Have A Great Weekend

Thank you my dear friends for joining me in the Chap Goh Meh's celebration. For those who are supposed to bring back awards, remember to get the original images from the sidebar of my blog.


For the Forever Friend Award, here's the code.


I have not been reading your posts but I will be back next week to visit your blogs. So, have a great weekend everyone.

Village Child vs City Child

My hubby grew up in this little village where there are about 200 families. Life there is so different from life in the city. Children in that village are not protected like those in the city. They are very independent and brave. Hubby always tells me his story about how his parents left the entire shop to them (he and his brothers) and went for a tour. At that time, hubby’s eldest brother was about 12 years old. They run the shop with the help of their workers, taking care of every single cent that came in and went out. I cannot imagine how a bunch of primary school children could handle their meals and daily necessity and at the same time, their father’s business for a few days without their parents.

I guess I would never achieve that stage.

Look at the following difference:

Village playground vs city playground

Village slide vs city slide

The playground in the village is built on a land with sand and stones whereas the playground in KL is built on “rubber mats”. The slide in the village is built with cement whereas slides in KL are built with plastic. What do you see here? Isn’t it obvious that the city children are always protected, even from falls? So, how are these children going to learn precaution if they don't fall and don't feel the pain? It keeps me pondering.

Look at the village girls on the slide. I was taking photos of my children when I saw them sliding down with something beneath them. Curious, I walked closer to take a look. Oh my, they were using gunny sacks as a base to prevent heat and friction while sliding down. Aren’t they using their mind to solve problems? I bet my children would never have thought of that.

Using a gunny sack while sliding down

I have been thinking really hard recently. Am I protecting my children too much? Do I want to cushion their fall every time they run into some problems? Do I want dependent children who do not know what to do in time of crisis? Do I want my children to grow up to be adults who cannot take failure just because we do not allow failure to happen? NO! I do not want all these.

So, I guess I’d better take the middle path of not over protecting my kids and at the same time not giving them too much freedom either.

What do you think?

Different Experience

We are back from home town. It was a wonderful trip as the children get to see their grandpa and grandma (my parents); kong kong and popo (my parents in law) as well as their cousins. Every time we go back home, it’s like killing two birds with one stone as we get to visit both families.

It’s totally a different experience as my parents in law lived in a small village where there are no karaoke, no pubs, no cinema and no shopping complexes. What my children find interesting about this place is that they get to see durian trees, mangosteen trees, banana trees, oil palm estates, rubber estates and lots of chickens, dogs and cats. They have even witnessed a durian dropped from the tree.

Hubby brought us to the oil palm collection centre his brother own and told us the process of collecting oil palm.

Lots of oil palms collected

This is the weight bridge to weigh the oil palm (computerised). First, weight of truck with oil palm is taken. Then, oil palm will be unloaded and weight of empty truck is taken. The difference of weight equals to weight of oil palm.

Ramp (Truck will go in there and oil palm will be unloaded)

Seeing it with my own eyes is really different from reading it. Hubby also took the chance to explain to the children about the products produced using oil palm. Now, when he asks the children: “What can be produced by oil palm?” The children would answer: “Cooking oil and margarine.” Hubby and I really like to teach the kids informally. No textbook learning, no bored children but interested and curious children. It’s much easier for the kids to absorb what we say when they get to see and experience.

Going Back To Hown Town

It’s a last minute decision. We are supposed to go back to home town last week but hubby sacrificed his “abalone and shark’s fin soup” which her mother prepared (That’s what he said jokingly) for THESE cookies. Thank you so much, darling! The children and I had a wonderful time making those cookies.

So, I can’t say “NO” to him this week when he said he wanted to see his mom and dad, can I? I did some last minute packing and did not take up too much time.

See all of you next week!