Exploring Our Children’s Potentials

My grandma would’ve had her 76th wedding anniversary this year. But my grandpa had to leave before they celebrated their 73rd anniversary. Since that day and till today, I see my grandma ‘telling’ her husband if she’s about to go out or do things. She dreams about them spending time together, too.

Their relationship is not perfect. But I do wish and pray that I have that kind of loving feeling in our marriage, till death do us part.

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When things get tough and tangled in our marriage, fix them one by one.

Don’t seek any easy way out.

Long-lasting and loving relationships need lots of hardwork from both parties.

Food for thought.

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Here’s a video worth watching.
 

We’ve just returned from our 12-day trip to the land down under.

To Melbourne and Sydney, to be exact.

I have piles of laundry and unpacking to do, so for now I’m sharing with you these photos and tips I shared on Facebook ya =)

CLICK HERE TO VIEW PHOTOS.

Will share more about the trip soon!

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PS: If you haven’t added me on Facebook, you are welcome to =)

No sane parents would want to purposely teach LIES / false reality to their children.

But, the problem is, … many parents unknowingly have been doing just that to their children, through the way they raise them day to day.

eg. Do our children believe/think that the real world out there will always love, accept and appreciate them?

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Do our children believe that the real world out there will always … appreciate them?
When we always give in to their wants/tantrums/demands,
they learn from us that “the real world will always give them whatever they want”.

When we always protect them from failure and blame others for the pain/failure they go through,
they learn from us that “they are the best and they will never fail in whatever they do and it’s always someone else’s fault when something goes wrong”.

When we do things for them (like, carry their school bags, not teach them how to self-feed since young, not involve them in housework nor hold them accountable for their mistakes),
they learn from us that “mommy/daddy/someone will always be there to serve and provide for them”

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How do we raise our children every day?

Have we in fact been teaching lies and false reality to them?

Food for thought.

‘Can we watch TV?’

‘Can I play games on the iPad?’

‘I’m bored. I don’t know what to do! Can we watch a DVD?’

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For some reasons, many kids these days feel bored, easily.

(Read my post on ‘Parenting: Feeling bored is Okay!‘)

Many feel clueless as to what they can do with their time, other than spending it on TV, games or gadgets.

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I don’t know how else I could enjoy my day, unless I spend it on watching TV or playing gamesI had a conversation about this with my 12yo the other day.

TVs, games and gadgets are fine.

Just not too much.

Because unknowingly, our life – our enjoyment of life – could be so ‘reduced’, with the increasing exposure and usage of gadgets and electronic media, especially by children.

It’s like, ‘I don’t know how else I could enjoy my day, unless I spend it on watching TV or playing games.’

The reality is, there’s SO MUCH we can do.

Even if we aren’t able to leave our home, with today’s easy access to technology, there’s actually NO excuse for us to NOT know what to do with our time.

We could learn a new skill, new knowledge about something, or even pick up the basics of a new language!

(This is of course on top of all other activities like reading, playing sports, or just going out and about)

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And so she decided to learn some basic French on DUOLINGO yesterday.

Good on you.

And what do we have here.

Some of Ahok supporters were there to make a video clip!

(Which btw was also one of the reasons why we’re there today … to show our support =)
 

Anyway, I wrote about this new place in Jakarta called Kalijodo Skate Park (also known as, Kalijodo X Park)

Click HERE to read the post, if you haven’t already =)

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We’ll be back.
 

Today we went to check out the Planetarium (inside the Taman Ismail Marzuki complex).

We thought we should explore more of Jakarta and watch the ‘galaxy show’ at the Planetarium.

Upon entering the planetarium, we were greeted by this sight.
 

The crowd was huge (it’s Wednesday, school holiday)

And apparently, they’re all queueing to buy the show tickets!

It is a 60-minute show (which started at 4.30pm). Ticket sales started at 3.30pm, and the queue was already very long at 2.30pm!
 

The inside of the theatre apparently looks like this. Nice,  huh! (We skipped the show, btw)

(Photos were taken from the internet)
 

Anyway.

We checked out the rest of the ‘exhibition areas’ (free admission).
 

According to the website, this planetarium is the oldest of the three planetaria in Indonesia.

(Googled to find out where the other 2 planetaria are located. Haven’t found the info though)

Some renovations have been done recently, but I feel the planetarium can be better maintained and improved (ie. The exhibits, the general cleanliness of the place, etc). Some of the ‘things’ inside the glass-displays look dusty and old, too.
 

But anyway, I feel the visit was educational.

eg. Brie learned the names of the planets nearest to the sun, and the older kids learned how SUPER HUGE our entire galaxy is (and how amazing it is for God the Creator of the whole universe to even care for us super tiny, sinful and arrogant humans on earth).
 

To end the post, you may want to check out their website for more info: http://planetarium.jakarta.go.id

Admission fee (to watch the 4.30pm show) is now:
Rp. 12,000 / adult
Rp. 7,000 /child (2yo – 12yo)

Location:
Taman Ismail Marzuki, Cikini, Menteng

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Psalm 8

1 Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
in the heavens.
2 Through the praise of children and infants
you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.
3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?
5 You have made them a little lower than the angels
and crowned them with glory and honor.
6 You made them rulers over the works of your hands;
you put everything under their feet:
7 all flocks and herds,
and the animals of the wild,
8 the birds in the sky,
and the fish in the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.
9 Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

I’m thankful that amidst his busy work, Daddy tries his best in being present and involved in the children’s lives.

The kids may not realise it right now, but I know our family is blessed to have a Daddy who does his best in being involved in raising them since day one.

And for that, I’m thankful to God.

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PS: I love how this shot captures the kids’ heights (and they’ve grown taller!) compared to their Daddy.

 
Everyone, this is Kalijodo X Park!

One of the latest places filled with positive energy in Jakarta!

If I were asked, ‘So, what makes this place such an amazing achievement for the city of Jakarta?’

Here’s my answer:

1. Previously this whole area was a famous red light district that NO government officials dared to close down, … not until AHOK became Jakarta’s governor, that is.

2. This place is FREE for all to enjoy

3. This area is still being developed, and there’ll be MORE facilities in the area!
 
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Before I show you what it looks like now, check out what it looked like BEFORE.

(3 photos below were taken from the internet)
 

[Prostitution, liquor and mafia – common words previously associated with this area. Families live here]

[Police force during the knocking down of the area]

[Everything was flat to the ground. Those with Jakarta ID card were relocated to government-owned flats]
 
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This is what it looks now!
 


 

We got there at 3.45pm, the place got more and more crowded over time!

As I watched the stunts, swerves, jumps and falls around me, one of the things that crossed my mind was:

Where did all these daredevils go to learn and practice before this skatepark was built? 
 
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Anyway, when I was there, I chit-chatted with some of the locals.

You know what they said?

– I live nearby, and THIS DEVELOPMENT IS SO GOOD! This is Ahok’s idea! I love seeing the youth here. They can channel their energy and play! This is also FREE! This is better than seeing them in their room, drinking liquor!

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This is better than seeing them in their room, drinking liquor!– I’m a muslim, I live nearby. I believe, the leader in a family is the husband, the leader in the mosque is the ulama. When it comes to a country, it is DIFFERENT. The leader of a country does NOT need to be a Muslim. Ahok is not the leader of my religion. It is so cruel of those people who scream out ‘Hang Ahok!’ and ‘Put Ahok in prison’. It’s all because of politics!

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– I know I am poor. I come from a poor family. But here *she gazed at the skatepark*, everyone can come here! You can be rich, you can be poor, but everyone can play together in this park!

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– No one dared to do something about Kalijodo in the past! Only Ahok dared to close it down and faced the mafia! What happened to him now is so sad. I know whom I will choose in the next government election.

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Anyway, check out the video I made at Kalijodo X Park!
 

 
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The word ‘Kalijodo’ used to have such a negative connotation!

Thanks to Pak Ahok!