Thursday, October 28, 2010

Letter to 1-year-old Jireh

Dear my son Jireh,
Thank you for being my son. Being the second born, you are so special to us.

Mama can't deny that mama cannot put full concentration to you like how mama did to your brother Caleb. However, mama thanks God for "Not what I have done, but what God has done for me", mama so blessed with you, a very cheerful personality, always give mama your charming smile, and to mama, the most grateful thing that mama see in you (that make me guilty sometimes) is your tolerance to mama.
Jireh, on behalf of your brother, mama thank you for being his good sibling. Mama feels so blessed with 2 sons when I see both of you playing, smiling and laughing together. May God continue to give mama the strength and wisdom, to teach and show both of you how important are the siblinghood in our life, how 2 can make wonders.

Jireh is the name that gives by papa. There are 2 reasons for your name, 1 is we want to praise God as he is our only provider and he is a great provider, he knows what we want and he knows what is best for us. Another reason, papa want you to be a provider too. Jireh, may God personally let you see the important of being a provider and grant you the personalities of a provider. You will know how to gain, how to manage, how to invest, and most importantly, how to provide and give. Provide and give to your love one, to your neighbors, to the kingdom of God. May God use you for great things for his almighty kingdom. Jireh, put your trust in God, he will guide you to be there.

Jireh, mama loves you. As you are approaching 1 year old, mama prays that God give you a healthy growing path, mentally spiritually and physically. Papa and mama will try best to teach and protect you.

Halleluyah Praise the Lord, for he is with us forever!
Happy Birthday to Jireh!

p/s: Jireh, will you become "koko" one day? Mama will put this into prayer as this is definitely a BIG Challenge to mama and papa.

With Love, mama
2 Sep 2010

Letter to 1-year-old Caleb

My Little Baby Caleb,

You are the gift from father-in-heaven. Thank God! You are so special, blessed with God's grace and mercy.
I can still remember how worries were your papa and me when we informed by the doctor that baby in my womb is high risk for down syndrome. Thank God for his love and mercy is sufficient for us. By his love, both mama and papa decided not to take further test on this. The word "down syndrome" cannot be bigger than our Lord Jesus. We shall not do anything that will harm our baby.  Thank God! You are a healthy baby.

Caleb is the name that papa and mama give you. We pray that you will be like the Caleb in old testament bible, have faith in God all the time, no matter what you see, no matter what you face, no matter what the world tell you. Your faith is forever in God. May God bless you like the Caleb in the bible, lead you to his promise land. Our little Caleb will be the army of God, leading people to God's Kingdom. May God give papa and mama the strengths and wisdoms to build you, the Caleb Soldier of God.

Remember my son Caleb, you must walk in God's way. He will guide you and lead you forever. Jesus loves you
Papa and mama are so blessed with you, our good son. You are so filled with God's spirit, so cheerful, smart and influential. You bring lot of Joys to our family and the people around you. Thank God! Papa and mama are so proud of you.

Time passes to fast, and now you are going to be 1 year-old. What is your birthday wish?

Mama wish you to be forever a good son. A good son to our Lord Jesus, a good son to your papa and mama.

Mama loves you Caleb.
20 Sep 2008
With Love, MAMA

功夫妈妈 – 与孩子过招

功夫妈妈对”功夫”二字有不同的诠释.

功夫(名词) – 分外功和内功.
, 要练态度, 行为 ,举止, 生活中的处事待人;
, 要修涵养, 培养正确价值天秤, 世界观.
外功和内功之互相影响及促进, 练功者将能 ”养生保健, 延年益寿”.

功夫(动词) – 指付出时间, 劳力及脑力, 分析及针对孩子们不同的年龄和情况, 恰到好处的运用 “动, 静, 刚, 柔”, 与孩子们过招.

三国的张飞动不动就和敌军大战几百会合, 招招厉害, 刀刀致命. 他的目标明确, 就是要战胜; 而我功夫妈妈, 面对两个孩子, 一天也要战上好几会合, 虽没有刀刀致命, 却步步惊险, 不慎的一举一动, 一言一语, 就可能堕入恶性循环中. 我的目标也非常明确, 孩子是上帝託管给我们的產業, 我必需好好看管.

功夫妈妈, 我开馆啦!

才艺 表演 亲子关系

老大家乐上幼儿音乐班近4个月了, 那是一个让孩子以音乐认知的课程. 他非常喜欢上这课程, 对于课程里面的一切, 他都显得很兴奋, 常期待星期六的到来. 我也因着这课程对孩子的专注力, 领悟力, 社交能力, 群体合作能力有更深的了解.
最近学院要举办一个音乐会, 称此机会让孩子们认识何谓 音乐会” (Concert). 家乐要和小朋友们一起呈现一首长约两分钟的雪人歌, 并不用唱歌, 只需要配合音乐做简单的动作.
在筹备的过程中, 学院还体现的蛮专业. 他们并没有为这班只有3-5岁的孩子设定表演合格指标, 只要求他门出席6次的练习. 还叮嘱父母们音乐会的目的不是达人秀, 乃是要他们体会音乐会. 学院也请父母们借此机会教导孩子出席音乐会该有的礼仪, 如衣着整齐, 耐心等候, 安静欣赏等礼仪.
两个月过了,家乐虽然非常享受那6次的练习, 但他的动作还是跟不上音乐, 也明显的比其他孩子慢. 在练习时, 他不是愣着的看着同伴们, 就是用仰慕的眼神望着导师, 然后自己站着不动.  我好焦急, 心里盘算着他是否可以上台, 是否害怕站上舞台, 是否要和导师商量进度. 我告诉自己, 我必须帮助他.
于是, 我开始为将第一次站在舞台上的家乐做准备, 我找了一些有关舞台表演的绘图和他一起阅读, 一起动手制作雪人图, 让他想象他是雪人. 最后, 我们在家里开始了恶补班”. 我把歌曲和动作背的滚瓜烂熟, 我的目标明确, 就是要他学会.
然而, 恶补班, 家乐不见了平时积极乐观的妈妈. 妈妈的嘴巴说的尽是他不喜欢听的话, “错了! 不是这样!” “你看, 你和妈妈不一样”, “你要快快的!” . 而我呢? 我不见了那态度轻松可爱的家乐. 他勉强地配合着,深锁的眉头告诉我他不明白, 他不明白为什么妈妈变得如此紧张, 如此严格. 我看到了他的沉重.
不对了, 感觉不对了. 这不是我的教养理念, 他的学习应该是高兴主动的, 在什么地方出现错误呢? 我到底是在培养他对学习的认真还是为了那台上两分钟的虚荣呢? 我不确定, 于是就立即终止我们的练习.
接下来的几天, 我把这事放在我的心上想着. 让孩子学音乐是要他学会一种才艺, 让它发展成为兴趣, 再通过才艺的学习磨练积极的品格, 陶冶情操. 当然, 他以后要用他所学的服侍神, 服侍他人. 而我在恶补班里所做的与我的目的不一至. 我让孩子在还没有学习才艺中得到乐趣, 发展成为兴趣之前就把表演的压力加在他的身上. 我太大意了!
就这样, ”恶补班取消了, 恢复了音乐玩乐班”. 我们又像往常一样, 开着音乐轻松开心地唱着歌, 自由地跳着舞. 当播放到那首要表演的歌曲时, 我们也会跟着做动作, 但却没有了那表演的压力, 全家人都玩得好高兴, 亲子关系又加强了.
上星期进行了音乐会的正式预演(Dress Rehearsal), 家乐出乎意料的表现让我们夫妇俩惊讶, 他不但没有害怕站在舞台, 竟然还可以跟的上, 轻轻松松地表演着. 我很感动, 也很感恩. 原来, 孩子都有自学能力, 在他们学习的世界里, 他们需要我们的时间, 爱心, 忍耐, 体谅和信任. 我们对他们的期望不应成为他们的压力和负担.
我的老二以乐啊, 你好幸福噢! 妈妈会更警醒, 不会再犯同一个错误的, 至少不会有恶补班!