The Museum Tour

Yesterday, I decided to take you for a museum tour. You were reluctant to go, because none of your friends or cousins could join us. I was a bit sad, because that means you didn’t think that you would have fun, just going with me. But I knew that you would, like always.

The first museum that we went to was the Textile Museum at Jalan SK Tubun, Tanah Abang. The textile collection was actually a bit pathetic. I wonder how can a textile museum display only such a limited collection, especially when we all know how rich our country is when it comes to textile and clothes. But then, that was expected.

My intention coming to this museum was not to look at the textile, but to let you learn how to make a hand made batik (batik tulis). At the back of the museum, at a pendopo, kids and adults were busy making batik in a traditional way. You began with copying the desired design onto a cloth, put on the hot wax according to the design, color it with any colors that you wish, dry it, and voila, you have created a beautiful hand-made batik handkerchief.


After a quick lunch, we went to the second museum, the armed forces museum, Satria Mandala, at Jalan Gatot Subroto. Needless to say, you were very excited, walking briskly from one room to another.

I like this museum, Apart from the National Museum, I think this is the best museum I have visited in Jakarta. It was quite big, with spacious open air area where they displayed old aircrafts, tanks and other war vehicles. The collection was quite many and well taken care of. Most importantly, when you were inside, the air-con worked very well. The only downside was, there was no tour guide available to take us through the collections. What a pity.

At the end of the day, you enjoyed the day very much. So, going just with mom can be as much fun, right honey?
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Holiday Program 2008

As always, when you are having a long mid year holiday, I enroll you to a holiday program. Last three years, you joined DoctoRabbit in Lebak Bulus. The year after, it was KidSport in Pondok Indah. And then, last year you went to DoctoRabbit again, but the one in Pondok Indah. This year, I signed you up to FastracKids.

They had three different themes for three weeks. The first one was Broadway Superstars, where kids learned to become actors and actresses, make-up artists, fashion designers and performance directors. The second one was Hi-Tech Whizkids, where kids were asked to make their own invention, and challenged to throw their ideas on new discoveries that would help them in their daily life. The third one was Millionaire Kids, where you learned the basic of economics, entrepreneurship, marketing and promotion.

I signed you up for the second and third theme.

On the last day of the program, parents were invited to attend a bazaar. I took a day off for this. When I came to the school, I was greeted by a little girl selling kids-made choco cookie. And as I went up the stairs, I saw some posters made by the kids, inviting people to come to the bazaar with their own words. I smiled, it was so amusing….. I saw other kids selling choco cookie and some artworks in the class, but I couldn’t find you. After waiting for about 15 minutes, you showed up all sweaty, with a jug of lemonade and plastic glasses on your hands. Apparently, you were selling the lemonade to the neighboring people!

At the end of the class, the money was distributed evenly to all the kids. Everybody received Rp14.000,-! I guess you can say that this is the first amount of money that you ever earned in your life. And you earned it by selling lemonade. I’m so proud of you…
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Garfield

This is Garfield, an alley cat that has become a regular visitor to our house since you gave him some leftovers food.

So I told you:

Me: Maybe Chico is his kid

You: No way…..

Me: Why not?

You: Because Garfield is a male cat

Me: So?

You: Well, male don’t get pregnant, so there’s no way Chico is his kid

Hmmm, that is so cute…..
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Your Workbench

This is your workbench. With this, you will be busy for hours making your ‘inventions’ out of used stuff. Then sometimes, you name your inventions with some cool names, like “the ten thousand megatron”, “the nine thousand time machine” or “the dorkatron”.

And what can those interesting inventions do? Apparently, the Dorkatron can change people! So if there is somebody who is lazy and crazy, we just have to point the Dorkatron to this person. Zap it, and after awhile this person will become a cool person.

Yupz…., that is what the Dorkatron can do….

A New Pet

After hamster and fish, you now have a more ‘serious’ pet, a kitten! We found her yesterday morning, just sitting miserably alone, cuddling herself, at our doorsteps. It’s just like somebody dropped her to our home. She has white fur, with three colors tails. And I thought, well, this is it. You were asking for a pet, so this might work for you.

So we brought her in. First, we gave her milk –which she refused – and then we feed her with smoke beef rice, which she loved. After that, we discussed about the most important thing when we have a new pet, what we are going to name her!

First, I suggested Kitty, then you changed it to Katty, then we tried Speedy (sounds like that internet provider, no?) And then, this morning, it seemed that you would settle for Chico. Hmm, let’s see how long you will stick to that name.

I think having pet is great for kids like you. In fact, not just for kids, grown ups too. Yesterday, when you were away for your English class, I found myself talking to the kitten, gosh, can’t remember the last time I talked to a pet. The good thing about talking to a pet is that they listen. They don’t try to give solutions or arguments. They just listen, which sometimes is just what you need when there’s so much on your head.

I hope Chico will stay with us for long and that we can grow her to a healthy cat. With Chico around, I believe you can learn to take more responsibility and of course, enjoy her company when I cannot be there with you.
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This time, it's pancakes!

Last Sunday, once again, you showed your passion for cooking. You asked if I know how to make pancakes. Hmmm, I thought….., pancakes…., shouldn’t be difficult although I’ve never really made it. It’s just flour and eggs, right? Probably with some milk. Nevertheless, I called your grandma just to make sure that I have it right. And I have to ask mbak to buy the flour, because it’s not something that I would store in my cupboard,

To me, it was so amusing to see how much you enjoy the making process: preparing the bowl, breaking the eggs and mixing it with flour and milk. You even got messy having that white flour all over your pajamas (yes, you were so excited, that you insisted making it before you took your morning bath).

The best part, of course, is when you got to decorate the warm pancakes with chocolate sauce and chocolate rice, before slowly chomp it into your mouth. You also liked it when we tried honey on it, but refused the cheese grate like the one I was having.

Cooking together is a great way to spend a Sunday morning. So glad that you got that idea. So glad that you do not think cooking is only for girls…

Hector

The day out for your birthday was not only for you and for me. We invited Hector, your best buddy from school, to join us. We had lunch and spent the whole afternoon at Timezone, before looking for your birthday present.

You knew Hector since you entered pre-school. I was worried on how you would adapt to your new environment. But you two seemed to connect right away. In class, you and Hector always wanted to sit side-by-side, chatting and giggling throughout the lesson, up to a point that Ibu Nur, your class teacher back then, forbid you to sit together. Oh well, but you still have your break time to catch up…..

On the second year of your pre-school, your teacher purposely put you in different class, But then, I noticed that you still play and chat with him during breaktime. It went on during your first year in preliminary school. Only on your second grade, you and Hector were reunited in the same class, the 2B. Naturally, the same thing happened, talking and laughing during class. Your teacher, Pak Asep, expressed his amazement on how the two of you were so connected. And when Hector forget to bring his assignments, you gladly help him out. In fact, this last couple of months, you pick him up every morning and check with each other about school assignments before arriving at school.

I’m glad that you have found a good buddy. As they say, a good friend is hard to find. But once you’ve found them, he or she will become a very important part of your life. A good friend will tell you things that you should listen to but do not want to believe. A good friend will know just what to do when you are down and troubled, He will stay by your side to see that you pull it through. A good friend will not only share your joy, but also your confusion, doubts and sorrow.

Hector seemed to be a fun, cool little guy. I’m happy that you two are good friends.

IBU

Last week, you learned about poetry writing. Your teacher gave you the liberty to choose whether you want to write about Mom or about Dad. And you chose to write about Mom! 

And here it is:

IBU

Ibu
Aku sangat menyayangimu
Aku sangat menghormatimu
Aku mengagumimu

Engkau wanita yang mulia
Berbakti sepanjang masa
Mengurus keluarga
Menyayangi keluarga

Ibu
Aku takut kehilanganmu
Tanpamu aku tidak bisa tidur
Aku tidak tenang bermain
Aku tidak mau kehilanganmu

Thank you, honey. I’m so proud of you. I love you too….

Free PS3? No way......

Last week when we went to the supermarket, you asked for Fruitilllo Magic, not because you want to enjoy the colorful instant drink, but simply because there was this wordings written on the box: BERHADIAH PLAYSTATION 3.

And this morning you asked me to carefully read the terms. I scanned it through and read it outloud "....kirimkan 10 kartu silver (seri berbeda) & dapatkan hadiah langsung Playstation 3"

Your eyes beamed with excitement, "hey, that's easy, mama. I nearly have it all..!"

I felt a bit of skepticism. I thought, there’s no way that it can be that simple! Then I carefully continue reading the rest of the wordings on the box

"Periode program 1 Mei-31 Agustus 2006"

"But now it's already 2008, mama..." you asked with your big puzzled eyes

"Yes, honey. So I guess the program is over" I answered as calm as I can.

"But why did they do that? Why are they still selling it when they know that it's now 2008?" you asked sadly, trying hard to hide your disappointment.

Hmmm, good question, honey, and I don't have the answer. Perhaps they were just too busy thinking about sales target that they forgot to think about how an innocent, naïve young children like you would feel when they found out that the promotion program was over….

Puasa

I’m so proud of you. Today, on the third day of this Ramadhan month, you began your half day puasa. What I was so happy about was nobody really asks you, it came from you. You really wanted to, and refuse to take your favorite choco sandwich that mbak Irah brought you this morning.

Today you broke your fast at exactly 12 noon with a glass of water and four stack of choco sandwich. You promise that after 1 pm, you will continue your puasa until maghrib. Way to go, honey!

A Client-PR Consultant Conversation

This afternoon, you managed to build up a three stack cards. You were so thrilled, and I hurriedly took a shot of it so that you can show it to your dad later on. And then, we had this funny conversation:

You: Mama, can you arrange so that the picture would appear in the newspaper?
Me: Why would you want that?
You: So that people would know that I managed to make it
Me: Yeah, but why would the papers be interested to publish it?
You: Becoz it’s not an easy job to do, and I can do it
Me: Yeah, but there are a lot of things happening out there, and there are many things that are much more important to be published. You know that the papers have only limited space….

Hahaha, I felt like I was talking to a client. Don’t worry hon, I’m publishing it in our blog. So hopefully, people would know……

My Sweet Little Boy

10.30 pm, we were in the bedroom, and I was occupied with myself, scribbling and surfing the net. Apparently, the cappuccino I had this afternoon was quite strong.

Just then, I noticed that you were also busy with yourself, making something out of an empty yakult bottle, tissue roll, scrap paper and an empty face powder box. I wasn't sure what it is until you explained excitedly that it is a high tech weighing machine and microscope, where you can see the numbers automatically (??). Hmm, okay, another invention….

I went back to my notebook after we talked a bit about what your "new gadget" can do. And then, from the corner of my eyes, I saw you quietly put it away, leaving the playing area neat and clean, before finally settling in for your night sleep.

What a sweet little boy you are! You bring nothing but laughter and cheerfulness. Never nag, never been a hassle, never ask for too much.

And for tonight, this is all you asked for:

“Mama, can I please have a choco sandwich before I go to sleep?”

Sure honey, I’ll get it for you…., right away! It’s always been - and will always be - my pleasure to serve you.

You, in Trans TV

Ok, just for the record, I need to put it here. For the second time, you were featured in a TV program. This time was in Trans TV’s “Good Morning On The Week End”, July 1 2007 edition. They were reporting about how children spent their holiday. One creative way is by learning how to make pizza!

And there you were, with your buddies from Rapid Reader, having fun while putting all the ingredients together. The pizza class took place at Papa Ron’s. There were about 15 children about your age and younger, all looked excited and in high spirit. And you looked so handsome and adorable when together with a friend, being interviewed. You explained about the ingredients and told the reporter that your pizza tastes so yummy!

7 years old, and you already were in two tv programs and one leading newspaper. Not bad, huh? 20 or 30 years from now, you might get interviewed for a different topic:

Legal - if you become a lawyer which I think is so unlikely
Information Technology – emmm, maybe…
Sport – don’t think so
Marketing – possible
Science & invention – potential, you can be a cool scientist

So, let’s get back to this posting when it happens. Let’s see if my guesses were right.

Acquired: Skill Number 2

Learning from my own life, there are several essential skills and abilities that can help you enjoy your life to its fullest. The first three are:
1. swimming
2. riding a bicycle
3. driving a car

Playing with water is always fun, no matter how old you are. And I’m so glad that you have learned the basic, enough, that I don’t have to worry whenever you’re having fun in the pool.

And just about two weeks ago, you proudly told me that you have learned riding the bicycle without the training wheels. You looked so happy and so proud, and that really made me feel like a good mom – even though I wasn’t the one who taught you. I feel like I have succeeded in equipping you with basic, yet important skills that enable you enjoy your childhood. Congratulations honey…..

And for the driving skill, well, I’m not worried. Although you always said that you wouldn’t know how, you still have another 10 years to learn. So, it’s ok hon, plenty of time. For now, being able to swim and ride a two-wheel bicycle are enough to get you all the fun you want.


Picture from http://www.wpclipart.com/transportation/bicycle/bicycle_01.png

First Grade, Second Semester

You have just finished your second semester evaluation test last week, and thank God, you have done very well. Here’s the result of your test:

Pendidikan Agama Islam: 9.2
PKN: 9.5
IPA: 9.3
Bahasa Indonesia: 9.3
IPS: 8
Bahasa Inggris: 8.8
Matematika: 9.8

And following are some of your answers to the test that I found it quite amusing:

The Question: Apa akibatnya bila tidak ada tata tertib
Your Answer: Hidup akan berantakan

The Question: Mengapa malam hari udara terasa lebih dingin daripada siang hari?
Your Answer: Karena siang hari panas banget

The Question: Mengapa bola lebih mudah bergerak daripada kotak sepatu?
Your Answer: Karena kotak sepatu itu kotak

The Question: Buatlah kalimat sesuai gambar di samping (a picture of a kid singing)
Your Answer: Rudi bernyanyi di rumah dikasih tau ke anggota keluarganya supaya keluarganya senang

I'm actually quite surprised on how the school structure the questions. I feel that some of the questions are not supposed to be for children your age. But what do you know, you can answer it anyway. I guess kids nowadays are way smarter than what they used to be.

And I'm so proud of you.

Letting You Decide

I think it is so natural for children like you to stall when they are asked to quit playing and do other things. But I have a very good trick that never fails me: I let you decide when do you want to quit!

Just like today, we spent the day at Circuz Circuz Playground at PIM. I was beginning to get worried when one hour after your usual lunch time, you still refused to quit. So this is what I did. I asked you to determine the time you want to quit. After a tough negotiation, we agreed that you would quit playing 20 minutes later, at.1.30. And it never fails. At 1.29, I showed you the time, and you voluntarily went out from the playground without a fuss.

I use this same trick when you are reluctant to get a bath, refuse to turn off the tv or don’t want to eat up your meal. I think it makes you feel appreciated that you are being involved in the decision making and therefore also learn to honor your own decisions.

The only problem is when you try it on me: “So, mama, what time are you going to get home? At which number the little hand is pointing at…..?” Hahaha, smart kid…..

The Net, now from Home

We now have access to internet from home! No limit access, for only Rp150 thousand per month! Now this is what I call a fantastic deal: with that amount of money, the service is excellent while the access speed is amazing.

So today, we spent the afternoon surfing the net. We visited the sites of all your favorite characters, from Ben 10, Jimmy Neutron, Danny Phantom, Spiderman, Chalk Zone, Totally Spies and many more.

You have also learned to look for information in Google. You even looked for sites that have your name. And there it was, the Wikipedia says that your name can be translated into English as effort, vigor, diligence, and zeal. Hm, isn’t Google wonderful? Isn't the net the most brilliant thing men ever invented?

Story Telling: Who is Telling Who?

Last night was funny. As usual, as soon as I turn off the tv and dim the light, you would shout “tell me a story!”. And I would ask you “What story do you want to hear tonight? Batman? Ben 10? Spiderman?” And last night you wanted a combination of the three characters: Ben10, Jimmy Neutron and Danny Phantom

And so I began: “One day, Ben10, Jimmy Neutron and Danny Phantom were studying in the class room when something happened….,”. And then, before I could say another word, you continued the story for about five minutes, before saying ”Ok, mama, now you tell me the story…” So, I continued with few sentences, before, again, you interrupted with your version. And this happened repeatedly until I felt so sleepy hearing your voice and close my eyes. I fell asleep until you woke me up “Mama, open your eyes and continue the story….” .

Hahaha, I felt it was so funny, as if you were the one who was telling me a bed time story. Hmmm, this is the kind of moments with you that I would always treasure. And you know what, when I am getting really old, I would really like you to tell me a bed time story. I think it would be very nice.

Picture taken from here

Funny Talking Habit

You have this funny habit. When you are sleepy, you become more talkative. You will talk and talk and talk about whatever – a lot of times about silly things that I don’t understand - and then suddenly….., quiet…., you fall into a deep sleep.

Another habit that I found it so amusing is when you pretend to be super heroes, jumping here and there, trying to save the world. You talk so loud and fast while “fighting with the bad guys”, that sometimes the words are just missing, mis-pronounced or not in order. And then you would giggle with your dancing eyes, before we both burst into a good laugh. And I would feel so blessed to have this chance of living each day of my life watching you grow.

Thank you for making my life so meaningful, and full of laughter.

The Dinosaur Story

Saturday morning, we were watching a Hallmark film with dinosaurs.

You: I want to be a dinosaur, a young dinosaur
Me: Why a young dinosaur?
You: So that nobody would kill me. And you can be a fairy
Me: Why?
You: So that you could save me if somebody wants to kill me….

and then.....

You: But, I want to be a fairy too….
Me: Why?
You: So that I can do magic……
Me: Such as……?
You: Well, with magic, I can have any toy that I want. So that you don’t have to spend anymore money for my toys

(Hmmmm…..)

Anyway, the Hallmark story was about a mother who thought that a dinosaur had eaten up her two children. She was really desperate and wanted revenge by stealing the dinosaur’s eggs. She was so busy finding ways to destroy the eggs that she actually didn’t look for her children at the right place. And just when she was about to destroy the eggs, her children showed up.

Morale of the story: when you are sad, desperate, confused, angry, disappointed, try not to fill up your heart with hatred. It would be hard, but if you do, you might take the wrong decision, and therefore make others feel sad, desperate, confused, angry, disappointed. We certainly don’t wanna make others feel what we don’t wanna feel, do we?

(Pic from here)