Tadika

I don't know why my internet connection is soooo slow nowadays! I haven't been able to see my friends' updates on FB, much less browse pics or upload mine on it. This entry also might or might not be uploaded ye.. it's that bad. So why do I even bother blogging (or trying to)? Coz I'm bored and dunno what to do. My darling daughter dah tido an hour ago, which is normal during her school days (kes no nap in the afternoon coz syok sangat main ngan kengkawan di rumah Che Pah). But the not-so-good thing is she left her homework unfinished and guess what? She seriously expected me to finish it off for her la kan! Next morning bangun tido her first question would be.. "Mama, homework dah siap ke belum?" isk iskk.. kenapa la aku kena belajar tadika balik ni? Adakah kerana waktu aku pegi Tadika Putera Puteri di Shah Alam 26 years ago tiada homework untuk dibawa balik ke rumah? hmm...

Talking about kids' homework, I noticed that tadika nowadays have become quite competitive, what with kids having to know how to read and write fluently (in both BM and English) by the time they enter Primary School. Gone are the days when Darjah 1 means just starting to learn your ABCs and 123s - now I heard even before masuk Darjah 1 pun ada entrance exam! Hmm.. unnecessary stress perhaps on the little ones? Or on their parents? Oh yes, now that I think about it, the stress must be on the parents! The ones who are teachers, engineers, doctors, lawyers... you know, the professionals... you definitely don't want your kids grouped into the lowest class on his/her first day of school now, do you? And thus began the competition.. the race towards becoming the best of them all.. the collector of the most As in PMR/SPM (err.. ke now UPSR pun dah boleh amik banyak2 subjects?)...

Well, don't get me wrong. A little competition is good, definitely. It motivates you to work harder and smarter to reach your goals. And kids do need to learn the discipline and persistence required to achieve a task. What I don't quite like about it is the stress on educational excellence to the detriment of the child as a person. I mean, what good if someone who's excellent in his studies is rude to his parents/elders? Or became a spoilt brat just because mummy and daddy gives in to his every wishes and fantasies as long as he gets the grades? What about economic (and money) sense? Street smart/survival skills? Moral values? Plus other things that you can't quite put a grade on in school?

I wish for Fairuza to grow up with a good head on her shoulder.. to know how to determine rights from wrongs.. to have principles.. to be able to decide for herself what is best for her.. to know what she wants in life.. to have a dream (not necessarily of becoming an engineer, unless she's really interested in the subject).. and to follow through that dream so that she can be happy and enthusiastic about it to the point of jumping out of bed every mornng to go do whatever it is that she loves to do. I've seen too many lives wasted not doing something that one loves doing.. and I hope the cycle won't continue to the next generation..

Disclaimer: This ramblings have much to do with how I feel about work now. I might change my mind and become a kiasu parent who sends her kid(s) to tuition classes, swimming classes and piano lessons just so I can participate actively in the rat race..