's into stickers, I thought I should tap on that for some serious work. :)

What Zech has done so far. He's really proud of his work I must say.

Bought his first leapfrog last year. He seems quite ready to play with it and true enough, he loves listening to the kiddy songs and of course, simply pressing the buttons.

Evening walk & dinner @ Food For Thought

We love strolling at the Botanic Gardens! Tree-lined pathway, flora and fauna and best of all, little surprises as we took our evening walk down to Swan Lake.

Up close and personal with a big monitor lizard! Too bad Zech wasn't fascinated at all. He was more interested in his mummy's sunglasses.

There were 2 swans swimming some distance away. Finally, one of them came close to us. Still, Zech wasn't interested.

However, he got really excited when he saw the fishes in the water. In fact, he wanted to get into the water and swim with the fishes! See? His papa had to hold him tight in case he does something foolish.

The sky soon turned grey and we decided to head for dinner. A cafe we wanted to try...

There's a playground just outside the cafe and of course, Zech wanted to play. It was crowded but the the kids were very well-behaved. Taking turns and not pushing around.

When dinner was served, it was raining heavily. I noticed some kids taking crayons and colouring pages from a long table near the kitchen. It's really a child-friendly cafe! Love it!


Only managed to take photos of my hubby's food. I shared a plate of spaghetti bolognese with Zech. He ate it all up. So did I. Very appetizing!

The beef burger tastes great though you can't see the meat here. Succulent and tender.



We are going back to Food for Thought again for brunch. Decent prices for good food plus activities to keep children occupied are definitely winning points for families!

A quiet and meaningful week

It has been quiet since last week. No visits to the playground, no play dates. Simply quiet play at home. Just Zech and me.

After our Port Dickson trip, Zech continued his sensory play at home. The originally intended sand box is now put to good use. He enjoyed it so much he didn't want to stop. I had to drag him to the bathroom to take his shower.

Zech completed his craft work too. This was meant to be part of the playgroup a week ago. But he was only interested in getting his handprints done. So he completed this at home. With my help, we covered the crabs with sand.

                                      


Recently, I started dot cards, Chinese character cards, shape and colours cards with Zech regularly. I've done the cards (except Chinese) with him before but not consistently and just for fun. After we came back from Port Dickson, I realised his attention span seems longer. Decided to set aside a fixed time every day for this. Not a fan of flash cards so I'm only limiting it to mainly concept learning.

It's effective because I think Zech is interested and at his stage now, he learns easily. Recommended for busy mummies. :) Takes up less than 15 min. Just go through the cards once every day. After that, I do a quick testing to make sure Zech knows his stuff. Ha! Can't help being the teacher at heart.

Hopefully, by next week, things get more exciting for Zech.

Why homeschool?

Ever since we decided to embark on this journey full of uncertainties. there is no looking back. Not even for my hubby who was first introduced to this idea a few years ago. Just like many other homeschool parents, we read up as much as we could (and we are still reading) on any homeschool articles and books.We reflected on our own practices and beliefs and created our own educational philosophy.

We definitely didn't want to homeschool our child because we feel we are better than other teachers. Not because we want to protect Zech at all cost from the harshness of the outside world. There is no way we can protect him and in fact, I encourage him to rough it out, solve his own problems and be independent.

We have chosen this path of educating Zech because it is a calling from God who has called us parents to train up a child in the way he should go. In this world made up of diverse cultures with such different perspectives and opinions, how does a Christian stand firm in his faith and belief? Having grown up in a traditional church, I've seen many friends come and go. Even strong Christian leaders. It is so easily to be swayed and attracted by the secular things the world offers. Though homeschool can't be the complete solution, it offers flexibility and customisation of the curriculum that schools can't offer. The firm foundation standing on the Word of God matters most and this is what we want Zech to have.

Education is a matter of the heart, mind and soul. The world emphasizes too much on the mind. IQ tests are never accurate tests of ntelligence. Mozart and Picasso would have failed these IQ tests. Yet, they are geniuses! As a teacher, I've always believed in cultivating the joy of learning in kids. That is the heart of passion. Without the desire to learn, learning is dry and dead. When I was still teaching in school, I frequently struggled with completing the syllabus. There was simply too much to do. My class was usually one of the last to complete the syllabus. I'd very much love to be thorough in my lessons but sometimes I ended up shortchanging my pupils. Learning was definitely not a joy. In the process, it could have been killed for some of my pupils.

And where does that leave character education? I was full of ideals as a young and beginning teacher. I emphasized on character and clearly communicated this to all parents. However, it was tough to carry it through. Reason? Time and a tight curriculum.

I'm not saying homeschooling is the perfect solution to all these. Most importantly, it allows both parents to be actively involved in nurturing the child spiritually which is our main reason to homeschool Zech.  That is the soul of education. Not too long ago, my hubby and I came up with our educational philosophy.

Educational Philosophy for Pre-schoolers

1. Children learn about God through the curriculum.

2. Learning is fun, enjoyable and a lifelong process.

3. Children are taught based on their ability and learning style, maximising their potential to the fullest.

4. Character education with a focus on Biblical teaching is integrated into the curriculum.

5. Children learn for the ultimate goal of glorifying our Father.

6. Education is meant to be holistic that develops a child spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, ethically, socially and physically.

There have been concerns, real concerns by genuine friends. Am I depriving Zech of socialization? How is he going to develop his social skills? He's an only child, as of now. He has no sibling to communicate with. Just me most of the time at home. It seems like it. But social settings do not merely take place in school. They take place even in the supermarket, at a friend's house and in the shopping mall. Zech is not kept at home all the time. I strongly encourage him to interact with strangers who take the initiative to smile and talk to him. There are homeschooling support groups who meet regularly. We have an active care group in church and yes, church life is important. Zech gets to interact with kids and adults of all ages rather than his own peers only. Young children pick up their social skills from adults, especially their own parents. That's why some kids, even though they go to school, still lack social skills. 

Schools do provide the opportunities for social settings. But most of the teachers are too busy to be teaching our kids social skills. Sometimes, it can't be taught. Rather, it must be caught. In actual fact, bullying and ostracising peers are common in playgrounds and schools. I'm guilty of doing these when I was a kid. I was a bully in kindergarten and enjoyed manipulating my friends when I was in the lower primary. I turned out fine because God changed me. Nevertheless, the learning process could have been better. For very young children in kindergartens, guidance is even more critical. The advantage of homeschool, besides flexibility, is that influence is more controlled. This is important for young children who are easily influenced by their peers. Yes, I get to choose my son's friends. I know for sure, there will come a day when I can no longer do that. That will be the time when he can stand firm in his beliefs and make his own decisions wisely. There will also be a day, sometime during upper primary, when Zech will suddenly change overnight, has his own mind, make his own decisions (maybe against ours) and do things we don't quite understand. What will override it all is the foundation established in the early years as well as our relationship and bond with Zech who knows that we are always there to support him.

Zech's holiday by the sea

Sleeping on the daybed overlooking the sea, listening to the sound of waves crashing onto the shore in the still of the night, swimming in the cool water of the pool, dipping his two hands into the shallow water of the sea and enjoying the feel of wet sand on his hands and feet, intrigued by long car rides in pitch darkness. This pretty much sums up Zech's little world during our holiday at Port Dickson.

I've come to realise how much my little boy finds joy in playing with water and sand. While sometimes ovewhelmed by new experiences, with a little encouragement and explanation, he is willing to take up the challenge. There were times when he refused to try something new, such as crab hunting which we were so keen to involve him. But he found something else to keep himself occupied while his papa was seriously and diligently hunting for crabs.

Here he is, making splashes in the water.

Amazing sense of touch!

After our beach holiday, I've been dreaming of more. Robinson Crusoe island, Maldives or somewhere nearer, Sentosa. Hm...when is our next holiday?

...of walks in the parks and a cycling escapade

What's more relaxing in life than a stroll in the park? The serenity and tranquil it provides is like a breath of fresh air into our stale busy lifestyle. That's what I enjoy most. Taking walks in the parks where each pace of our footsteps inevitably slows down.


2 months ago at Hort Park. Really nice evening stroll.

Uniquely Hort Park - sculptures.

Having a whale of a time at the playground.

More recent. At Bukit Batok Nature Park.

Mesmerised by the quarry.

Sand play is gradually becoming one of Zech's favourite oudoor activity.

Just last week. Wild Oats at Punggol Park. Love this place!

Zech's failed attempt to cycle. His legs are just not long enough. :) The funny thing is he tried to move with his legs but ended up reversing. Just like driving his Little Tike car, sad to say, he can't move forward. Zech will do better next time I'm sure.



New discoveries!

It has been a week of discoveries for Zech and me.

After countless times and futile effort for 3 months, Zech can now do a somersault! Thanks to his grandmother's encouragement! His grandmother was beaming with pride as she told me, "See? Zech can do a somersault at 19 months." Well, Zech's stunt is rather entertaining I must say.

The little artist in Zech is also starting to show. I did sponge painting with him and yes! He painted the jellyfish and crab with me. No struggle at all. :) Maybe the activity is meaningful since it's a follow-up after watching 'The Magic Ocean'. Nevertheless, I love the joint effort between us.

Just today, Zech tried drawing on the Ikea easel board. He drew on it for the longest time. The little 'Picasso' is indeed working in him. Looking at his art piece, I told him I could see a sword fish, fish, stingray, monster and flower. Zech looked really proud!

Another discovery was his two successful attempts at using the tongs to pick up the pom poms. He did it! Pity I wasn't fast enough to take a picture of it. Next time, I hope.

3rd week at our new home

In our new home, we are starting to settle down into the routine.  The first week was chaotic. Second week, we struggled through. Third week, we are doing fine and hopefully, things stay this way. The rainbow always comes after the rain and I'm beginning to believe in that. Even though it might not be a full rainbow, some of it is enough to keep me going. There are cetainly good and bad times but I thank God there are no entirely bad days.

Zech is growing up and for every little positive change I see in him, I praise God for it. Moving to a new place means adapting and adjusting. I must say Zech is doing well. Maybe he finds the new place fascinating and interesting. Some activities he enjoys...

Water play on the balcony. Not a daily activity as it's a chore to empty out the water from the orginally intended sand box.  Only tried it once with him. I realised then he can use a ladle to scoop water into the container.  He wasn't able to do this a few months back. But of course, this must be one of the results of being able to self-feed. 

His fav spot - sitting on the swing. He loves it as much as I do.

Puzzle time - He's getting better at it. He's now so used to seatwork he will spontaneously go to his chair when I take out his puzzles. I asked him once if he wanted to do his puzzles on his playmat but he refused and sat on his chair instead. He's really a habitual creature.

This activity is new to him. Just tried it out yesterday.  I was surprised he tried using the tongs to pick up the pom poms. Mummy has to help him of course to pick up each pom pom and place them
into the egg carton.

Moving to a new neighbourhood means exploration. Zech is most keen to check out the playgrounds. We found an interesting one. A fire engine which is really cool!

Zech's jungle room

It has been almost 2 weeks since we moved into our new home. We love it to bits!
Zech's room is the first to be ready! Well, almost. A few more items to be installed by next week.

Spot the monkey? That's my childhood toy from Bangkok. :)

The growing library...

Toy box and of course, the rocking horse.

Zech's comfy bed. In the morning, when he wakes up and usually I'm still sleeping in my room, he can lie on it till I wake up and call him.  So I love this bed too!

Going to put up the big leaf (bought from Ikea) near his study table next week. Maybe I'll buy a big jungle toy to accessorise his room. Then Zech's room will be fully ready to receive his little friends!