#2 Gets Over a Hump

When I asked #2 to practise the piano tonight, a miracle happened.

She skipped off without one complaint, and turning to me, smiled and declared, "I'm finding piano easier and easier. It's like I've reached a point where it's not so hard now."

And off she went.

After playing through her pieces (very quickly), she came and asked, "Can I have 'me time' now?"

(I don't know where she got the idea that a child - not a busy, frazzled adult - needs 'me time'.)

I reminded her that she hadn't practised her scales yet.

"Oh, so THAT'S what I forgot!"

And off she went to continue her practice.

Without complaining.

Despite the many mistakes I heard (which she did not bother to correct), I decided not to say anything.

That's for her teacher to handle.

I've learned from #1 that a musically-qualified mum can be the worst person to supervise the child's music practice.

Tonight, I'm one very happy mum - I witnessed something I never thought would be possible, and I witnessed my child reach a new milestone in her personal growth journey.

Hang in there, fellow mums of children learning music!

Diamond in the rain

Very proud of #1 this week.

Tuesday was pretty gruelling: NAPLAN in the morning, cross country in the afternoon.

It was 8 degrees at the coldest, with strong winds and intermittent showers. They ran uphill and downhill by the river.

Didn't hear any complaints when I picked her up. Even managed 88th place out of 100, a great improvement over last year when she came in 2nd last.

You Go Girl.

Melting Moments

On her way out of the car, #1 turned and said, "Love you."

Then, as if afraid I hadn't heard her, she put her head in again and said louder: "Love you."

*heart melts*

Six months ago, I would not have dreamed this moment possible, but these days, it feels like every week brings at least one or two lovely surprises of this nature - the kind your heart craves, but that you do not dare put into words in case it doesn't come true.

Thank you God, for molding my loveable durian into who she is today.

The Competitive One

Last week, I (finally) gained my first stripe for red belt.

On the way to the car, I casually showed it to Miss J, who had been preoccupied on her iPad during my training.

"Since you're taking a break this term, it means I'll get to catch up with you and get my red belt, then we'll be equal," I teased.

Miss J, who got her red belt last year but hasn't got any competency stripes yet, got defensive.

As (in my imagination) the vision of Mum with a red belt rose to her mind, all the tantrums about wanting to quit training and take a break disappeared.

"Oh no you're not!" she declared. "I'm coming back to class!"

Ho ho.

I've figured out another important aspect of my child's psychological makeup.

1-0 to Mum.

Learning music via the "scenic route"

3 years after declaring that she had had enough of the "traditional" way of learning music (classical piano/AMEB exams/private tutoring/daily practice), #1 asked me how to play Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.

So last night I found her the piece and she managed to teach herself the first 8 bars.

Proud moment and big lesson for Mummy: Sometimes you just have to let go and let them find their own path and own timing to doing the thing you want them to do.

The long way round to learning music

Am listening to #1 working out the piano accompaniment to Elvis Presley's Can't Help Falling in Love with You.

She has already more or less mastered it on guitar (self-taught 90%, tutoring from Daddy 10%).

Good to see her five years of piano tuition are coming in handy again.

There's a lesson here for parents like me who believe in firmly "guiding" our children in the way we want them to go, which is not necessarily the way they want to go.

Sometimes, it's good to chill and let them work it out themselves.

Even if it means they won't finish AMEB Grade 8 or be eligible to audition for a music scholarship.

Or if they decide to emulate Taiwanese-American pop star Wang Lee Hom, who gave up piano at 8 and rediscovered it at 18, and is reputed to play several musical instruments proficiently (piano, violin, guzheng, guitar, electric guitar, drums, harmonica).

There goes one sport

#2 has just quit swimming, after *only* four years at it.

Hubby and I tried a mix of cajoling, incredulous expressions, reminders that her two good friends are still at it, even blatant sibling comparisons (jie jie only stopped when she reached Pumpkin!), but to no avail.

At one point, #2 turned to me and said, "You can't tell me what to do!"

On another day, she declared that she is now enjoying piano much more than before.

I was so relieved and thankful, because she had been on the brink with that and martial arts.

Did I mention she's only 8. Sheesh.

In all this, I'm trying to separate my emotions, judgments and values from what my child wants. But it's very hard to not judge oneself. I am both the character playing a part on stage and the critic watching the movie, if you know what I mean.

Late Bloomer Makes a Decision

Today was a hallmark day.

The 12 y.o. agreed - AGREED - to take out her bicycle from the shed after many YEARS and let Daddy teach her to ride.

Something she's put off for years.

Wow.

Hubby reported that she's actually very confident and unafraid and it won't be long before she can ride competently.

Amazing what can happen when someone makes up their mind to master something.

Hubris through the eyes of an 8 y.o.

Overheard Miss 8 confessing to her friends when they visited recently...

"My hubris is pride. I get envious when other people do better than me at schoolwork."

Was impressed by her honesty and level of self-awareness.

Was impressed that she knew the word 'hubris', picked up no doubt in her reading of Greek mythology (Percy Jackson and the Goddess Girls series).

Next thing: to teach her how to use the word correctly.

Ex: "My fatal flaw is hubris ... Hubris means deadly pride, Percy. Thinking you can do things better than anyone else ... Even the gods." -- Annabeth Chase, The Sea of Monsters