Learning is fun.....

Yap..........Learning is fun........And you know it!

Before you try to deny that statement, stop and think for a second. When you learned something new, be it how to shoot a great picture with your digital camera or just finding out that brangelina just announced they are separating (just an example, please don't shoot me! :D), I bet you are more than just happy, you probably be thrilled. The idea of you knowing something more than everybody else or just knowing that you'll be in the loop, like everybody else always makes us feel good.

Now....I'm not writing this to encourage you to learn anything new, because you probably already are. I'm want to talk about how to make your children have the same notion. I'm sure even if you don't have kid yet, you've seen or heard about the horror stories from parents and teachers on how they tried to get children to study and learn something.

Actually children by nature love learning, the need to learn is already embedded in our DNA. Think about it, babies learned how suck milk from their mother's nipple or bottle as soon as they are born, then they learn how see, how lay on their tummy, how to crawl. The question is if we have this DNA inside of all us by nature, why do we drag our feet every time the teacher or our parent said that we need to learn how read or count. That's because our earliest memory of learning is, us being forced to sit down and listen and repeat, the worst part is when we failed we got punished oneway or another, and when we succeed we don't always get compliment that we deserved.

And when it comes down to start planning for my baby's education, we (me n my hubby) decided no matter what he will learn, we will try as best as we could to make it fun for him. We really don't him to have the idea that learning is boring and restricting. First of all, we agreed that he will start learning as early as possible also fun as possible too.  So, as soon as he can see, we started to have him learning math and reading. Don't worry we are not those kind of parent that pushes their children to become another Einstein or Mozart. Our goal is to help him struggle less when he's growing up. And every time we try to teach him anything, we made sure that he and us are in a good mood. Trying to teach anybody, especially children when you are in a bad mood or in a hurry is a sure recipe for disaster. Because you will be impatient hence you'll have less ability to listen or sense what your students needs.

The other key point for us is encouragement. Every little accomplishment is complimented and given reward. For example, we teach math by showing cards with different number of random placed red dots on them, and every time we finished showing 5 cards, we cheered, clapped and told him what a great kid he is. Even small accomplishment, such as flipping and laying on his tummy will get him the hugs and kisses rewards from us. We try to instill in his memory that learning is fun and every thing that he does count. That way hopefully as he grows up he will never lose his appetite for learning.

The Mirrors that Never Lie

Children....................they are life's honest mirror. From them you can tell a lot about what kind of parent they have, because children never lie. And i'm not just talking about what children said literally but mostly about how their reaction, behavior and attitude on a lot of things in life.

I got this conclusion long ago while I was working in early education field. I saw more than my fair share of these cases. All the books and experts quote that said, you can't expect a child to do what you said and not what you do, are right on the money.  For them, your words are the last effecting edge. And if you say something that contradict your action, your children will be very confuse and started to rebel against you. For example, i know a lady who like to brag about every thing she own or bought, from her newest car to her new toe ring, but when she caught her daughter bragging to her classmate about the new toy she got, she was scolded. So, her daughter started acting out and throwing tantrum when the mother is around. In the little girl eyes her mother is punishing her for doing exactly the same thing like her mother, and it's very confusing for a child to get her head around that.

Parents are children first model for everything..........whatever the parent do that's the norm for children. If the parent yell at each other all the time, then when the children started to socialize outside their home, they will get confuse why people don't like it when they yell to other people. For them home and parent are their most important school and teacher, and unlike formal school where we learn from listening and watching teachers explained to us about different things. Children learn from picking the parent attitude and habits. Case and point, I used to know a lady who love reading books, not surprisingly both of her sons, also started to pick up books and read before they even know how to read books, another lady, I knew like spending time in front the TV watching Soap Operas and gossip shows, again, not surprisingly her daughter thinks books is boring and watching TV is the best activity. Children started to mimic and imitated parent behavior and mirror them back to us.

So next time before forcing and poking your little one to eat vegetables or dragging them to join the school soccer team. First check your attitude toward it. Do you cringe or even say it out loud to other people how you hate the smell of broccoli or do you complain that you got sunburn last time you watched your son soccer game. Even when you think they are not listening or watching,subtle behavior, like pouting and sighing your breath when someone mention a certain food or activity, will be pick up by the children. Trust me when i say, saying stuffs like: "Honey, broccoli is good for your health" or "sweetheart, joining the soccer team is great for your body, you'll get to exercise and breath fresh open air", are useless, unless you back it up with real positive attitude.  


I know parent are human too, and as human we are definitely not perfect. We are also shaped by our parent who in their imperfectness, embedded us with ideas and attitude on certain things. Just be ready with explanation when we do slip or made mistakes, cause chances are that they will ask why is it that they are force to eat broccoli when you said to your friend that you hate the smell of it.

Things you will see or find or hear when you live in Bali

When you live in Bali, among the locals then you will see or find or hear:

1. The stray dogs, they are everywhere, and if you live in the small banjar (balinese community) like me, the dogs are actually good security "portal" because they'll bark at strangers who don't live in the banjar. And even though most of them they won't bite, it's a strong suggestion NOT to pet them, they might the gesture, menacing and might attack you.

2. Offerings, you'll see them everywhere, from street side to the beach side, from the posh hotels to common houses. And if you see a big pile of them in front of a house, that just means that house is having a ceremonial event.

3. Hindu temples, nuff said!

4. The cocks, balinese men love cock fightings, so almost all balinese household will have at least 2 cocks in their yard. Trust me, you won't miss them, coz they crow at all hour of the day.

5. Balinese in their traditional attires, when you them, it just means that they are getting ready to pray or doing a communal duty, such as taking care of the parking in the nearby market.

6. Beautiful art work, balinese are craftmen, so no surprise that they can create stunning wood carvings, paintings, musics and dance.

7. Foreigners living among the locals, Bali is such a huge magnet to live that you will find all sort of foreigner living here, whether is in a luxury villas or in a small rented room. From the rich retiree to the broke and poor beach bum, are attracted with the easy going pace and balinese attitude toward life. Not mentioning, the "i don't care what you do as long as you don't bother me n leave me pray" of the balinese, kinda makes living in Bali so much easier, beacuse you don't have to worry about people telling how you should live your life.  

8. Cuisine from around the world, You can find russian food right next to a Padang restaurant, a Greek cafe across the street from the traditional English fish and chips, or Korean BBQ right behind Balinese babi guling (balinese suckling pig). Of course chinese, japanese and italian food is in every street corner.

9. The smell of incense, well....the balinese pray at least twice a day, where ever they are, at home or work place. So you will not miss the smell, even inside the crowded airport waiting room.

10. Bintang, in Indonesian word this means stars, in Bali, this means a cold and delicious beer. 
 
Now, if you are just on holiday, in addition of those things above, you probably will also see or hear:

1. Balinese traditional music, they play it every where, especially if you stay in big hotels, from the lobby to the restaurant.

2. "Hey boss!", also "Massage, wan dalla (one dollar), wan dalla!".............yes, you will hear this especially if you go to the popular beach such as Kuta and Legian. The "Hey, boss!" usually came from men try to offer you bike for rent or taxi or souvenirs, the "Massage, wan dalla (one dollar), wan dalla!" usually came from middle age women, offering a soothing massage by the beach or in of their little spa salon. Now, be careful in interpreting "one dollar", because it doesn't mean that their service or goods their selling cost only 1 USD or AUD, but that is merely a tag line to lure you, if you are interested in whatever they are selling, be sure to ask how much in rupiah. Few years ago, when me n hubby came to Bali as tourist, after getting sick and tired listening to the one dollar offers every time we stepped out of our hotel. So to turn the table around, my husband finally stopped at one of the little store selling sunglasses, since the seller always insisted that everything is one dollar. My husband chose one shade and said:"one dollar right? that means 10.000 rupiah (pointing the board from the money changer booth next door)". At first, the seller tried to explain that the shade cost 50.000 rupiah, but my husband gently and jokingly persist that one dollar is one dollar.....finally, the seller made a compromised, 15.000 rupiah.

So, if you think you have more to add the list.....please don't hesitate to tell me!