Exploring Our Children’s Potentials

This year began with our kids picking up new ‘sports’.

Anya, who’s been asking for a pair of rollerblades since last year, received a pair from us on January 2nd.

Btw, we didn’t immediately buy them for her when she asked for them sometime in July or August last year. We promised that she’d get a pair ‘next year’, and she eagerly waited for the day to come (read: a little ‘waiting before receiving’ does make one feel more appreciative towards the thing when she finally receives it).

Now, as for Vai, well … he’s a little too young for rollerblading (we’re told that at 3 years of age, the bones are still rather ‘soft’ and it’s better for Vai to wait for another year or so before he picks up rollerblading)

And so we decided to get a two-wheeled scooter for him instead.

Basically we’d like to encourage our kids to be physically active and to learn a sense of balance.

We believe the process of learning the skill itself will teach these little ones how to persistently pursue something though the journey is difficult and painful.

It sure is also a good time to practise what we’ve been sharing with the kids as well, ie. the philosophy of ‘When you run and fall, just get up and run again …’

[read: when you try something and fail, just get up and try it again … a principle which practically applies in all aspects of life, I think]

Yup. Since January 2nd till today, I’ve seen countless falls and tumbles. We heard quite a bit of ‘OUCH!’ too.

Anya falls SO many times onto her buttocks that she (more than once) suggested getting a ‘buttock protector’, haha.

In the first 2 days of having the scooter, Vai told me that I could give the scooter to someone else because he didn’t want it (ie. it’s too difficult for him to balance on two wheels without falling)

AND, on day 3, after he gave his second go on the scooter, he lost his balance, the handle tilted sideways and hit him straight on his nose and cheek side.

Blood kept on streaming down from his nose and onto his white shirt.

Wilson wasn’t around at the time, and upon seeing the most amount of blood I’ve ever seen on my own kids, I told myself I must be calm, and to gently pick up the kid, head towards the basin and attend to his needs without giving the ‘See! You need to be careful!’ lecture.

(No bruises nor scratches on his face, amazingly. Thank God.)

The next day, he went on the scooter again like nothing has happened. We happily encouraged him too and no, we chose to not discourage him with any ‘Be careful or you’ll fall on your face again like you did yesterday!’ remarks.

And now, it’s been three weeks since Anya had her rollerblades and Vai had his scooter.

Anya keeps on getting up and going again after each tumble.

Vai has learned how to balance and step on the brake (He sure is not giving his scooter away now, hehe)

Yes they still have a LONG way to go.

But.

They sure are reaping the fruit of their labour slowly yet happily!