Meet-the-parents-day

 Waiting for my turn to meet Kiki's form teacher. The form teacher is also her Math teacher. 

Kiki's test marks are all very well except for Math (88). I told her teacher that we don't get to see any Math materials until just a week or so before the tests, that leaves us little time to revise, plus the Math concepts are new to me as I'm a new P1 parent. Her teacher says that Kiki is among her 'best' students, in fact Kiki helps her to coach other students, especially with Math. Hum.... that's strange, then why is her Math marks the lowest? I mean at least should be in the 90++ range if she's among the 'better' students, right? All her teacher would say is to assure me that Kiki's doing good. She says that Kiki could be careless when she become bored.

I asked about swimming. She says that as long as we could get a basic swim certificate (from personal coach), we could opt out from the compulsory swim class when in P2. Hum................ dunno how long more to get a basic swim cert ley, I thought to myself. 

I asked about CCA. She says at the end of P2, there will be recruitment drive for various sports. At the end of P1, there will be recruitment drive for the Chinese Orchestra & Chinese Dance Club. She said she would recommend us for the Chinese Orchestra. 

After I bid them (both the English teacher & Math teacher) goodbye, I moved to the hall to meet Kiki's Chinese teacher.

Her Chinese teacher is elderly. A senior lady.  

She says that Kiki is fine, probably needs to read more Chinese story books, but otherwise she's fine, eager to learn and all. However, she says that she had noticed Kiki has a tendency to cry. She asked what is the condition or situation at home. I was taken aback and I don't know why, perhaps a little overwhelmed or perhaps she asked a question that hit a tender nerve, I could feel my nose getting warm and tears were building up. I thought to myself-- HEY FREAK IT, you better get a hold of yourself. If you cry in front of this teacher she might think no wonder your daughter cries easily!

Crazy me. It's a warranted question. Her teacher is trying to find out if there's any problems at home as she had noticed Kiki seemed to be bottling up a lot of emotions. 

What emotions could she bottle?

She has toys, she has school, she has books, she has TV, she has YouTube, she has music. She has afternoon naps. She exercises. What else does she want. I asked myself, feeling defensive. 

Her teacher suggests that I ask Kiki about her feelings, she also suggest that I let Kiki be more expressive. 

Haven't I?   I know I've always kind of asked her to shut up. Or dismiss her whatever requests. How could I entertain for example, the request for a dog. Or for a hamster for that matter. Her teacher suggests I could get her a toy dog, and read books about dogs so as to satisfy that desire or curiosity.  She has many toy dogs lah. Got Monty, got Reimi, got that pink poodle Sparkle. 

I don't know. I guess I will have to get back on track with that sketch journal, let her sketch her thoughts since we don't do much creative writing.

Just two nights ago, Kiki told me that in her heart, there's one small box that is sad and lonely. 

I dismissed it by saying I also have a box in my heart that is sad and lonely. Who doesn't. People who are always easily happy doesn't have that sad and lonely box but there are people who has a sad and lonely box. So what. 

So perhaps I didn't handle it well. I didn't ask what she meant by that and I also didn't ask what could we do about it. I just feel that she has no business being sad or lonely. If she has, then live with it. 

I can't deal with it. I have a million things to deal with. 

I don't know what to say.

Post entry: I asked Kiki what the crying was about. She said her classmate (boy) took her school bag and emptied its contents. He refused to stop the pranks. 

Stacks of text books in her classroom.