Chatterbox Yen

Went to Yen's kindie for the parents-meet-teacher day this morning. Ms Julie told me that academically, Yen is doing well. Her English reading is advancing very well, though she should practice more on her Bahasa reading and comprehension. She has a good grasp of Maths, and she always aces in the weekly 10-12 words of Spelling and Ejaan. In fact since it started in the beginning of the year, she only got one word wrong - 'perpustakaan'. BUT she talks too much. She talks too much and too loud that she's distracting others. I couldn't help but smile when Julie told me this. I was actually pleased ..because it means that she is happy and secure and confident, hence she is talking a lot.

At the practically-useless kindie that she was in last year, the teachers told me that she was a quiet as a mouse and would just talk in whispers. But then, that school did not encourage the kids to speak up. This Bangsar kindie does. It encourages the kids to speak, their opinions are asked, there's laughter, there's creativity, and you can see that the teachers are passionate about the kids and their job. It costs a bomb, but so well worth it. Yen was in this kindie when she was 4, but due to the distance from home, the challenges with a growing and bigger Jien, and of course, the cost of the kindie, we put her in a different kindie near our home when she turned 5. Big mistake, but I'm glad that we are able to rectify that by returning her to the Bangsar kindie that she loves and enjoys so much.

I was just trying to contain my smile when Julie was telling me about how Yen is so sibuk sibuk with the other kids in class when they are copying notes from the board, comment here and there and this and that. So so different from the useless kindie last year. A really useless kindie that taught her only 18 mandarin words in the whole year, whereas she has learned to read simple Mandarin books after 3 months of being in MH, the enrichment centre cum day care.

Marcel and I are more concerned about her overall well being, rather then her academic capabilities. She is just too soft, a door-mat even, but I'm just pleased with what Julie has told me. But must tell her later tonight to be less distracting to her classmates with her loud voice :) But she's happy and secure, I'm glad.

Heaven Is Perfect

Yen had always slept on her own. Even when she was a baby and it was bedtime, we'll place her on her bed, and switch off the lights. She can fall asleep on her own. When Jien was old enough to join her in her room, they slept together. She on the bed, and him on the mattress on the floor next to her bed. They'll have so much fun before bedtime. She had placed the mattress slanting on her bed, and they both slid down the mattress slide. Or he'll hide under the mattress, and will so cleverly pull the pillows to cover the bump. Because he's so petite, we'll sometimes have trouble finding him.

But she refuses to sleep alone since Jien's gone. So we sleep together. And at nights, many many nights, I'll cry silent tears, missing my son. If she did hear me, I'd lie and say that I have the flu. I thought that she had bought my lies all along, but last night, she reached over and patted me. And she said 'Don't worry about Heng Jien. I am still here. Heaven is perfect, earth is not perfect.'

How did she know that? My little girl is so grown up suddenly. She knows, she knew..that i miss him so much. How long has she known that I have been crying for him nightly?