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Ben Kao Getting all sentimental now The Kao Kids

Five

February 26, 2014

Five.

I never thought five would be a big number but today, this number is looking BIG to me.

You are 5 today, Ben. That’s having you in my life for half a decade and I am still trying to make sense of it.

In the busyness of motherhood, I hardly stop to take a good look at you. You’ve grown so much taller, so much stronger and so much more sensible. That little boy that used to open and close cabinet doors for fun, squeal and cackle at every raspberry I blow and fall asleep holding his blanket tight as his mama sang Twinkle Twinkle Little Star is a big boy now.

So big he can no longer be carried by his own mother. So big that he can now run ahead so quickly leaving her panting behind. So big that he no longer needs Mama to button his shirt, wear his socks and clean him up.

So big we can have intense discussions about school, friends, God and life together now.

You’re all grown up, my love.

Fire Chief Ben at ONE

Ben at TWO

Ben at THREE

Ben at FOUR

Happy 5th birthday, Son.

At FIVE

Loving you to infinity and beyond,

Mama

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Becks Kao Ben Kao Family life as we know it Milestones and growing up The darndest kid quotes and antics The Kao Kids

Sound bytes of our lives: the darndest things we say (III)

February 25, 2014

Someone’s being bullied these days and suffering from the tyranny of the majority.

On the way to school on Monday

Ben: Ugh. It’s Monday. Can we not go to school?

Me: You think?

Becks: Yes?

Me: In your wildest dreams.

Ben and Becks: Huh?

Ben: You mean I can dream? If you let me dream, I dream of you not letting us go to school.

Becks: And you will do ALL our homework!

Me: -_-

The mess is too great to bear

Me: Every day this mess at home is getting worse.

Ben: Why? We are playing what.

Me: But you guys don’t ever keep.

Ben: Ohhkaay… we…will..keep… (moving around slowly to pack) Becky, come help!

Becks: Ohh…kaaay… (moving about slowly) Hey look, korkor… (pointing at me who’s packing at double speed) A SERVANT!

Ben and Becks: MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

An everyday sight

No Money

Becks: Can I please buy donuts? Or fruit juice?

Me: No.

Ben: Can I buy more Transformers?

Me: No.

Ben: Why every time we ask you, you say no?

Becks: Ya lor… (on the verge of tearing)

Me: I have no money. Remember I don’t work? I don’t have money to buy frivolous things.

Ben: I have an idea. Go ask from Dada. Tell him “I need your money to buy toys and yummy food”.

Becks: I have an idea. GO AND WORK! We let you go.

Me: -_-

Since when do you kids order me around?

The two “big” bullies

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Getting all sentimental now Happy days Milestones and growing up Nat Kao The Kao Kids

Letter to my littlest #9

February 20, 2014

Dearest Nat,

Has it been two years since you filled our lives with so much laughter? Where did all the time go? When did my baby start growing up? Slow down, will you, baby boy? This growing up business is getting too fast for this mama’s heart to handle.

I still remember the little bundle I carried home a while ago and the squeals in the house everyone made in adoration of you. You stole the hearts of your big brother and sister the moment you came home and you have won their hearts ever since. We’re now a family of five and Ben and Becks cannot go through a day without being with you. The three of you play together every day and I pray that you will all play together as happy children for a long, long time.

You’re adorably funny and exasperatingly endearing. These days I call your name and you reply me with a “What?”. When I tell you to do something you ask me “Why?”. And when I ask you why this or that happens, you answer me with “Because”. You sing the Alphabet song every day and amuse us all by standing on the table to do it like it’s some rock performance. You chortle and chuckle many times a day even after you’ve been disciplined, and live each day clowning around with your funny antics. Every day is a riot with you and even though you get yelled at a lot for the naughty things you do, my greatest wish for you is that you’ll never change the way you are.

Be the happy, cheeky, sticky you, Nat. Always. Happy 2nd birthday!

Loving you to the moon and back, and to infinity and beyond,

Mama

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Becks Kao Milestones and growing up The Kao Kids

All pretty now

February 18, 2014

So I spoke too soon.

My sassy little girl, who is now three-half, has gone all girly-feminine on me.

Just like that, she’s suddenly taking a liking to pink things again and all things princessy.

She now insists on wearing a dress whenever we go out, when previously I got so much hell for wanting to put a dress on her…

A sporty dress for Sunday School!

A floral dress handed down from an older sister-friend

I would have never been able to put this cheongsam on a couple of months ago

She also MUST wear a dress to sleep now and dislikes the long-sleeve-top-and-pants ensemble which she used to love. She used to want to be like korkor and didi but well, not anymore.

She needs to wear a sweet PJ to sleep…

She’s starting to like accessorising and making very tacky fashion choices like putting on everything at one go – hat, wristlet, necklace, bag and all the hair clips she’s got.

She loves to have her hair all clipped and tied now

Gotta teach her less is more and classy is the way to go. Heh.

My mother already warned me there’ll be days like this; days of her putting on my shoes and wearing my makeup. I guess I’d better keep my blushers and lipsticks under lock and key for now.

“Look Ma! I can wear your heels!”

I guess it’s a rite of passage for all girls to go through a phase of wishing to be like their mothers. These days, Becks is starting to want to be different from her brothers and is consciously trying to differentiate herself with the choices that she makes and the things that she do. I know deep down, she wants to get attention from me this way and wants to be affirmed by her mother as her mummy’s little precious princess.

Deep down, the little girl is crying out to me, saying, “Look at me, Mama. I may not be as smart like Korkor or as cute as Nat, but I am also special!”

And I’d be a fool of a mother if I didn’t know that and love her just as she is.

Becky love, you’re beautiful. You’ll always be our little darling princess.

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Going Out! Invites & Tryouts Reviews The Kao Kids

The epic Lego Movie experience (warning: contains spoilers!)

February 6, 2014

When he found out that we were going to catch the movie premiere of The Lego Movie, Ben couldn’t contain his excitement for days. He loves, loves, loves Lego and everything he can create with them (although it is still more of Duplo for now) and is a huge fan of the Lego Star Wars – The Movie (he’s watched it like 6 times, I think) ever since we showed it to him at home.

We watched the premiere of The Lego Movie at Golden Village Vivocity in 3D on Monday, and I must say… *beep beep spoiler alert*

<cue to close page if you don’t want to know>

…that I was pleasantly surprised by the twist and the very heart-warming ending. I went in with zero expectations – I really don’t know what to expect from Lego blocks and Lego people, y’unno – but came out a really happy movie-goer.

So beyond the anyone-can-be-a-hero / the-ordinary-can-be-extraordinary message, I think what warmed all our hearts that evening was that the love between father-son was the overarching theme that ran through the computer-animated movie. And I have to say I liked that part best (the heartstrings-tugging part, although the action and humour were also great) – especially since Fatherkao was also there to watch the movie with his sons, and even more especially since the boys (big and small) love, love, love to play with Lego together.

I did wish, however, that the management / logistics folks from the cinema would think about the kids and distribute a couple of kid-sized 3D glasses whenever they are screening a kid-friendly movie in 3D cos’ my kids absolutely hated putting them on. They were heavy and kept falling off; Nat couldn’t even wear one and had to watch the movie unfocused the whole time. Bah.

No like these glasses, say Ben and Becks!

Nonetheless, the kids liked the show and Ben couldn’t stop going on and on about how “everyone can be a master builder” and that certainly is inspiring him to play with Lego more. Thank you, Golden Village, for the kind invitation to experience such an awesome theatrical adventure!

Looks like more Lego it is for the boy who would be turning five in a few weeks. I don’t have to think too hard about birthday presents this year.

Disclosure: We received tickets to watch the premiere of The Lego Movie from Golden Village. All opinions here are our own.

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Becks Kao Ben Kao Enrichment Invites & Tryouts Learning fun! Reviews The Kao Kids

Learning the Eye Level way: Math Programme Review

February 3, 2014

Ben is enrolled in Eye Level‘s Math Programme and has been attending their once-a-week Math lesson for two months now. At each lesson he attends, he’s basically exposed to two things: Basic Thinking Math and Critical Thinking Math.

For about an hour or so, he would complete the two tasks (two booklets for each lesson that his teacher would give him) under the close supervision of his teacher. Teacher Emily reads him the instructions in the booklet, guides him when he needs help and teaches him the key concepts for each lesson. However, unlike in a private tuition setting, she doesn’t hover over him for the entire time he’s there. She also attends to other students in the class who may or may not be at the same level and standard as Ben, and together with other kids, everyone present engages in self-directed – but heavily scaffolded – learning.

Ben in class with his teacher and another older student

The classroom setting: Ben in class with his teacher and another student

I was told the ratio of teacher to student for the Math Programme is 1:8, but at Ben’s timeslot, Teacher Emily usually handles 2 to 3 students (including Ben) at one time. Which is great, I think. Not too many to distract him (he can get very distracted, alright), but enough to spur him on to sit down and concentrate, just like them. It’s also good that the kids are also older, and he learns from their example.

This setting, which he’s exposed to once a week, is proving to be extremely beneficial for me at home. At home, Ben is now able to sit down on his own to complete his work (he gets homework to revise the concepts he’s learned at Eye Level). He doesn’t need me to accompany him anymore (*finally*) and is able to cancel out distractions from his siblings all by himself to complete his work.

Ben completing his work at home

Hurrah for self directed, independent learning, I say.

Eye Level Learning Center’s Math Programme is designed to help students improve their mathematical thinking and problem solving skills by enabling them to master concepts each step of the way as students progress through the curriculum. For now, Ben has got his numbers 1 to 110 all settled in terms of counting (in order and in tens), writing, ascending and descending orders and simple problem solving (involving counting). He’s moving on to addition and subtraction this month – something which he is already acquainted with – and I can’t wait for the programme to extend this learning for him, simply because I am really bad with teaching anything beyond simple math. Hurhurhur.

He also tells me he enjoys Critical Thinking Math more, because it’s “more fun and interesting”. For critical thinking, he gets his spatial sense, depth perception and problem-solving and reasoning skills developed with puzzles, blocks and shapes and math games that are very well designed to engage young minds.

$Basic Thinking Math at Level 10 (counting from 1 -20): Ben did these in December$

Basic Thinking Math at Level 2 (counting from 1 -20): Ben did these in December

$A glimpse from the pages of one of the Critical Thinking Math booklets: Ben learned patterns here$

A glimpse from the pages of one of the Critical Thinking Math booklets: Ben learned patterns here

Like I’ve mentioned in an earlier post, the kids really look forward to going for Math enrichment every week – Becks is at Play Math (and I shared my review of the programme here) and Ben at the Math Programme (SGD$120 for a once-a-week lesson, and SGD$150 for twice a week). I’m just really glad they’ve been offered this opportunity because it has gotten them interested in Math, all thanks to the fact that the programmes at Eye Level are so thoughtfully designed to engage the little ones. I don’t remember being so happy learning Math at preschool – what with all the forced memorisation of multiplication tables and assessment books – and I am heartened to have my preschoolers like numbers and even finding it fun to count.

AND JUST FOR MOTHERKAO READERS:

Eye Level is extending a promotional offer to all Motherkao readers! For $10 (usual price $60), your child can take the diagnostic test, attend a trial lesson (30-45 min) and get a complimentary study skill analysis.

Simply quote [Motherkao] to enjoy this offer via walk-in to any of the Eye Level Learning Centres island-wide. You can also leave a Facebook message on Eye Level’s Facebook Page or make a telephone enquiry to any of the Eye Level centres.

Disclosure: Ben and Becks have been invited to attend Eye Level’s Math and Play Math for a term of three months. Motherkao has accepted sponsorship for her reviews of their programmes and endorsement of the centre. All opinions here are Motherkao’s own (with input from Ben).

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Becks Kao Enrichment Invites & Tryouts Learning fun! Reviews The Kao Kids

Learning the Eye Level way: Play Math Programme Review

January 21, 2014

The kids have been attending Math enrichment classes at Eye Level Learning Center at City Square Mall for more than a month now and they are always looking forward to their lessons. It’s like a routine they anticipate weekly, with us either driving or taking the NEL down to Farrer Park followed by an engaging lesson with their respective teachers, complete with getting their fruit reward stickers and some play time with blocks and counters at the centre’s play corner after class, and then have the day end with a treat of Hongkong Egglet from our favourite stall at Basement 2.

Becks attends Eye Level’s Play Math Programme where she gets to experience mathematical concepts in a fun and engaging way. Play Math is a programme specially tailored for ages 2.5 to 4 years old and is aimed at laying the foundation for developing a preschooler’s understanding in Math. The child learns how to sort, match, classify, count and recognise patterns at Play Math.

And the best part of this progamme? It’s a one-to-one lesson (about 30 -45 minutes) with the teacher, and done through story-telling and lots of sticker fun!

At every lesson, Becks receives an activity booklet which is filled with colourful illustrations that follow a story. Each activity booklet is designed to help her advance in her understanding of mathematical concepts like correspondence, sorting and classifying, comparing and counting according to levels, and the level for her to begin with was first determined using their diagnostic assessment which she sat for in December.

$Eye Level_Play Math Fun for Becks 2$

Becks getting ready for class and having her lesson with her teacher. Every lesson involves counting, tracing, cutting, glueing and lots of stickers!

$Fun times (clockwise): Becks playing after class while waiting for Ben and peeling off stickers for her reward chart$

Fun times (clockwise): Becks playing after class while waiting for Ben and peeling off stickers for her reward chart

The girl started at Level 33 and has now progressed to Level 38.

Here’s a glimpse of what’s in the activity booklet that she gets to do with her teacher at Eye Level Learning Center. I had the opportunity to take her through one activity booklet at home recently (she was given homework for one of the public holidays as the centre was closed) and we had a fun time together with it.

In this activity booklet, Becks learned the numbers 1 to 3 through a circus story about unicycles, bicycles and tricycles:

$Eye level_Play Math Stories$

Very captivating illustrations to engage a preschooler, I say

The activities that follow include getting her to group items, count, and put the corresponding number of stickers for the things she’s counted:

$Eye level_Play Math Activities$

Becks favourite part has got to be peeling stickers off and putting them in the book

She also got to practise drawing lines and strokes which would help her develop good hand-eye coordination and better control when she starts writing her numbers:

$Eye level_Play Math Activities_Join the dots$

This ‘follow the circle to the the square’ kind of activity appears several times in one booklet – this is to teach the child to read and write from left to right, help in hand-eye coordination and strengthen the finger muscles so she gets better control when writing her numbers

We had a good time doing this together. I sat next to her and read her the instructions and she proceeded to do every task rather happily, although she did say her teacher was more animated when reading the story than I was. I can tell she really enjoys doing every booklet – from the one time we did it together at home, and from my interaction with her after every class. She gets to bring home the activity booklet after every lesson and would sometimes come home to erase some of the things she’s done so she could do them again at home. That’s how much she likes it!

I would say that Eye Level has scored some wins with their Play Math Programme, which I find engaging and value for money (at SGD$140 per month). Firstly, the lesson is conducted in a one-to-one setting and an experienced teacher is assigned to the child to take her through the booklet in a fun way. Secondly, the booklet itself is designed to keep the child engaged for at least 45 minutes with its colourful illustrations, stories and activities. Thirdly, the child gets to bring the materials home so she can revisit what she’s learned from the week’s lesson, thereby solidifying the learning and keeping the interest alive, at least till the next week where she gets to read another story, meet new characters and work on different activities.

Who would have thought we could learn Math this way? I’d thought my counting lessons were quite fun, but I have to admit that Becks is having a fun-ner time at Eye Level, and I’m really glad that she was invited to attend lessons there for a term (hurray for the opportunity to outsource!).

Note to self: must.find.more.creative.ways.to.teach! but until then, thank you, Eye Level Learning Center for the kind invitation!

AND JUST FOR MOTHERKAO READERS:

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Becks Kao Family life as we know it Milestones and growing up The darndest kid quotes and antics

Little Miss Bossy Random

January 17, 2014

My little daughter is now three half and she is the queen of randomness. She’s a pretty jumbled-up person in thought, speech and action it’s kinda both amusing and maddening to be around her. She hasn’t lost a single shred of that bossiness she’s been born with, so you can imagine what living with this powerpuff is like, here at home everyday.

Can’t? Here’s a glimpse.

On being pretty, Part 1

Becks: Mama, you look so pretty in this.

Me: Oh thanks. Just simple t-shirt and shorts, babe. But thanks.

Becks: Erm… so what do you say to me?

Me: I said thanks for the compliment.

Becks: No… you shouldn’t say that. You should say, ‘You look so pretty too, Becky’.

Me: -_-

On being pretty, Part 2

Becks: Korkor, you look so handsome!

Ben: Thanks.

Becks: So what do you say, korkor?

Ben: Becky, you look so pretty!

Becks: YES! That’s correct!

Because

Me: So, what did you learn at kindergarten?

Becks: Erm… I forgot.

Me: How can you forget?

Becks: Because because because!

Me: Come on, don’t use what I always say, ok? Try harder to recall.

Becks: I already said I can’t. And the reason is because, because, because.

Me: -_-

I ate God

Becks: Erm Mama, where is God?

Me: In heaven watching over you. In your heart, close to you.

Becks: (lifting her shirt) Erm… I just checked and He’s not in my heart.

Me: Yes, He is.

Becks: No, I think He went to my stomach.

Don’t interrupt

Becks: Mama, I want to tell you something… You know, Abby has…

Me: Not now, please. Don’t interrupt when Dada and I are having a conversation.

Becks: (sits in silence)

A few minutes later…

Me: Ok, I’m done. So what is it you want to tell me.

Becks: Erm… erm…

Me: Something about Abby?

Becks: No la. Do you know that I dreamt of crocodiles in my dream?

Me: ???

Becks: And I want to buy purple shoes next time!

Me: ???

A little too sassy, don’t you think?

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Becks Kao Ben Kao Invites & Tryouts Nat Kao Reviews The Kao Kids

去拜年! In pretty clothes by Fox Kids and Baby!

January 15, 2014

Chinese New Year was always a bittersweet time for me as a child. I remember the excitement going around visiting and being able to gorge on goodies which I would otherwise not have access to at other times of the year, but I also remember that come this time every year, my parents would scrimp and save and even buy nothing for themselves just so my siblings and I could all have new pjs, shoes and outfits. Even then we headed to JB to buy them because things there were much cheaper.

I know the Kao kids would probably never experience CNY this way, and it’s my job as their mother to remind them constantly of how very blessed they are. These days, their grandparents buy them new clothes all the time. Our friends send us vouchers to get them new outfits for their birthdays. And for this CNY, Fox Fashion invited the Kao kids over for a private shopping spree and got them to pick any two outfits of their choice for the first two days of Chinese New Year.

Talk about being extremely fortunate.

So to City Square Mall we went (oh, how we love this mall!) last Saturday. Needless to say, the kids were extremely thrilled. Becks is finally dumping her tomboy image (I really don’t know how that happened) and finally taking a liking to dresses and skirts (I really don’t know how THAT happened!), and so I think she was the most excited when we were there. The latest Fox Kids Spring / Summer 2014 Collection featured many chiffony-flowy dresses that had all her favourite colours – pink, purple, green – the little girl had a really hard time picking.

Ah, she’s woman already at such a young age – she was so indecisive that morning!

Shopping!

For Ben and Nat, they basically left their decision on what to wear to their stylist (ha, me!) who made suggestions as to what went well with what, and there were quicker decisions made when it came to them. Oh, how I love my boys for letting me coordinate their fashion. No debate, no fickle minds, no fuss.

And here they are: the kids in their CNY outfits, sponsored by Fox Kids and Baby! We can’t wait to be spending our 2nd Chinese New Year together as a family of five, and go visiting in these pretty clothes!

We’re ready for CNY! (Photo credit: Canon Singapore)

Vote for the Kao Kids here! (Photo credit: Canon Singapore)

Vote for the Kao Kids here for the Fox Fashion Online Contest! (Photo credit: Canon Singapore)

Thank you, Fox Fashion for the kind invitation, and Canon Singapore for the photographs! We have been very blessed indeed!

If you’d like to win a Fox CNY outfit for your kids and a Canon Selphy CP900 Compact Photo Printer, vote for any photo you like in this album (containing pictures of pretty children in pretty clothes by Fox at the private shopping spree). You stand an additional chance of winning if you leave a comment on the pictures you like. Voting ends 23 January 2014. Check out Fox Fashion’s FB Page for more details and their website for their latest Spring / Summer Collection.

Disclosure: Ben, Becks and Nat were invited by Fox Fashion to pick 2 outfits of their choice at a private shopping spree. No monetary compensation was received for this post and all opinions here are my own.

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Getting all sentimental now Milestones and growing up Nat Kao The darndest kid quotes and antics

Letter to my littlest #8

January 2, 2014

To my littlest 23-month old,

Nat! You’re not so baby any more, are you! Where did all the time go? I now hold in my arms the same sticky, happy baby, but I can’t cradle you like I used to. I can’t coo to you like I used to. I can’t ask you to stay in my arms forever like I used to. Nope, not any more.

You’ve got a mind of your own and feet that can fly. You’ve got tantrums that are too cute to cane (I have to step up the discipline soon, son!) and garbled babbling too funny to hear. I’ve officially experienced the Terrible Twos again for the third time with you, although yours is so much more manageable compared to your sister’s, because all you really need – for every tantrum – is to be carried and soothed by me. “Mama…mama… mama…” you call. That word’s an emergency bell, a cry for comfort and a loving term of endearment for your favourite person. I hope this word remains these to you for as long as you live to remember me by.

You’re one cheeky boy in the house. You’ve done everything I’ve never imagined that could be done. You’ve stuck your hand in the box of Persil washing powder when no one was looking, leaned your head close to the moving fan so that your hair gets wind, and peered in the toilet bowl when you see your brother peeing (and played with his urine subsequently like you do at water play). You watch your siblings gargle and spit, and you never hesitate to show them you can do the same, and more – with the bath water that comes from the shower, the juice you drink and the bubble soap you play with. You throw things around like a shot put athlete just to see how things fly and end up wrecking folded clothes, spilling drinks and ruining dinners. You stuff things in every possible corner of the house and till this day we’re finding used tissues, Lego blocks and craft pom poms behind doors and furniture. You take your poop-filled diaper out to have a sensory experience of what you’ve passed, to your own amusement but to our horror and disgust; and you laugh like the experience was the funniest thing you’ve ever had in your whole life!

Yes, I’ve just told the whole world what a mischief you are, and that you’ve played with both poop and pee, Nat.

You are one smart little fella who mimic your sibling well, and as a result, you can sit on your own to fix jigsaws, “read” a book and construct Lego blocks because you’ve watched them do so. You can sing songs just by copying their tune and you’re the parrot that’s always flying around, repeating after what your siblings are doing. You join them in their pretend play and you’re the most cooperative patient / student / child / animal / slave I’ve ever seen. Oh the things you would do to play with them, you cute little thing!

It sure is fun being the youngest eh!

And it sure is fun to be watching you grow, hearing you talk and looking at you do stuff, although most of the time I’m also hyperventilating. I pray that you’ll always stay safe despite your mischief and that you will continue to bring laughter to the people around you, my love.

You know that I love you to the moon and back, right?

Forever,

Mama

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