Exploring Our Children’s Potentials

I guess it’s just natural.

It’s natural for us to find it difficult to appreciate the beauty of nature, the amazing works of God’s hands, … when we live in a busy city, surrounded by thousands of vehicles and buildings, breathing in polluted air. Every single day.

Earlier today however, I sat on a balcony, at 5.50am, in COMPLETE AWE of the absolute beauty of God’s creation.

I was at Cijeruk, West Java.

And I had the view of rows of mountains, layers of rising fog, hectares of plantations, the sun still hidden behind the mountains … right in front of my very eyes.

I. Was. Speechless.

I looked at what’s presented in front of me, and I simply was … in awe.

I knew I had to remember that very moment.

I took deep breaths of the fresh morning air.

And captured it immediately with my iphone.

Then I just sat there, tightly wrapped in my blue blanket.

Minutes later, I read this on my iphone :

The heavens declare the glory of God; 
the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 

Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge. 

They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.

Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.

In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. 

It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, 
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

It rises at one end of the heavens 
and makes its circuit to the other; 
nothing is deprived of its warmth.

(Psalm 19:1-6)

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We naturally tend to be more focused on what we experience and see around us : traffic jams, daily chores, kids to take care of, misbehaviours needing to be tackled and addressed, house mess to clean, bills to pay, concrete buildings and the four walls that surround us.

No wonder we – city dwellers –  find it too easy to forget about God, I thought.

It’s because we don’t get to see HIS majestic works that much.

We naturally tend to be more focused on what we experience and see around us : traffic jams, daily chores, kids to take care of, misbehaviours needing to be tackled and addressed, house mess to clean, bills to pay, concrete buildings and the four walls that surround us.

…

Am so grateful to get such a reminder today.

That God is majestic, almighty and is the Creator of all things.

The same God who loves me, redeems and saves me from the punishment of my sins.

Thank God for this reminder, I tell myself.

Because I too easily forget.

Spotted a pretty mirror.

And so I took the shot while queuing and waiting for my turn to order my meal =)

Love such shots because when many good years have passed, I’ll get to see this photo again and remember how small baby Brie once was.

And,

how she loves to lean on my shoulder.

…

Go and catch your reflection together with your loved ones this week yeah,

and let’s keep the sweet memories spent with them.

I think no one would intentionally wish to have no money.

We live in this world, and we need money to pay for stuff.

But does it mean that we should then wish to have ‘loads of money’, because money will give our family a sense of contentment and happiness?

To put it slightly differently, does it mean that having not much money generally means families will be less happy and content?

Something for us to think about together perhaps?

…

Anyway, I shared this food for thought below on my Facebook Page and I thought of sharing it with you too today :

Money has this incredible capacity to ‘cripple’ our children, especially when :

… they have things done for them instead of them learning to do things themselves (room’s cleaned, mess and toys tidied up, etc)

… they need not wait for something that they love to have (they are easily bought for them anyway)

The potential danger is somewhat bigger when we have loads of money. The ‘negative effect’ is especially bigger to the little ones, because they are the recipients of all the material comfort and convenience we tend to provide and shower them with. 

… they are always receiving things, and not knowing / learning what it means to give and share, and to ‘NOT have things that they want to have’ (as the result, they complain easily and are less compassionate towards others who are less fortunate?)

… they never / hardly experience the ‘lack’ of having things in abundance (as it does not prepare them for situations when they learn to be thankful and grateful though situations may be tough)

… they are surrounded by toys, gadgets and other possessions, but not by caretakers / parents who spend time with them, teaching them valuable lessons on life consistently day by day

…

If you ask me, I don’t think money itself is bad.

But, the reality is, the potential danger is somewhat bigger when we have loads of money.

The ‘negative effect’ is especially bigger to the little ones, because they are the recipients of all the material comfort and convenience we tend to provide and shower them with.

Question is, regardless of whether we have loads of money or not much of it today, … are we unconsciously crippling our children?

We the parents play the bigger role here, don’t we?

Food for thought for me and for us all, I hope.

[Hand in hand with grandpa]

Our baby Brie just turned 13 months.

And just like any parents of babies her age, one of the common questions asked by friends (and strangers =) is : Has she started to walk all on her own yet? =)

The answer is, nope. Not yet.

She cruises well. She climbs onto stools and sofas. She’s willing to walk if someone holds her hand.

She still seems to find a ‘good feel’ of the ground when she walks though.

…

Anya who is now 8yo, started walking when she was 14 months old. She’s the type of baby who liked to be on the safer side, preferring to hold a chair or a sofa, and not ‘walk across the room’ towards me.

Vai who is now 2 months away from turning 6yo, started walking when he was 13 months. Now, this guy was a climber since he’s 9 months old, BUT when it came to walking, he’d stand for a few seconds, get back down on all four, and speed-crawl! =)

So, with this third baby, … I’m curious to see how she’ll develop and progress =)

(As they say, it’s a different kind of ‘excitement’ when it’s your 3rd baby. We’re still excited, but not in a ‘hurry up I want to see you walk sooner!!’ kind of excitement =)

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Some say : ‘Learning to walk is a big leap into a new-found independence for your baby. It marks the change from being a baby to becoming a toddler.’

A toddler?

Hey, I don’t mind if my baby is still a baby and not yet a toddler =)

I mean, Brie will definitely walk, perhaps within a week, a month or even three months. BUT, once she’s a toddler, she could never be a baby again!

(And, once she starts to walk, … she’ll go EVERYWHERE! Which means, I’d need to even be more watchful over her)

So.

Brie, … Mommy will let you practice walking and all, but … no hurry. Really.

It’s fine if you still want to hang on to my  hands as you wobble around!

I’m still enjoying your baby days anyways.

…

When did your kids start walking? Did you wish for things to be slower, or faster? =)

Over the weekend, we went to Bandung and checked out a family attraction there called Kampung Gajah.

The weather was beautiful, and we spent a few good hours there.

Have you been there?

Anyway, the kids went on this buggy ride, and we made a quick video trailer for fun! =)

Check it out yeah, and feel free to leave your comments too! =)

Captured with my iphone, and uploaded via Instagram.

(Follow me on Instagram if you haven’t yeah, mine is leonny_oureverydaythings)

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Btw, what is Parenting Joy to you?

Vai was feverish the other day.

For one whole day he was totally unlike himself.

He said his head felt ‘heavy’.

He was totally quiet and stayed in bed.

I was about to give him some cool wipes across his face and arms when I thought to myself, perhaps I should let the big sister do it instead.

…

Note:

You see, Anya and Vai have this 2.5-year age gap.

They laugh, play and get silly together, but they also bicker, disagree and get on each other’s nerves a lot (more like, the big sister feels the little brother is out to irritate her a lot =)

At first, she was reluctant when I asked her to wipe her sleeping little brother’s face and arms.

‘Why don’t you do it, Mommy?’

‘Vai is feeling sick today. He can’t even stand and walk properly. It’ll be nice if you show him some care  and help Mommy at the same time? While you do the compresses on his face and arms, I can go ahead and feed Brie some lunch. It’ll be like you’re the nurse and Vai is the patient too.’

(They like to play doctor and patient role plays lately =)

She thought about it for a few seconds.

Then she took the cloth from me and sat next to Vai.

Apparently this little guy wasn’t completely sleeping.

And he smiled away as he saw his sister wiped his arms and face.

Cheeky little guy!

Anyway.

I hope as these two siblings grow up together in our family, they learn to not just play together, but also care for one another.

Because such ‘I-want-to-care-for-my-brother-or-sister thought’ may not always come naturally, … which to me, makes it even more necessary to encourage simple acts of caring and loving.

Whenever such times and opportunities arise. 

Nobody says that being a Dad is easy.

Juggling work and family is tough.

To wives,
we may not agree with some of the things Daddies do (like, letting the kids go to bed without washing up / brushing their teeth?!).

But,
perhaps one of the many things that we can give them today and everyday,
is our loving support and encouragement?

Because deep down, however tough they may look on the outside, they too long to be cared for, respected and loved?

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Now. Here are 5 inspirational quotes that I’d like to share with you on Father’s Day today :

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Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance.
– Ruth E. Renkel

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Any man can be a father.  It takes someone special to be a Dad.
– Author Unknown

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It’s easier for a father to have children, than for children to have a real father.
– Pope John XXIII

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What is a Dad?

A Dad is someone who
wants to catch you before you fall
but instead picks you up,
brushes you off,
and lets you try again.

A Dad is someone who
wants to keep you from making mistakes
but instead lets you find your own way,
even though his heart breaks in silence
when you get hurt.

A Dad is someone who
holds you when you cry,
scolds you when you break the rules,
shines with pride when you succeed,
and has faith in you even when you fail.

– Unknown

…

A father is tender and kind to his children.
In the same way, the LORD is tender and kind,
to those who have respect for HIM.
Psalm 103:13

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May GOD shower all Daddies out there with the needed wisdom, perseverance and love, helping them everyday in becoming the kind of Dads HE wants them to be.

Happy Father’s Day!