Nikki’s FIRST prize from school

Barely a month to school, Nikki gets her first prize – as top three performers in her class – in this past one month of orientation. 😊😊😊

I am so PROUD of her. Hopefully it gives her more motivation and positivism to go to school (which she already has ALOT). I told her roughly that the prize is about adapting to class, listening to teachers, remembering messages and being a good kid.

Really good job to my chilli padi!!!! 😘😘😘

I coincidentally arrived at the RIGHT time before her class’ prize giving. So I managed to witness the prize giving at the parents’ waiting area (she is actually clueless why she got it🤣).

Video: https://youtube.com/shorts/J5wuexAUza0?feature=share

My chilli padi’s very FIRST day to school

My chilli padi’s very FIRST day to school!

🥲🥲🥲

She’s certainly a brave girl who doesn’t need me to soothe her. I woke her up and she told me that she wants to shower by herself. She had her breakfast quicker than usual and she was just READY to go.

Wish you all the very best in your schooling years.

Mummy promises that I won’t reprimand you even if you flunk your P1 because what you learnt in the last six years are taught by ME! 😛🥲🤣

Photo: https://youtube.com/shorts/ilpYdhDcuVM?feature=share

Day 1:

She will have daily lunch in the park now while we wait for jeh jeh!

She was beaming when she saw me. She was one of the first to came out from class.

She has so much to tell me; cannot remember any of the teachers names that came into her class 🤣 (except her class teacher and telling me ‘all the teachers today are girls), the last teacher (period) was very funny, didn’t really make any friends today because sitting in her place all the time, went to the toilet to wash hand but cannot reach the water pipe (so she wipe her hands and sanitise), she saw her jeh jeh walking to the toilet 🤣 and waved at her (luckily jeh jeh returned the wave 🤣), one of the teachers asked if she has a sister/brother in school and she didn’t get the Covid test kit (she stressed THIS to me because I think she had phobia spitting saliva).

Nikki belongs to the RED team. I initially thought sisters will be in the same sports team. But Nikki is happier to be red THAN green team. 🤣🤣

I asked whether she misses me. She answered ‘kind of’! 🙄🤣 She has a lot more stories which we were trying to picture/figure out/ relate (because some don’t make sense🤭)! 🤣🤣 She did drawing, word search, hidden pictures and singing in class yesterday.

Actually she ain’t sitting in front of the teacher’s table but next to the door, and that’s how she noticed Noelle passed by her classroom. Ok, it sounds ‘good’ to me on her seating (not sure if it will change because she actually chose the seat herself)- better ventilation 🤣.

>> I wanted to ‘scold’ Noelle for leaving Nikki at the sanitising queue (instead of bringing her to the class queue). But then Noelle said the teacher there asked her to leave Nikki at the sanitising queue. 🤭🤣 Luckily belum scold….

In short, she had a good day!

Big sister’s treat

Shopping spree at the book (stationary) shop!

Noelle won first place for her school online Merdeka video last year. And she received RM60 bookstore vouchers. But it would be expiring by end of the month! 🙄🙄 (it was given out late)

So, I promised her to bring them to the store during weekend. And here we were! She allowed her sisters to choose something too. A lot of books, comics, stationaries and some ‘ancient’ toys there. They were very indecisive to what they wanted, and Noelle was busy browsing the prices too (I think she realised that the stationaries there are much more expensive than Mr DIY! 🤭🤣)

At the end, they choseeeeee……(ok look at the pic) and there’s outstanding of RM17.20, which I used to buy ‘workbooks’ 😛. I repaid her the remaining to put into her piggy bank.

Video: https://youtu.be/xqBCqEJEjwA

Last week as P3 student!

With rising active Covid19 cases, everyone knows it is best to just stay at home. But we need to make choices. One of the things that I gave a good thought 💭 and told Noelle is about making calculated risk, i.e identifying which is necessary and unnecessary risk. Going to physical school (when it is available) , work and a little breather out of home for the mental health is a necessary risk. Other than that, as for now it seems unnecessary.

(As a sahm, I have a privilege to let her just stay at home. But on the other hand, being 24/7 with her, I had the ‘privilege’ to witness how her mood and mental health deteriorated over these two years.)

Hence, we have decided to let her go school (though this week is more of returning books, collecting P4 books and some fun at school). We reminded her how she narrowly escaped from a friend who caught Covid two weeks back (her friend was asymptotic) – and to continue stay vigilant by maintaining psychical distancing and no mask down except at her own desk during recess. I told her – Covid is something that can NOT be seen unlike ‘zombies’. 😛

Over last week, she made loom band pen grips as farewell gifts for her P3 teachers.

From F to A

Something worth mentioning, when Noelle just started primary school, she totally ‘failed’ her BM. She was a blurry sotong when it comes to speaking in Malay. In fact, during parents-teacher meet in that year, her teacher told us that she needs to translate to English for Noelle.

That was two years back….

And within two years especially this year. Noelle has improved tremendously (though there are many more space for improvements). She actually scored an A for BM (She actually knew it yesterday when her teacher mentioned that only four students in her class get an A for BM. She wasn’t sure if her name was mentioned wrongly. She told me she won’t be sure until she sees the exam paper – which she did today. She scored 83!😂).

Her improvement is largely contributed by a very good BM teacher she has this year (who is also her class teacher).

I know how good her teacher is because I sat with Noelle in most of her BM online classes this year 😂 and I learnt too. I got to admit the BM syllabus for year 3 is kinda difficult (from pemahaman to tatabahasa and karangan🙄). Sometimes or maybe I always have to Google for a better understanding and explanation to her.

Noelle has been in PDPR for 6 months plus. And this can definitely debunk thoughts that online studies doesn’t work. It really depends on whether the students want to work on it. In addition, we didn’t know that there will be a ‘test’ at the year end – so this is nothing to do with ‘last minute’ study.

Also, this year, she took up this habit/challenge of reading a short BM story a day. It somehow helped.

To Noelle, this is just the beginning. You are doing better this year and I hope you will continue with your effort. Remember that it is not about being better than anyone; but being a better YOU each year. Well done to you! 😘

Back to school!

Noelle goes back to school.

After six months lapse of psychical schooling, she’s back to school today. Not a difficult and not a simple decision 🤣 (what am I talking?)

Learning wise, I don’t think she drops out even if I continue to keep her at home. She has been consistent and discipline in her virtual learning so far.

But she needs more morale and emotional support from teachers and friends; plus an environment out of home (without her family members). School is essential for her to build self-independence and socialise; not pure education.

She does keep in contact with her bff. They are separated into different grouping, Noelle says she still wants to go to school despite knowing last week that her BFF didn’t go school. Some how I am happy that she isn’t into peer pressure.

We have done all measures to keep everyone safe so far. We don’t dine in, gathering nor get into confined places for extended time. We have been following SOP. School and office (for papa) would be an ‘essential’ to us. Like KNS (why always you? 😛) says, we can’t hold the ‘guilt’ forever if anytime one of us at home is affected by the virus.

Never take away the joy of learning

Have you heard this song before?

少年 Shào Nián <https://youtube.com/shorts/-S4mqjBAaCM?feature=share&gt;

Recently, she did a mandarin test with her tutor and the result came out that she merely passed for SJKC P1 level. 🙄🙄🙄 Actually, we didn’t mind the result. And since the papa doesn’t know what to reply to the tutor, he replied ‘seems like there’s still room for improvement.’ 🙄🤣 which it isn’t ‘wrong’ in the respond.

The tutor later replied 🤣🤣🤣 (maybe he felt intimidated with his ability to teach🙄) – “Actually Noelle is considered ‘good’ for a SK P3 student.” 🤣🤣🤣

Anyway, why we don’t mind the result – because it hasn’t taken away her joy of learning. Never a day we need to remind her to do her homework, and never a day we get a complain from her teacher. Every homework is settled by herself – unless she needs help, she will ask. She has been consistent in every detail and ‘reports’ to me whatever is required. She is pretty discipline in her attitude to work. And this is what matters at this point of time. Good attitude will get her where she wish to be in the future (in our opinion).

for example, she needs to practice singing this song twice every day (which is a homework given by her tutor). Nikki instigated Noelle to sing only once – since it is taking their time to play. But Noelle insisted that she needs to sing it twice. 🤣

Back to physical school

The child that gives me a lot of roller coaster emotions….but one who turned me from a serious person to a more lively one…

The one that turned me into a stay-at-home-mum, cook, nanny, cleaner, teacher, driver, Godzilla…etc

The one that resulted me to having more and then fewer friends….

Despite your weaknesses/limitations, you are already a perfect child….(I think you have been a role model for your sisters and set the bar ‘high’ for them🙄🤭)

Five months just flew passed when you stayed at home 24/7 with us….time to let your ‘wing’ fly again soon (though just for few hours a day🤭🤣)

I will definitely miss the daily moments of coaching you in studies….

…
I have no ‘complain’ about Noelle on her home based learning that started since a month. She concentrates and highly participates (as in volunteers to answer most of the times) in her virtual classes. She completes most of her google classroom work with minimal monitoring; just that she always wants me to check her work before turning in (🙄 she is perfectionist). I would be happy that she continues home based learning (who doesn’t when already in comfort zone?🙄🤣)

But deep down in Noelle, she is yearning to go back physical schooling. We could see how she is enlighten to the news on going back to physical school but then disappointed when we told her ‘see condition first’. Many talks with her, many thoughts in me (compounded with many readings about other parents’ concerns and feedback) and discussion with hubby…Noelle is more likely to get back to school on 8 March. As far as we want to protect her and the family from Covid19, her mental health is utmost important especially since she has very little social contact in the past five months. (Honestly speaking, if I make an emotional decision, it will be a BIG no.) I could only trust that she follows SOPs and so do her classmates and teachers; now and when they return to physical schooling. And we told her that we can always reverse our decision when things don’t look good.

we can just cross fingers that the pandemic 😷 especially in our country will come to an end soon <<

……

Teacher during Google Meet: Are you ready to come back to school next week????

Noelle (unmute): YESSSSSSS

🙄🙄🙄🙄

……….

Just in time! We finally completed the 1200 pieces puzzle 🧩before the official end of our MCOv2! 😂😂 >>> For this round CMCOv2 till the end of MCOv2, we have done fewer art and craft activities. We spent more time on academics, physical exercise and flexibility, intellectual activities (like Rubik’s cube), playing the piano, reading a lot more together to training our patience (puzzles from 500 pieces to 1,200 pieces). As Noelle returns to school on Monday, it will mark the official end of our MCOv2. I can’t deny it is a mix emotions again. I told myself not to be emo about it but appreciate the great time spent 24/7 together in the last 5 months (Oct 2020 – March 2021)

Puzzle video: https://youtu.be/sAOqbw2jew8

Breaking a goal into smaller goals

Few weeks ago, I successfully bidded for a 1,200 pieces puzzle from BNP. I just need to pay for the courier fee since the person gifting is from Penang.

Actually Noelle wanted to start it last weekend; but I procrastinated. 🤭🤣 And at the same time, I wonder if we can complete it in 2 days. 🙄🙄 The previous 500 pieces already took us a whole day.

Since the puzzle came in perfect set and it is really a very good quality (plastic type) puzzle, we can actually divide the puzzles. We told Noelle that we will complete a quarter first (approximately 400 pieces) at one time. 🙄🤣 Somehow ‘cheating’ but it was breaking into smaller goals. This morning we completed one quarter and in the afternoon we completed another quarter – so we have a half done today! (About 600 pieces in 4 hours or less)🤣 If she is in mood tomorrow, we will continue to complete the whole puzzle. 😁😁

This time round, mostly completed by Noelle and I. Nikki didn’t want to join us today! 😆 At least Norrah came by to put few pieces. Hubby went out for haircut. 🙄<<

…..

#throwback

Last week of virtual class for primary 3

I have received few messages from friends asking if I have sent Noelle to school today. 🙄🤣 I am sincerely grateful for the concern. 😁😘 But, Noelle is in Primary 3; so her physical school only starts next week officially! 🤣🤣

In fact, when I read the messages, I was wondering if I have got the calendar wrong. 🙄🤣 But then she has been receiving her online homework and was attending her virtual class. I couldn’t be wrong, right?🤣 Then i further thought – no one in the parents’ WhatsApp group asked about schooling this morning. Ok….I am ‘on the right track’.

I am already ‘preparing’ myself that she will attend physical school next week onwards, ok? 🙄🤣 I have been setting my alarm clock, waking up earlier than the past four-five months. 🤭😆

I have not much time to ‘emo’ because I am still juggling with Noelle’s online homework, Nikki’s pre-homeschooling and the kakacaucau Norrah plus all the other A to Z work. In the blink of an eye, it is lunch time and then now nap time. 🙄😆

in one year’s time, we have to register Norrah for primary school! How time flies….<<<

Virtual class 2021 – Year 3

Before year 2020 ended and before KPM decided to have online studies, we have already decided to keep Noelle at home for at least January. Thereafter, I sourced for her textbooks – and got the preloved ones. In addition, I got her the English workbook, which was a requirement by the school.

Fast forward, MCO came and KPM decided on online studies. I think I did a great job for getting the preloved textbooks (I am not shy to say that ‘I am very smart’🤣) as they have to rely on soft copies.

I have been preparing Noelle for year 3 too because I feel we couldn’t rely on her school teachers entirely. But to my surprise, today’s arrangement was way better than expectation. Besides the virtual class (which was quite interactive), google classroom homework was all well coordinated. Noelle wanted to check the google classroom every hour – but I told her probably check towards end of the morning – like what we did last year. (but teachers have been uploading per schedule). 🤣🤣 She has been doing the worksheets I gave her as per usual; and found that she has additional work from her teachers. 🤭🤣 So, that doubled up her work actually. She didn’t complain at all but I told her I will give her less tomorrow onwards. She has been ‘working’ from 830am till 2pm with an hour break for lunch. 😂

And today her first virtual class was Mathematics – and I realized that I have been teaching her way in advance. I taught her ‘hundred thousands’ while her teacher was teaching ‘ten thousands’! 🤣🤣🤣

Around facebook groups, some parents have been complaining BUT I am happy with how it had come so far – on the first day and hope it will continue as it is. KUDOS to the teachers and school for the planning (though everything was only given out to parents yesterday). I think it must have been a well thought plan after a rather ‘poor’ year in 2020.

I can also see parents posting how stressful they are at handling online home studies. Hubby says I am stressful before the virtual class started but once it started, I destressed! 🤣 Which is true, because he and Nikki were getting scoldings from me in the morning before the virtual class. 🤭🙄😂

Noelle says she’s very happy seeing her schoolmates again (she has been looking serious throughout the hour). 😂

Photo: https://youtu.be/qBXCS4-nEnE

Please appreciate every google meet/ virtual classes that your kids have. It teaches them

• self control: each person gets their turn to talk; they are required to mute themselves all the time and teacher will call out their name to talk/read/answer
• self control: although it is tempting to chat at the chat room, kids have to control not to especially during on going lesson.
• self confidence: kids will raise their hands (virtually) to answer questions asked; confidence to let teacher know when things go wrong (today Noelle voiced out that her name was pronounced wrongly 🤣 and teacher said sorry for the wrong pronunciation; and another friend pointed out to teacher that she mentioned the wrong class!)
• real time interaction: for kids who are already locked down at home, the virtual classes serve as their point of social interaction – remembering each other’s face, laughing/ smiling towards one another and most importantly a real time conversation especially with their teachers
• focus: Even though there were 39 students in one class this morning, everything was in order. 98% of the time – no interruption and they carefully listened to instruction.
• technology: some kids were already so smart to change their background to blur out the items surrounding them – while I then googled how they did that 🤣

I like it that most students have so much confidence and can’t wait to be called out to answer questions/read including Noelle☺️! Sometimes she even go raise hand when she didn’t know the answer! 🙄🙄 and I at the background asking her ‘you know meh?’ 🙄🙄😂😂

I think this year the school has no reason to say that the kids are not following or interrupting the virtual class. For the second day, teachers have been uploading based on time table – so the whole morning has been really filled up with real school time activities.

yes, I am finding myself resitting Year 3. Today’s Science virtual class! 🤣 I sat through an hour with Noelle today (except the time I got to clean up the sister’s 💩)- teacher didn’t want to end the class early! 😂 I will sit down with her for at least a week – to make sure she is ok with everything.

Superkids Box from Pantai Hospital KL

Thanks Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur and UKIDS Malaysia for sending us this Superkids Box! Glad that we received it on time before Noelle goes back to school next week. It is very informative plus it tests the kids’ understanding and memory about covid19 with its puzzle game. Besides that, it also comes with a ‘care pack’ – perfect for ‘back to school’!

I simply just participated in their survey to get this goodie!

Pic: https://youtu.be/8BEiGlqXtNE

Whole day so excited with the Superkids Box; of course when papa came home from work, catch him to play….or else no need sleep tonight! 🤣🤣

Video: https://youtu.be/C46GVXnvgfg