YouTube

As we are all aware, YouTube is one of the most popular websites after google and facebook. All this while I haven't been an active user bcoz I didn't want to broadcast anything on it. Recently I found it to be a very useful channel which I can use it as a teaching aid for Emily for things that we do not have the knowledge or experience to share with her. To quote 2 examples : 1) Playing piano - This is the skillset that hubby and I do not have. We have a lot of hard time trying to instill the interests in her as she finds practicing the piano to be a boring activity. However after I started sharing video clips of kids and adults who could play so well, I noticed that she has become more motivated and wanted to play well like them too. In fact she asked me how do these pianist play so well, my simple answer to her is, many hours of practice.

2) Ballet - Another skillset that neither of us have too :). I found many video clips which have dances similar to those she will be performing in her grade 1 exam soon. At least from the clips, I can point out to her what steps are incorrectly danced by her and she could also learn from those good dancers.

Craft work on a weekend

I bought this wooden toy for Emily from one of the mini-markets last week. We managed to assemble the parts together this afternoon. Must admit that the quality is poor, therefore it is not as easy to assemble them. Infact Emily threw tantrums a few times when she couldn't get the pieces to fit together.

Practicing Diligently for your Grade 1 Exam.

2 weeks ago, you couldn't play one of your grade 1 songs at all because you were not practicing for the past 3 months without mummy or daddy's knowledge. We were very frustrated and disappointed when we found out after receiving complaints from your piano teacher. Since then, mummy had to micro-manage you to ensure that you practised as much as possible daily. Mummy also shared video clips of kids and adults playing the same song on youtube and you were definately inspired by them. Yesterday when mummy picked you up from your ballet class, you kept telling me how you have admired the pianist who was playing the ballet exam songs during your rehersals and you wish you could play like her. Mummy is glad that all these have motivated you to practise diligently and now you can definately play better than before. Late At Night

Weaning Off The Pacifier

For the past 1 week, Jared has been without his pacifier. I never thought it would be that easy to wean him off the pacifier as he was very attached to it at one point of time. It was trying my luck that night when he requested for his "chut chut", the usual way he has been asking since baby, I told him "Chut Chut is broken, already thrown into the dustbin. Will buy a new one tomorrow". Somehow he didn't insisted or whined further but went off to sleep without the pacifier. The next night, he asked for his chut chut again before bedtime, I gave him the same reason and he accepted without any whinning. Suprisingly he stopped asking for it since then. I was told by his babysitter that he also didn't look for it during the daytime. Glad that it was an easy task for him unlike jie jie where she took 2 struggling weeks to wean off the pacifier.

Our Little Pianist 4