Friday, July 29, 2016

Pondering #58

Yes, because sometimes, after a bit of deliberation, a tad more thinking, a few moments of reanalyzing, we realize that we are not quite right after all. So always respect differing in opinions, because we are not right all the times, no matter how smart we think we are. It would save us a lot of embarrassments, and dealing with pride and dignity massaging later.

~29 July 2015~

Monday, July 25, 2016

From the mouth of the babe #21

Boys watching Mission Impossible : Ghost Protocol.

Scene : Ethan Hunt & Benji attempting to enter Kremlin, they converse in Russian with the sentry guard checking their identification.

Aten : Hussen, do you know what language they are speaking in?

Hussen : Yes (eyes on movie)

Aten : So what language is it?

Hussen : Cakap Peghreligh! 

Qays : Cakap Cina!

Aten : *selop gelak*

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

'Adik sakit jantung'

After two weeks of letting him do as his wish of not going to school, we had to put our foot down, so yesterday and today we dragged him to school. Both episodes are different, yesterday the struggle was in school, first with Zz then with the two teachers. Once in class he was okay and was chattering away when we went to pick him up after school.



There's no bullying by fellow students nor teachers. We have checked many many times. And as one of the teachers said, he's an exemplary student, penyejuk hati and one of the smartest kid in class, and the neatest and best dressed one too. They are concerned that he's unhappy to go to school.

Today's episode begin right as we wake him up. He refused to get in the car, had to force him in. Then begin the attempt to escape which includes cry for sympathy from mom and grandma, kicking, struggling, pinching and scratching Zz, hitting the car window, screams of 'Adik sakit jantung', 'Why nak paksa adik, adik tak suka' and ultimately biting me in my upper arm. The bite went through my T-shirt and broke skin as he bit and tore. Wails turned to sobs, I even hear him apologizing, saying that he didn't realize what's he's doing, but he promises not to do it anymore - the biting part, not the not going to school part, this one keeps his promises, so he won't promise that yet.


I had to hold him down the whole five minutes drive (which felt like hours). Three quarter of the way I heard between sobs that he wants to sit with the counselling teacher and not go to class. I agreed and told him to stop crying and struggling. That's when he settled down.

We waited for everyone to be done with the assembly, only then we drove into the school compound as we were still concerned that he may run into the busy road.

Half willingly, with no struggle but sulk worth a crate of lemon, he went to the counselling room. The counsellor has him now, so let's see what tomorrow may bring.

He's the kind yang 'simpan dalam hati', and now reacting to the things that happened in his life recently. Yes, it's heartbreaking, but he can no longer not be in school. It's sad, our strong and firm Q has to express his emotions this way. We also know that one of the catalyst for him to act out this way was when adults are very selfish and act without thinking, no worries we have dealt with that. It's a matter of convincing him that he will no longer be bothered in school by 'unwanted' visitors. Insyaallah we'll weather this together, bites, bruises and all.

We are on the way into the city to get Kevlar lined shirt.

Saturday, July 16, 2016

Are we bullies too?

We name and shame those that are caught and highlighted, but we forget that our own children and most of us too, are very much lacking of #respectaccountabilitykindness. 

Yes, what she did is very wrong on so many different levels, and she got caught. Yup, she deserves every nasty word and all, every tiny bit of it, there's no excuse for the way she behaved.
 
You name and shame her, we hope that it will teach her a lesson, but what have you done to try stop this kind of behaviour from becoming a norm in our society? 

I think this new style of shaming is no more different than the 'humble bragging' that so many are passing of as 'peringatan untuk diri sendiri', we tend to over react, to the extend where the original message is lost and some people will take the advantage of running down a race, a religion, a belief, a political party, oh the list will go on forever. 

So instead of continuing with our incessant 'kutuking' (credit to Monyet King) why don't we do something to promote respect, accountability and kindness, so that this kind of behaviour won't become a common thing in the future. 

I think we as a community should look back into ourselves, where did we go wrong that yesterday we have the least expected person, behave so atrociously toward an older person in public. 

And what about those children who abuse their parents and grandparents behind closed doors? It all rolls back to respect. I don't think she respects herself much either, otherwise she won't behave as such and make a spectacle of herself.

-just my two cents worth-

Monday, July 11, 2016

Happy 7th Birthday Qays!



It's such a feat to get a good photo of him, most times the photos are blurred because this kid is constantly in motion. 
He may have outgrown 'The Flash' phase, preferring some of the darker characters of Star Wars now instead, I am glad that he's still our determined, helpful, focused and hardworking chatterbox that we love dearly. 

He's also no longer not adverse to trying new things, he's even adventurous with food, this photo is from the time he discovered raw fish sushi and immediately took to sashimi too. He's even started asking to try some green vegetables much to our surprise.

Happy 7th Birthday Qays! We love you to the end of the world.

Thursday, July 07, 2016

Raya Open House 2016 Morning Drama

Wow! Two dramas in a row!And it's only 11.30am!

First the chicken Mama booked, not in stock. So we had to rush to Tesco Udini. Got the chicken, but may need require some extra cutting.

Then just as we were done loading the car with more than 50kg of chicken and were about to rush home Shereen realized that one of her Egyptian charm bracelet is gone! 

Told her to check the car and the car park while I backtrack her steps in the supermarket. Went through all the five places she stopped at, nada. Checked the chili basket, bread racks, yogurt aisle. Nothing. Ask the CS, supervisors, no one found anything. 

I was in such a spot, having to choose between really combing through the supermarket to look for that family heirloom or to rush home to cook for the guests arriving by 2:30pm. My instinct tells me that we will get the charm bracelet back. Then I saw the young man restocking the ice cream freeze that I walked pass by as I rushed to the donut rack. Decided to ask him if he's seen the bracelet. Alhamdullilah, he said he got it in his pocket and was just about to hand it over to CS.

So now, don't any of you dare turn up early for our do today. Ayam baru sampai rumah, tak masak lagi!