Exploring Our Children’s Potentials

I get people writing and asking, what kind of cameras do I use? And whether I can share photography tips and tricks on my site from time to time.

So far I hardly ever write anything on this topic because, I just feel I know so very little about ‘photography technicalities’.

I’ve never taken any formal photography classes. And while some people find the ‘technical’ aspects of photography really easy to remember, I’m somehow just bad with it. Stuff like manual settings and aperture. Such ‘technical knowledge’ somehow can’t stick in my head too well, and I seriously don’t know why. My husband finds it weird too that I can hardly remember / digest anything technical that he’s told me a few times before.

But. I love taking photos. Very much like a passion. I’m one of those people who treasure moments.

When friends get together, when kids laugh out loud and have fun, when babies are asleep and gently carried by their moms.

I shoot and I capture moments.

And I guess that explains why I mostly take photos with people I know in them. Or of things that have deeper meanings to it that I’d like to keep or I’d like to share with others later.

I enjoy looking at great photos taken by other people too. I find them refreshing!

And recently somehow I feel I should perhaps share something, every now and then, on photography with other people through my site. Like, the kinds of considerations or approach I tend to keep in mind when I take photos. Or perhaps, share a great photography site.

Anyway, I’ll post one real soon.

As much as I find it hard to believe, we’re coming toward the end of the year 2008! The end of Anya’s nursery school and the start of her long school holiday break!

AND, we’re coming towards Christmas time too.

In less than two weeks, my church – Reformed Evangelical Church – will have a special Christmas event for little kids, and everyone (from toddlers to Primary 6 kids) is invited!

There’ll be singing time, little puppets, story-telling and games, all delivered in ENGLISH by our Sunday School teachers!

Here’s more info:

WHEN : Saturday, 8 November 2008

WHERE : The Alexcier #03-11&12  (it’s along Alexandra Road, just 7 minutes walk from Redhill MRT Station)

AGE-APPRORIATE SESSIONS :
9.30am – 11.30am (for Primary 1 – Primary 6 kids)
12pm – 1pm (for toddlers and kindergarten kids)

Click HERE to see the brochure in larger print

In this day and age, everyone needs a message of love and hope, especially all the little children. Because when they themselves hear, experience and realise how valuable and special they are in the eyes of their Creator, they in turn will love themselves and others too. They’ll find a deeper meaning to their lives, to their existence. And how wonderful it is to have such an understanding of one’s greater purpose in life at such a young age.

I hope your little ones and yourself can make it to the event next Saturday, November 8th.

Vivo City is getting ready for Christmas again this year, setting up a giant tree on its third floor.

Yes, we’re near the end of yet another year.

…

How’s our 2008 been so far?
Filled with positive changes, grace and gratefulness, I hope.

And are we getting ourselves ready for ‘Christmas’ too?
The time of the year when the whole world is reminded of God’s great love for us through Christ.

We’ve seen advertisements everywhere around us.

Art classes. Chinese classes. How to be an ‘early reader’. Maths. Soccer. Swimming. Piano lessons. Violin. Ballet classes.

In many parts of the world, especially in Singapore – where it is common to see children as little as 8 months old are being sent to attend ‘classes’ – the issue of ‘extracurriculars for the kids’ (ie. what extra classes, how many should one attends, and from what age should one starts attending) tends to be far from simple and straightforward.

Notice what your children do when nothing’s scheduled. Do they wander off to entertain themselves with a game, hobby or project, or are they bored and restless?There are so many options these day.

Too many perhaps.

And we parents want the ‘best’ for our kids, don’t we?

So, what should we consider?

I come across this good article from Familyfun.com called “Overscheduled Kids” that I’d like to share today.

Please do take the time to read the whole article.

It has lots of good insights and thoughts! Things that I believe would help us – at least a little bit – in working out how our kids’ schedules should probably be like.

…

Here are a few quotes from the article:

If you’re signing your child up for one enrichment activity after another because you believe an early start will secure a lifelong interest or give your child the competitive edge in high school sports or music, think again.

Notice what your children do when nothing’s scheduled.

Do they wander off to entertain themselves with a game, hobby or project, or are they bored and restless?

One result of too many scheduled activities is that some children don’t know how to manage themselves when there’s nothing planned.

Please realise that kids, just like adults, need downtime–it’s called play.

Children between the ages of two and seven incorporate new experiences into their minds through imaginative play.

If your child is overscheduled with activities, when will he have time to absorb all that he’s experiencing?

…

What are your thoughts on this?

We love this activity!

It’s very simple and quick to make, and it’s so unique to the child who makes it!

What you need:

1. Paper Carton (we used recycled cereal box)
2. Crayons, scissors, glue

What you do:

– Trace both your child’s hands and one of her foot onto the paper carton, and cut them out

– Colour the ‘hand prints’ (these will be the moose’s horns!)

– Glue the ‘horn’s onto the ‘foot print’ (on the ‘toe’ side)

– Draw a ‘face’ on the ‘foot print’

And that is it!

Your kids get to make their very own moose head AND best of all, mommy gets a ‘souvenir’ that will pleasantly remind her of her kids’ tiny hands and feet!

I’m keeping these!

No school for Anya and her friends today.

And so the three of us headed down to Orchard Road for lunch, a casual stroll and some book-reading at Borders.

It’s been quite a while since the three of us went out and about like this, and it was nice!

And, by the time we got on our bus ride home, we were all so sleepy! Even I felt my eyes were just too heavy to open!

Anya was completely knocked out, sleeping across two bus seats (!), and I caught a bit of nap myself too (while standing and holding onto the parked pram with Vai sleeping on it!).

What a day!

[photo]
A self-portrait of us walking past Shaw House’s smudgy glass window

Earlier on we held Polliwalks Shoes Giveaway Contest for three weeks and received SO many good and creative entries!

And after much deliberation, the people who bring Polliwalks into Singapore finally have selected the twenty lucky winners!

Woohoo!

So, are you ready for the results? *drums rolling*

Here they are:

Bloggers Category:

1. Siska
2. Christine Lim Simpson
3. Florence
4. Lizbeth
5. Nic
6. Rachel Lim
7. Esther Soo-Chee
8. Fz
9. Imelda
10. Jessica Louis

Non-Bloggers Category:

1. Annabelle (27 Sep)
2. Gwenneth (29 Sep)
3. Jacqueline Heng (7 Oct)
4. Samantha (7 Oct)
5. Patrick (13 Oct)
6. Mike (14 Oct)
7. Kwik (14 Oct)
8. Lydia (14 Oct)
9. Jaina Quek (15 Oct)
10. Susanti Saputra (15 Oct)