Colours Of Nature: Complete Solitude

There is a place in Singapore where there is no one to be seen for miles, where we can be surrounded by carpets of lush grass and verdant giants, where our ears are privy to the hushed chirps of hidden birds, where silence is ... well ... almost deafening.

This place is none other than Kent Ridge Park! 

We chanced upon it one Sunday morning, and were amazed at how deserted the entire park was. We were filled with wonder at the sight of colossal trees with mangled branches overgrown with moss - clear signs of old age. 

Most of all, we cherished how alone our little family was - a rare occurrence in overcrowded Singapore. We ambled along endless paths without meeting a soul, we climbed up and down precarious grassy slopes, and we fiddled with the many fitness stations that look so forlorn and lonely in the park. 

We learned about yet another slice of Singapore's history in the tumultuous World War 2 era. 

And we had a bird's eye view of our busy port, perched right at the top of one of Singapore's rare hills. 

It was a rejuvenating morning where we escaped into another side of Singapore. We ended our little excursion with succulent pratas for lunch - a gratifying conclusion to a peaceful morning of discovery. We will be back for sure :) 

World War 2 sites in Singapore. How many have you been to? As World War 2 buffs, we had visited more than half of these sites...just to keep in touch with the battle-torn Singapore of yore. 

PSLE and CCAs

OK, I know I just put 2 incredible acronyms into the title of this post, which might be baffling for some! For those who do not already know, PSLE = Primary School Leaving Examinations in Singapore and CCAs = Co-curricular (or extra-curricular) activities.

I cannot believe that this year is Big Bee's PSLE year and I guess I am still in denial. Whenever people found out that I have a kid going through PSLE this year, their responses would invariably be, "You must be very stressed!" or "You must be very busy revising with her!". However, fortunately (or unfortunately), I am not stressed, neither am I busy revising with her! In fact, work takes up so much of my time now that I really hope fervently she knows what she is doing on her own.

But this post is not about how we are managing the PSLE, although the real answer to that is that we are doing the same things as per previous years. We are still planning for movies and musicals to watch and places to go to on weekends, and I am still planning for vacations in June!

This post is about how much I believe in a well-rounded education for our children, and a bit about my anger when I see parents in Singapore pushing their kids to a wholly academic path, just to get good grades in key examinations like the PSLE. To me, every kid has only one year in their lives when they are 12 - that milestone threshold between being a big kid and a teen, that year of awakening when they have more mature perspectives, that year of awareness and realisation of their changing bodies and increasing curiosity about sexuality and non-platonic relationships. And yet, sadly, in Singapore, it is also the year of the PSLE.

I heard of parents forcing their children to drop all CCAs in Primary 6, and worse still, schools advocating this policy! I heard of parents doubling up on tuition, just to have a last burst to drill their kids. And worst of all, I heard of parents artificially pushing their kids' musical, sports or leadership positions in school, just so they can get a bid at the Direct School Admissions (DSA) exercise - when passions are overlooked for a tangible outcome of getting into their preferred schools.

For Big Bee, she is still as active in school and non-academic classes as before. She wanted to have a break from ballet in school this year, despite her past achievements in this CCA, and despite the many requests from her disappointed ballet teacher who had been incessantly telling her to stay on. I guess this is a phase of exploration for her as well, where she wants to get out of her comfort zone and be challenged in things that she had not always been doing.

So, she told me she wanted to try out in the trials for softball and netball, where they are looking for people in the school team. Being naturally athletic (not my genes!), she made it through the trials and into the school teams of both netball and softball. She chose netball in the end, for the kind of bonded teamwork and competition associated with it. And just yesterday, she was inaugurated into the school netball team!

Playing for the school team takes a lot of time and effort, of which many primary 6 mothers (including my own mother) frowned upon, who kept asking me if she would be better off studying and revising, instead of spending 6 to 7 hours a week after school to train for netball competitions. Sometimes, these questions got me worried - am I too relaxed? Is she falling behind in studies because of the crazy amount of time spent in practice, after which she will come home, too fatigued to do much work? Questions that frankly, after peer pressure from other mothers, make me question my objectives of encouraging her to take on a time-consuming sport in her PSLE year. Some mothers did ask me, "Why not chess club where they meet once a week and where their brains can be stimulated?" or "Why not Math or Science Olympiads because some schools prefer kids from the Olympiad programmes for their DSA!"

And recently, questions arose from Big Bee herself, "Mummy, why are you not putting me in English and Science tuition? Maybe they can help me boost my PSLE score!" (She had never had Science tuition before, and only went on less than a year of English tuition in primary 4, after which we stopped). Kiasu her even questioned why I am planning for a June holiday when she prefers to revise for the PSLE throughout the whole holiday! Swirling, disturbing questions. And I must admit, I am swayed sometimes.

Yet, I am glad that Big Bee's school is a holistic one, and I have fellow mothers there who are still putting their children through CCAs that are non-academic in nature, even in the PSLE year. And most of us have the same approach to PSLE - take it easy and "see how it goes." I am really thankful for that support of like-minded mothers.

I guess what I am trying to say in this blog post is to allow our kids to really pursue their passions in whatever things they request, for them to try new things, and get out of their comfort zones - even at the expense of time that could be spent on studies. Every time she is back from her netball practice, glowing with adrenaline but fatigued by the hours of competitive sportsmanship, I would tell myself that this is a right decision.

And I think as parents, it is important for us to put forth lots of calm and composure in front of our kids before major examinations. So that they understand there is more to life than academic achievements. Big Bee and I have had long discussions this year about many "what-ifs". There is a lot of emphasis from their teachers about academic achievements, and the biggest "what-if" question from her was, "What if I did badly in the PSLE?" which to me, is a masked question for "Will you still love me?". So, as parents, so long as we assure our kids about our complete acceptance and love for them, regardless of whatever they achieve, I think that gives them enough confidence to stride on in this world, especially in a cruel world where there are increasingly more depression cases amongst children.

人强马壮，龙马精神

As I grow older, I begin to appreciate and cherish the intricate rituals of Chinese New Year. How festivities and routines are completely similar year after year. How our elderly relatives ask the same old questions year after year. These grew more endearing to me these days, reaffirming just how precious family ties are. 

We are lucky to have very close bonds with all our relatives and family members. Which is why we had 8 family gatherings and visits over the first week of Chinese New Year - and enjoyed every single moment of these. The girls got to know 4 sides of their different families from Hubby's and my family trees, and they delighted in getting to know their great-grandmothers, grandparents, uncles, aunties and cousins more. Little Bee is the one who really looks forward to such gatherings, and would often feel sad whenever these occasions come to an end. She would not fail to entertain everyone with her outspoken antics and her comical expressions! 

Big Bee, on the other hand, is now a little adult. She had stopped playing with the little kids totally (much to Little Bee's distress) and had become more self-conscious. Most of the time, her nose is buried in her current favourite book (which is the Divergent series by Veronica Roth for now). Other times, she would join the adults for some casual chatting. She is in an in-between stage, and is finding her way around, yet enjoying the process, which I am relieved about.

This year, we also visited Chinatown in early January, where we were privy to the celebrations of the Chinatown light-up. We did not even plan for it, so we were pleasantly surprised to hear the deafening firecrackers and be dazzled by fireworks exploding in the skies just above us. Most of all, we enjoyed eating super yummy food in the Chinatown hawker centre and strolling around in the nostalgic People's Park. 

On the eve of Chinese New Year, we had a sumptuous and festive reunion dinner with the girls' great-grandmothers. How rare it is to have a four-generational reunion dinner! That is so special in every way. 

As we wind down from these convivial celebrations, I constantly have to remind myself not to limit our interactions with the extended families just to an annual New Year gathering. Let's hope we get to see more of our family members this Horse year! 

Our Thankful Journals

A good friend of mine, J, started listing 3 things she is thankful for - on a daily basis. It is amazing to read her gratitude reflections on Facebook at the end of each day. This concept is so simple yet brilliantly beautiful - encouraging us to remember the delightful things of the day, and in the reflection process, try to forget about the unpleasant events that happened. It is very rejuvenating and detoxifying. In doing so, I think we become happier and more optimistic souls, with a stronger ability to see the good in everything...and hopefully, becoming more resilient human beings in the process.

Inspired by J, I started gratitude journals for the Bees and myself - encouraging ourselves to see the silver linings in the billowing clouds of our lives.

We were not able to write daily journals in the hustle and bustle of everyday life in Singapore, although the girls try their best to do so whenever I encourage them to. But on vacations, we would write daily reflections, and the process is so therapeutic because we get to reflect on the affairs of the day. Memories also become more indelible in our minds.

The Bees rolling down a lush hill slope in a Tasmanian winery! 

I am pulling out a couple of pages from the Bees' thankful journals. Enjoy!

Big Bee
20 Dec 2013
Things I am thankful for:

1) Going to Churchill Island!
We took a bus to Phillip Island and our first stop of the day was at Churchill Island. There were long grasses everywhere and even a farm with many different kinds of animals! We saw chickens, ducks, turkeys, cows, dogs, rabbits and even fed and petted a horse whose name was Sophie!

2) Going to the Koala Conservation Centre!
There was a koala boardwalk and we saw loads of koalas but most of them were asleep! We still had a lot of fun taking photos of them though! They were really CUTE!

3) Going to the Noobies (weird name, but never mind)
The Noobies was just so spectacularly overwhelming...there were tons of seagulls EVERYWHERE and a huge massive island rising from the ocean! Also, I heard that there are sharks in the ocean! *screams*

4) Penguin Parade
We saw cute little penguins waddling in to their burrows from the ocean. It was extremely cold there and we all had to wear thick jackets to keep ourselves warm! However, I think we frightened away one penguin from its burrow cuz we were sitting too near it. Still, it was a wonderful experience.

Little Bee
24 December 2013
3 things I love about today:
1) Eating delicious food. So yummy!
2) Taking a very, very good walk. It was so fun.
3) I love the Park Explorer tour! I put my legs near the lake beside Cradle Mountain!

I love today because it is fun!

Stargazing

I had always been fascinated by astronomy and the stars. Those mysterious, twinkling diamonds in the sky constantly beckon to me, taunting me that there is so much more to this universe than the everyday woes and joys we are going through on Earth. Making me feel so much like an infinitesimal speck of insignificant stardust in the limitless universe that knows no boundaries.

And yes, according to some astrophysics' theories, we are all made of stardust - because almost every element on Earth was formed at the heart of a star. Isn't it magical...and almost existential?

Last March, in one of our trips to the Science Centre, I bought a huge telescope as a birthday present for Hubby. It was a long-held dream of mine to gaze regularly into the stars and examine our universe, and thus understanding our world and who we are. And I know it is sneaky of me to buy something I really want for Hubby's birthday!

The telescope is a real beauty. It opens up panoramas that are literally out of this world. We saw - in vivid details - almost every little crater on the moon. We glimpsed into elusive galaxies where clusters of stars reside. We went back in time to look at stars sparkling at us now. It was all so fascinating. My only grouse is that I need to learn to handle the telescope better because I can never focus onto Saturn despite us spotting it gleaming high in the skies. To be able to see Saturn's rings would be a feather in the cap! And oh, the repercussion of nights of viewing is that I ended up with a very tired left eye which I usually kept closed when peering into the telescope with my right eye...and an aching neck!

Enjoy the photos of the moon from the eye of the telescope that I took using my good old mobile phone!

The Edge Of The World (Part 1): Taylor Swift's Concert

It is exactly a month since we embarked on our adventure to Australia. December 2013 seemed like one of the longest and most eventful months since a long time ago - and it is testament to the fact that time is actually luxuriously slow when we relish and enjoy every single moment.

Anyway, I wanted to tell you a little story. Our story in Australia which started with a bet. A bet between a mother and daughter...

After confirming our holiday plans in Melbourne, we realised that Taylor Swift will perform in Melbourne a mere 4 days before our arrival! Of course, Big Bee was quite beside herself, so I cheekily betted with her that I would bring her to Taylor Swift's concert - on the condition that she scored certain targets in her final exams. These targets were set deliberately high (so I could wriggle out of my bet!), and I was confident that Big Bee would not be able to achieve these targets.

However, the carrot that I dangled in front of Big Bee was truly alluring and highly effective. Throughout the months before the exams, Big Bee was diligently burying her nose in revision independently. I had never seen her devote so much zeal nor passion into her studies. And when the results for her final exams were out, she was jumping around, squealing that she would be going to Taylor Swift's concert! And that was when I knew I lost the bet.

We left for Melbourne 4 days before Hubby and Little Bee - which was heartbreaking. The instant our taxi drove off towards the airport, Little Bee called me and sobbed, asking me why we had to leave earlier than them. My heart shattered into a zillion pieces :(

On the positive side, Big Bee and I were like giggling best friends going on holiday together. We took the red-eye flight to Melbourne and were gossiping eagerly on the plane about how we should dress up for the concert.

We arrived in Melbourne, bright and early, full of excited anticipation for a big big day! Big Bee spent a large part of the day brainstorming on how she can get to meet Taylor in Club Red. Essentially, fanatic concert go-ers who are dressed up in all kinds of bizarre costumes are invited for a private session with Taylor after the concert. Of course, one can imagine all the young girls dressing up outlandishly, just to attract Taylor Swift's mother who is usually on the look-out for these creative costumes throughout the concert.

So, here was what Big Bee's outfit looked like, with her home-made posters and hairband :)

When we reached Etihad Stadium 2 hours before the designated time of the concert, there was already a flurry of excitement in the air. There were also lots of mothers with young ladies (and younger girls!) there, and many concert-goers were decked out in brilliant red, fairy lights and self-made posters.

That electrifying sense of anticipation and exhilaration was dense, and Big Bee was totally overwhelmed. It was quite an eye-opener for me as I had never been to a concert where people really decked up in lights and costumes.

These lucky girls were invited into Club Red after the concert, where they could hug and converse with Taylor Swift!

We spent a lot of time people-watching and strolling around the entire stadium. Lots of girly gossips and excited giggling. This stage of parenting - where we can finally be friends with our children and enjoy all sorts of activities together - is truly one of the most fulfilling and rewarding.

Taylor Swift appeared on stage at 8.30pm, and the entire stadium became an intense hive of pure, unadulterated elation. It was a rousing concert where the spectators screamed, sang along to every ounce of lyrics, danced endlessly. The energy was overpowering and invigorating.

Taylor Swift is an admirable public figure - one of the youngest and certainly one of the most wholesome. It was heartening to hear her talk to her fans about life, about respecting yourself, about dispelling emotions positively. All really good values for her devoted fans who are mainly young girls.

Big Bee never sat down throughout the concert - preferring to dance, sing and scream all throughout. Even this mum here sang and revelled in the jubilation of her daughter's adoration. Big Bee was thrilled that her own mum is fast becoming a "Swiftie" just like her!

We ended the memorable night with a midnight train ride home and gushed like good buddies until 2am. What a night indeed!  

The concert merchandise!

Pure Energy

My little darling turned 7 last December! Little Bee, thank you for being such a burst of brilliant sunshine. Thank you for being a sweet, understanding soul who always knows how to comfort me and makes me feel fuzzy, warm and beautiful. And thank you to all her close friends who spent her birthday with her! It was so memorable for her, and she was truly, truly elated!

I had never seen a little girl with such indefatigable spirits and such positive energy. You chatter incessantly and are always in a constant motion of energy. You are fearless - never hesitating to talk to complete strangers, even if they are adults. You have a curious soul, always asking questions endlessly. Most of all, you are always generous with your smiles, oh, how brilliant they are! 

With such energy flowing in Little Bee, it is only natural that she requested for a gym party....right at the same venue where she celebrated her 4th birthday - JWT Kids Gym! I know she relished the perpetual movements of vivacity and felicity - the pure freedom of carefree abandon. And that is just like my baby...sparkling, unfettered and buoyant, with nary a worry in her jubilant mind. 

Around 15 of her classmates celebrated her big day with her. The day that she is officially a big kid at 7 years old! They romped around in gym contraptions that I shudder to be in. 

They showed true physical resilience as their little bodies contorted, jiggled and boogied to loud, rambunctious music. They went through countless obstacle races, showing fine determination in the face of some heart-dropping challenges. Most of all, they giggled, guffawed, squealed and laughed together as if they had known each other forever. 

The goodies for her friends

The rock-climbing wall was a huge hit!

The start of the obstacle courses! 

Finally ended with an exhilarating flying fox to bring the kids to the dining area! 

The latest craze in her class right now...

Bubbles everywhere!!! 

Even Big Bee enjoyed herself thoroughly! 

It was a very gratifying evening for Little Bee indeed. She went home, basking in the warmth of her friendships, grinning ceaselessly. 

Happy 7th birthday to the most radiant angel in my life :) 

The Edge Of The World: An Australian Adventure!

Highly unpredictable weather, sometimes with 4 seasons in a day! Undulating hills and mountains. Endless meadows dotted with hundreds of puffy sheep, elegant horses and grazing cows. Boundless cerulean skies that take our breaths away. This is Tasmania and Victoria, where we spent 2 weeks in December. A gorgeous, untouched land that is teeming with magnificent and rugged wilderness.  

Churchill Island
There were multitudinous new experiences for the family in this trip. We practically lived side by side with wildlife that is so tame because they know naught about the harsh and evil nature of men. We observed thousands of wild penguins at very close range, walking beside them and gazing at how they lovingly feed their chicks after hunting for food all day long. Parental love at its peak. 

We trekked for hours in ancient forests and vast bush lands that are rife with very venomous snakes, wild wombats and wallabies. 

A cute and very tame wombat that is way more ferocious than it looks!

We saw this adorable wallaby that seemed to be communicating with us with its beautiful eyes and tame gestures - right outside the front door of our cabin!

We were farmers for one morning where we picked out succulent cherries, uncommon berries, apricots and strawberries in a fruit farm. We flew in a helicopter high above the stunning coastline of the Great Ocean Road, captivated by the beauty of the 12 Apostles. 

Can you spot where the Bees are? The low, bushy button grass land around them is rife with venomous tiger snakes *gulp*

And we took a roller-coaster adventure boat ride in the tempestuous and freezing Southern Ocean, alongside albatrosses and gleeful dolphins! What an adventure!

But most of all, we enjoyed the company of ourselves as a family, together with another family of close friends, over Christmas - high up in a secluded mountain lodge, without any mobile signals, TV sets or internet connection. A cosy, intimate and heartwarming Christmas! 

I will be updating with more entries (and I know it is crazy, because I had not even completed the blogging of our Europe holidays in June! Terrible me.)

Around The World In 5 Hours!

We meandered through 6 river systems, trudged through a flooded rainforest in the Amazon, and had a close encounter with a panda. No, we did not go on a whirlwind tour around the world. Instead, we experienced all these and more at the River Safari back in October! The kids enjoyed themselves thoroughly, and I am looking forward to going back there again, with the new river cruise that is opened now!

We saw the inhabitants of 6 river systems around the world - and these wildlife was truly amazing!

Some highlights:

1) The Amazonian Flooded Forest
I love discovering new facts with the family, and the fact that the Amazonian rainforest is submerged for months during summer was fascinating.

We admired a colossal tank of submerged man-made tree-trunks where the Amazonian manatees swam enigmatically like mermaids in an ocean. Truly enthralling.

2) Boundless expanse of verdant islets and lakes
Yes, this is Singapore. And yes, this is how beautiful Singapore was...and is...only if we are willing to look hard enough. The stillness of the placid waters and the serenity of the lush greenery are little reminders that nature exists near us in an urban city-state.

3) Sleepy and shy pandas!
I visited the Sichuan Panda Conservation Centre a few years back, and were captivated by the sights of dozens of gregarious pandas. So, I was not very impressed by our 2 pandas here in Singapore - one of which was sleeping throughout the duration of our visit (Kai Kai), and another who was so shy that she wandered out for a few seconds only to escape to the safety of her man-made cave again (Jia Jia). Still, it was eye-opening to see the resources that we had invested for these 2 pandas....pure luxury, compared to their poor counterparts with much smaller spaces in Sichuan!

4) Huge tanks and underwater tunnels
We can just sit in front of the many huge tanks and gaze non-stop at menacing crocodiles, cheeky beavers and exotic fishes. True escapism into another world.

We will be back very soon!