New Epson Stylus!

 this printer is awesome! it is adequate for our family usage as for now. the print from the original ink is waterproof! we've tried it and it proves to be true!

i can now print more colored sheets for kj! yay!

we have given a thorough consideration of whether or not should we invest in one printer. i hope this is not a hangat hangat tahi ayam enthusiasm! many thanks to hb for his continuous support.

im not planning to churn out a kiasu kid. to those who doesn't have a clue of what i have in mind, what we have in mind, tentatively we are not planning to send kj to school until primary one. i will try to coach him and prepare him to school.

time is limited, since I'm working full time so we will see. if things go awry, then we'll send him to school.

at this age, we'll just let him play at home and do a little bit of this and that. conditions will change when we are having our second child (I'm not preg yet) but i do hope things will fall in place.
kind of nervous thinking of it. sometimes i can be half dead before bedtime so adding another child into the family makes me gulp.

 im suppose to get this Dot A Marker for kj to make dots on the circle.

reasons for not getting it :

no 1. can't get it here in KK
no 2. don't know where to get it in KL. not sure if ELC has them.
no 3. nearest would be SIngapore but it is SGD 49. *blink eyes*

still toying with the idea of purchasing. is it REALLY necessary? many mothers shared different ways of using this 'worksheet'. u can use round stickers on it. or magnets. I've decided to try with magnets. 

amazingly, kj did it! he knows how to place the magnets on the circle. elated, i quickly print more pictures - animals that he fancies e.g. snake, tortoise, cat, dog. Boy, kite

he is not attracted to this puzzle, a 2-piece puzzle, simplest one i thought.

Who wouldn't like Mickey Mouse and friends?

im not turning him into a nerd! =)

let us be honest. i am beyond thrilled when i came into the room and saw this!

however, it can be a pain when he asks u to read once... read twice...read thrice...four times... five times... and many more times... in just once session. *pulls hair*

i know, i shouldn't complain.

funny thing is that we would push this noble job to one another. hb says Mommy reads. Mommy says Daddy reads. BUT! given a choice, dearest son will ALWAYS say Mameee read!

hub says : can we not buy books with long sentences?

haha! message received! i totally agree.

Lacing

oh my gooooddddnesssss!!

after blogging for years!!!! NOW only AM i using flickr to upload photos here! using html? WTHHHH!!!!

no wonder. no wonder. no wonder!

i don't know if this is the easier way, anyhow i still find it easier than my usual way!

what i commonly do is to upload through the ADD PHOTO icon. i can only upload max 5 photos at a time!

and i didn't know that photos with large sizes will take a longer period to upload! *slaps head hard!* I'm so stupid! all these while I've been cursing when pictures failed to upload! i thought it was due to bad internet connection! OMGGG!!!

fine. forget the past.

now with this, i hope i'll be able to blog more frequent? ha-ha.

nevertheless, i still need to get used to uploading photos to flickr first. i need to explore on the iMac uploader, where i read it is suppose to ease uploading, which is to upload in batch! me love!

okay, back to business.



kayjay concentrating in LACING ACTIVITY. this is one of the Montessori's Practical Life activity.

it allows them to work on their Fine Motor Skill. improves pincher grasp. language : in and out. up and down. patience. learn about colors. (note: the strings has different colors)

you can DIY too. i have decided to buy this commercial lacing cards from Popular Bookstore at RM 19.90. fair enough i thought. initially the stingy me drafted in my mind that i would google for photos and print them, laminate and punch holes! well, this saves all the hassle. I'm so lazy.

kj is doing this at ~25 mths old! a bit too old! i should have started earlier. kiasuism. *snorts*



don't be fooled. he looks very into it right? this was just for a few seconds. at most, 2 mins?
he needs to go through Normalization. :D

actually, not only can his patience be tested, mine as well. sometimes i can be so impatient, that i will quickly help him. i cannot be sure if it is because of that, or that I'm worried he would give up too quickly, so before he gets frustrated for not being able to do it, my hands were too swift to move.
the next time round, i shall hold back and watch. to tell the truth, i know what would ensued. he will either ask me to do it , which he is so fond of now, or throw it aside and move on to other things. *frowns*

to perk things up, his language is improving so it is very cute to listen to him.

i'd say " kayjay, go put back. put them back ". he used to follow the orders. but now, he would sometimes say " mommy put back" -_________-

he can also be cheeky and recite " mommy angry? mommy angry ar? " awwww who would still be ? it would instantly melt the anger and kick off laughters!

our drawings

he requested for them,

all that was drawn above.

two different Nemo!

guess who draw which?

obviously,

i didn't draw all the above except for the outline of the Nemo on the right!

sad right?

whenever KJ asked ME to draw this and that,

i couldn't do it :(

not that i am not trying,

but he couldn't recognize what was it.

*wails*

these are hubby's masterpiece.

so i'd push this job to daddy.

hah!

:)

fish oil burstlet and painting lesson

received this sample of Nature's Way Kid's Omega Fish Oil.

it contains two chewable BURSTLETS only.

one for hubby to try,

the other one for little kayjay.

i tried one in the health expo.

hb made a bet with me.

he was confident that his son would not like it!

if he does, he (the son) will follow my surname.

-_______-

i was quite skeptical because it is quite unpredictable with KJ these days, his taste bud.

well! he LOVES it!

i hold the burstlet and directed him to bite!

he was fine with the liquid.

he even chewed the entire 'capsule'.

it was a waste that i didn't buy from DKSH (distributor) in the Health Expo.

dear hb said that kayjay might not like it so i should let kj try before buying.

:(

why did hb said that?

ehee

he bought a bottle of Amway Children's Multivitamin and KJ refuses to eat after taking it twice.

strange.

why did he eat the first and second time?

third time he rejected.

i tried to entice him with junk food but it still doesn't work.

he spat out when i forcefully stick the tablet into his mouth.

-______-

don't sue me.

i know, the multivitamin has a little bitter after taste.

its quite an eye sore when u see the bottle of multivit not being appreciated.

ekkeekke

yay!

succeed!

thanks to mommy-friends i made in Facebook.

i made paint for kayjay!

METHOD

cornstarch mix with hot water

stir

add in food coloring

done!

however, i might want to try with tapioca starch next time,

because the cornstarch didn't thicken in the second bowl.

ready to dive in!

chop chop!

topless so that clothes wouldn't be stained hence less work for the lazy mommy!

not used to get dirty

~sticky starch~

supervising

should i hang them on the wall?

ta- da!

*note the side burn*

the aunty came over and ask him to eat it!

-______-

smart boy, he said bu yao! (no!)

but he did try to pretend to eat :S

another good-willed uncle came by,

and ask him to smear his face.

-_______-

again, he said NO!

oh, i realize kayjay is very sensitive when it comes to his face.

very cautious.

he wouldn't allow me to slap sunblock on his face last week when we went to the beach. grrr.

well, the uncle did not give up.

he then suggested kj to rub his palms on his tummy.

kj ignored.

he grabbed kJ's hands and lead kj to execution.

-________-

whats he doing???

*appalled*

lolss

my goodness.

kj has pinky finger nails now.

can u imagine how food coloring will stain our digestive tract?

scary!

it takes 2 days to completely wash off the paint from the skin/body.

this would be kayjay's first painting lesson!

he will be 26 mths tomorrow.

his row row row your boat has improved!

last time was " mommy, sing low low boat!"

but just now was :

row row row your boat!

mellily melily mellily mellily,

life is but a dream!

OMGGGGGGG!!!!!

im ecstatic!!

=D

alright,

happy april fools everyone!

it was a peaceful day for us :)

cheers!

kiasuism

omg! kj melts my heart!

i overheard this conversation :

"kai jie, mommy leh? "

"go home" he said. awwwWWWWWWWW

anyway, okay. I'm gonna make quick post here.

it is 12.52 am. and I'm working at 7am tomorrow. groan.

everyone is asleep, hb kept reminding me that I'm working at 7am tmr. thanks hun.

seriously, if only i can have more than 24 hours a day.

and i have to have migraine due to the stupid weather.

made me super unproductive the entire evening.

but luckily it went away before 9pm. :(

swallowed 2 paracetamol and took a super quick nap. more like dozed off.

anyway anyway,

i was so emo. okay, maybe not SO emo.

but, emo.

because?

i felt that i am not doing as much as i can in kJ's education.

okay. am i a kiasu mom?

i think i am. shitz

i have more than 10 tabs in my Safari,

all about what i can do with kj.

I'm constantly searching for activities that i can do with him.

which involves very little energy (ha-ha),

minimal cost and minimal time.

I'm such a lousy mom!

i was so overwhelmed when i saw toddlers younger than kj who has better abilities!

omg! look at me!

i can even compare my son to other children over blogs! people whom i don't know personally!

christ!

so eventually, when hb came home,

i lamented to him about my thoughts.

he was upset that i think his son is not smart.

lols.

less smart?

*grin*

when i was bathing, i could hear him teaching kj colors! while doing some coloring work with him.

im grateful that he is participating in some activities.

I'm really keen on montessori.

right brain education.

i have two windows (Safari) now.

each with more than 10 tabs.

one is about activities as mentioned earlier.

another one also has more than 10 tabs which is about educational 'items' that i'd like to buy.

-______-

of course, I've learned not to buy on impulse.

i would like to show hub tomorrow so that he can screen though and judge if they are really necessary.

we always discuss whenever either one of us would like to purchase something.

no, it is not a trouble at all.

in fact, this is to reduce undesired spending which inevitably means foolishness.

alright. seriously, i ought to hit the pillows.

g'night all!

he played with this tonight, after abandoning it since before CNY. ops!

[Note: KJ is 26 months old now]

bought this threading kit from popular in penang.

yeah, i always buy my things in peninsular so u will always see me with maximum luggages whenever i fly.

i will also curse whenever i cannot get things here.

i thought i could do this (threading activity) on my own ;

easy! goggle images > print out > laminate > buy 'shoe lace' > done!

if u could have guessed, when i saw this kit, RM 19.90, i thought, man! just buy!

saves me lots of hassle.

haha! :(

by the way, i have also bought one box of laminating plastics (100 sheets?).

sounds kind of gung-ho huh?

stress.

this word stress me out > tot school.

i don't have a proper place.

my rented house is a shit.

i don't have a laminating machine.

i don't have a printer.

i owe this blog so much info.

i don't want to be late to work tmr.

cheers!

Reasons to Homeschool

12 Most Compelling Reasons to Homeschool Your Children

Posted by Lisa Nielsen on Feb 7, 2012 in Blog, Education, Family & Parenting, Lifestyle |93 comments

• Email

I’ve been a public school educator and administrator for more than a decade, so you may be surprised that when parents ask for my advice about education, I often suggest they allow their children to leave school. Education reform is happening today, but it’s slow and often ineffective. Parents need to do what is in the best interest of their children, right now.

For some this means working hard with a school to adapt to meet a child’s needs. But many schools are rigid and don’t believe students are entitled to a customized learning experience. For these parents the best option is often to leave school behind and empower children with the freedom to learn what they want in the way that is best for them.

Here are the twelve most compelling reasons for leaving school behind if your child is not finding success and happiness there.

1. Learning is customized not standardized

• In school learning is standardized to what someone else says is best.
• At home learning is customized to what the child and parent feel is best.

2. Associate with those you enjoy rather than those who share your birth year

• In school students are grouped by date of manufacture.
• At home children can choose to be with those whose company they enjoy.

3. Freedom to learn with their tools

• In school students are often banned from using they tools they love to learn with — such as a cell phone.
• At home children can learn with the tools they choose. For many children technology open doors that schools slam shut.

4. Socialize with those who share your passions not just your zip code

• In school students have little opportunity to socialize and even when they do it is generally confined to those with whom they’ve been grouped with by year and geography.
• At home children have the opportunity to socialize and make global connections with others of any age who share their talents, passions, and interests.

5. Real life measures are better than bubble tests

• In school we measure students success with bubble tests and response to prompts.
• At home we measure success by what children accomplish that matters to them. Some teens like Leah Miller have developed their own personal success plan (see hers here). She sets her goals and then assesses her success in meeting them.

6. Don’t just read about doing stuff. Do stuff!

• In school students are forced to sit at desks all day reading and answering questions about stuff other people do.
• At home children don’t need to spend their time reading and writing about what other people do. They can go do stuff.

7. Travel when you want

• In school they tell you when to go on vacation and families hop off to crowded destinations together.
• At home families can decide when travelling works best for them and also get better rates.

8. You are more than a number

• In school the only things students have to show for their work are numbers and graphs known as report cards, transcripts, or data reports.
• At home children often put together meaningful portfolios that can be reflected upon and powerfully capture and celebrate learning. This can be done at school, but it rarely happens as little time is left for assessment and reflection after testing and test prep.

9. Do work you value

• In school students do work someone else wants for someone else’s purpose.
• At home children can engage in meaningful work for reasons they determine are important.

10. Independence is valued over dependence

• In school students are dependent on others to tell them what to do and when. They spend their time as compliant workers and are discouraged from questioning authority.
• At home children are encouraged to explore, discover, and develop their own passions and talents and given the freedom to work deeply in these areas. They know how to learn independently because they are interested, not because they are told to do something.

11. You don’t have to waste learning time with standardized tests

• In school students and their teachers are spending a large percentage of their time preparing for tests and testing even though test have little to no role in real life. My last test was more than a decade ago. How about you?
• At home children have the freedom to enjoy learning without the burden or stress of testing. Although many children and parents have been trained to believe testing is a necessary evil in school kids who have the freedom to learn without testing are doing just fine and exploring their passions as grown unschooler Kate Fridkis explains in her article that reveals how we can learn successfully without testing.

12. No more meaningless worksheets and reports

• In school students often complain they are forced to do meaningless worksheets and reports that have no real purpose or audience. In fact these worksheets and reports often actually suck the joy out of learning. Think about it. When was the last time you read a great book and thought, “Wow! I want to write a report or fill in a worksheet.”
• At home children can do work that matters and has meaning. If they read a book they love they can hop online and discuss it with other people who’ve read it or publish a review for Amazon. If they want to learn something they have an unfiltered world of resources (inaccessible in many schools) at their fingertips to do so.

Parents of Generation Z have woken up and realized that the industrial model school’s of today are preparing their children for a world that no longer exists. They know that those who receive outdated, classroom-based instruction will end up with the rest of the young people Occupying Wall Street and beyond.

However, there is another option! Home educating families are onto something. The children of these families will grow up as adults who know how to take ownership of their learning and their lives. They will be empowered with the ability to attain satisfaction and success in life and career.

What are your thoughts on the current public education system? Does homeschooling sound appealing to you?

extract taken from here

it sounds appealing to me! but I'm not commenting now...

this article is here just in case if i need it one day to support myself ;) [when i need to convince dear husband]