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A Very Good Day!

3 Mar

I must admit in between the precious moments with M1 before she leaves, I have been at my games as well. I have made much progress for Candy Crush, Farm Heroes and Candy Crush Soda, at Level 844, Level 701 and Level 223 respectively.

I was stuck at both the candy games for sometime but today proved to be a good day; I finally succeeded for Candy Crush and waiting for tickets now to move on to the next chapter and also for Candy Crush Soda, at Level 225 now.

But the day got even better as we went to school to get M1’s SPM results, released today after the three month wait. I am one proud mama to say that she scored straight ‘A’s for the ten subjects she took! It was tears of joy as I hugged my baby.

A very good and happy day.

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Everyday is So Precious

2 Mar

As time ticks away until M1 leaves for college, everyday spent with her is so precious. Suddenly, there is still so much to do, see and eat. Things that we have always taken for granted suddenly has been elevated to become a priority. So we’ve been cramping in as much as we can.

This reminds me of my time when I was leaving for college, dinosaur years ago. Mom and Dad spent as much time as possible with me – taking me to do this, see that and eat just about everything.

Funny how life repeats itself when one becomes a parent and now understand what their parents did for them.

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Letting My Baby Go

27 Feb

It is inevitable. M1 turned 18 early this year and it is college-bound year. Hubby and I have decided for her to go overseas for a four-year course, letting her go early instead of doing a year or so locally. She leaves in three weeks.

In short, we have to learn to let our baby (and Humphrey) go off, on her own (but with Humphrey), to college as a freshman and learn to be independent and be an adult.

Sob, sniffle and bawl…

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Back to School

13 Jan

After a long school holiday break, it’s back to school but only for M2. She went back to school yesterday. She has had a pretty non-productive holiday in my opinion, watching her videos and shows online every single day.

When she is not doing so, her iPod is perpetually stuck on her hands either for her to listen to music or to play games. While she may find this a good way to lull her time away, I still feel it’s unproductive; unlike M1 who came to the office to work for me to learn some responsibility and earn some pocket money at the same time.

Well, then again I cannot fault her for we never went anywhere after the Bangkok trip. The most is to the mall on weekends. So I am glad school has reopened and our lives will be back to the normal routine.

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The ME is Still Me and Not You!

25 Nov

Setting up the phone was not as easy as we thought. Because it was my phone, my name, number and ID was everywhere. It took a while to figure out the ID, Phone, Message and FaceTime settings.

“Why is the ME still me and not you when the phone is in your name already and not mine?” I asked.

M2 was blank and M1 was equally confused.

It sounds convoluted. When test iMessages which was sent to M2 ended up coming back to me on my iPhone5S and my iPad Mini, something was not quite right! I think it was due to the fact that the iTunes and App Store account was linked to my email (which we left it as is) that everything got messed up.

Finally, I figured it out. It was under Mail, Contacts and Calendars that we had to identify ‘My Info’ on top of Phone, Messages and FaceTime settings. Once this was fixed, the ME on the iPhone4 is no longer me but M2.

Phew. It was way past midnight when this was resolved.

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Goodbye Forever

24 Nov

So I kept to my word and handed over to M2 the iPhone4, which amazingly has been still surviving well without battery issues after I upgraded to the iPhone5S. Hubby even upgraded the SIM card and had the old mobile number reactivated for use. Like a giddy child on Christmas morning, M2 began customizing my old iPhone4 to her liking.

The ‘Angie’s iPhone’ ID has been renamed to reflect her ownership. The layout of the pages have been moved around with most of my stuff either filed away or deleted. Slowly, my presence on the phone was reduced and her preference put in.

I guess this is really goodbye forever to my old iPhone4. No more relying on it for my Farm Heroes! Oh no. But thank goodness for the latest update of it on the iPad, the game is now more stable.

Old as it may be to me, the iPhone4 is a new phone for M2, a new beginning. Goodbye iPhone4, be good to M2 and serve your new owner well.

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Almost There, Part 2

21 Nov

M2 called me the minute she got home yesterday. I could hear the frustration and agony in her voice when she told me the remaining results and the final average mark, 73. No further improvements from the last count and one short from achieving the 74 mark set.

Ouch. The almost there is not quite there. So near yet so far.

In my mind, I recalled the hubby reminding me to be objective and to look at the bigger picture of things. It shouldn’t be that small failure that determines the situation.

I talked to her while in my mind, I was analyzing the bigger picture and realized that M2 did study hard. Only one subject came in with a horrifying result, a plunge from a ‘B’ to a disastrous ‘D’! The other subjects saw an overall improvement and an increase in total marks. For this improvement, how can I fault her and say she did not study and try her best? A bit unfair, no?

So rather than focusing on the near miss of the 74 average for all, I relooked at the qualifying factor and adjusted it so that M2 can have a sense of achievement. After all, our intention is purely to motivate with reward and not punish with frustration.

I decided then to give a probational reward (the right to use the iPhone4) because the fact is evident that there was an improvement and we should not ignore this effort. Come next year, if she improves further on what she has achieved this time, the phone remains in her possession. But if there is a decline in the results, the phone comes back to me, hence the probational clause.

This is the best solution for now. I don’t feel mean, she feels relieved and happy and today, being the last day of school, it should end on a happy note.

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Almost There

20 Nov

Every child is different in their ability and strength. We should never compare in order to nurture and coax the child to grow in confidence. Having said that, it is evident that my M1 and M2 are different in their abilities. As far as studies are concerned, I never have to worry about one but the other, well, a lot of nurturing along the way. But we never compare.

While M1 is still facing her SPM exams, final year-end exams for M2 came and went. The target has been set again—just to push her a little—for her to achieve and have a sense of satisfaction. However, it is set slightly lower than before; she requested for this ‘magical’ number. I could not maintain nor raise it higher than the 80 mark, set for the mid-term earlier, because she and I both agreed it will never be achieved. So in order not to demoralize her, we agreed to set it at 74, an overall average for all the subjects.

I figured better to have something within reach to motivate her rather than something impossible then she will never try hard or taste success. She missed the mid-term mark by a mile and was very demoralized about it.

As it is, some results have come back earlier in the week; she had hits and misses and the average worked out to be 71. Then the next day, four more subjects came back and amazingly, the average went up to 73! Almost there…

But there are 5 more subjects to come back. Let’s just hope she achieves it and understands the meaning of hard work, perseverance and success. The reward: the long awaited inheritance of my old iPhone4.

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Day of Reckoning, Part 2

3 Nov

Today is the first day of the month long exam for M1. I feel I should tread on eggshells carefully around the house and not be seen to ensure she is not disturbed and stay focused in her preparations. An unnecessary thing to do but the enormity of the situation just makes me feel this way.

When I was facing these exams dinosaur years ago, I think my mom and dad did none of this and went about their ways; and the only elder sibling was away. I shouldn’t be so paranoid, I think she’s ready. I should stay more cool about it…

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How Come I Never Got Flowers? Part 2

21 Oct

The big exam is nearing for M1. She has been very focused and determined. For this, I am so proud of her but I also worry at the pace that she has been pushing herself.

At times, she would wake up at 5.30 in the morning and put in an hour’s study before getting ready for school. Such discipline! I must admit I was never like that in high school. Maybe in college burning the midnight oil, yes but never like this, waking up before the sun.

Her language teacher has been really supportive. The extra classes under her tutelage has done wonders for my child. And the encouragement the teacher gives her has been truly amazing. She even treated M1 and some of the other students to dinner and a movie two weeks ago. A break and some relaxation time for them to unwind and not be so uptight with the exam preparation. Wow.

Teachers nowadays make me envious. How come I never received such treatment when I was in school? Prior to this, M1 received flowers from her teachers for good luck and now this, an outing treat. As time draws near to the exam, it will be all up to her and at that point, we give her all the moral and emotional support. I know she will do well and will always be proud of her no matter what the outcome.

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