The Proud Mother

Allow me, ladies and gentlemen, to write about one of the proudest moments in my motherhood. My Miki, my little chickadee, my little cekodok, my precious baby… HAS BECOME SO SMART ALREADY! YAY!

His latest achievements may be nothing at all great to many other parents out there, but it is a big deal to me and Azman because unlike other urban kids, Miki hasn’t been to any kindy or day-care or anything fancy schmancy lessons… He only stays with a Makcik babysitter when we go to work and watches Spongebob when we come back.

Miki used to be a child that refuses to learn. It bothers me sometimes but then again, he is just a kid. He refused to sing the ABCs, refused to hold the pencil correctly. Refused to spend more than 1 minute on a coloring book and generally, I can say that Miki was not interested in learning at all.

But because he has been speaking very well, a quality that reflects on his ability to understand, to remember, to communicate and to learn… I have confidence in him and I let him loose, allowing him to spend his three years so far… being a toddler that he really is, just like how I and his Daddy spent our childhood. All the educational toys that were given to him or purchased by me are kept in boxes because he has no interest in them. No books were read only stories we told, fresh from my own imagination.

All of a sudden when Miki turns three he not only can pronounce all the letters but he also recognizes the ABCs all the way to Z! AND HE CAN WRITE THEM TOO!!! Not perfectly but so well.. . Just like magic..

He can count in English perfectly until 16 and recognizes the numbers too… He can “congak” up until 6 and 7! “Congak” here means he looks at a group of items in glance and can tell the amount precisely! Mummy is so proud!!! I cannot believe my method of introducing numbers through 10 Little Indians and Monkeys Jumping on the Bed works!

He solves picture puzzles like a pro. He colors objects within lines and draw great pictures of people and things. He knows shapes too on top colors that he mastered a long time ago.

He knows so many English words now, and can speak in full English sentence too!! Amazing! We live in a 90% Bahasa Melayu speaking home and I believe that is the language they speak at her babysitter’s too. Thanks Spongebob! I’ll give you some credit for the annoyance!

Through Iphone he can even use computer and technology jargons.. Something that I find really cool for kid his age… He uses the gadget and other computers really well too.. in fact now he surfs Youtube without needing any assistance. Ops, some parental guidance may be needed here but so far he watches Annoying Orange, nursery rhymes and Angry Bird trailers only.. LOL

He knows doa makan and Al-Fatihah although not perfectly but good enough for me… He remembers amazing ( and sometimes useless) facts that startling to us and another best part is the fact that he is potty trained except when sleeping.. LOL!

The journey of potty-training him started a long time ago when his babysitter was convinced he could be let diaper-less because he can speak so well. But he ended up diaper-clad again cause he would never tell when he wants to go peepee… And now all of a sudden he followed orders and visited the loo religiously to pee. There are cases of MIKI TAK SEMPATTT… but I am so glad on the improvement lil guy!

Right now, without anybody asking he would go around spelling words on restaurant menus, candy wrappers, t-shirt prints… He is yet to know how to make out most of the sounds and neither do I know how to teach him… I am confident if he can keep up this momentum, plus me to give guidance… Miki can read before he turns four. But first I need to learn how to teach… and that is very difficult…

Yet, I am still so proud of him… So damn proud!

I guess Miki is simply growing up… All of these sudden developments are giving me mixed emotions… How I wish I have spent more time teaching you, Miki,  than Spongebob has been amusing you. I am sure if I have done that you’d reached these milestones earlier but at the same time I was thinking what good does it do to you; knowing how to spell at such tender age?

Would you be a better person if you know how read and write at age three rather than six? Would you have more values and kindness in your heart if you know Maths before you reach one hundred centimeters tall? Somehow I doubt that it could be a contributing factor…

At one point of time, I was so ecstatic with your advancing skills, I set my mind to spend half an hour with you every night, coaching you to write and read. You are smart so you must be trained up to your fullest potential! But then I realize you’d enjoy playing ‘karate’ with your dad more than holding a pencil…

So should I make you sit down and read or let you bounce around the house like a bunny rabbit? Is it beneficial to you knowing so much so early or is it just something for me to feel proud and boastful?

I think it is the latter. Academically advanced young kids is just a ticket for moms and dads to brag. It doesn’t ensure a bright future, it doesn’t ensure an honorable adult behavior…

Mummy is so freaking proud of you kid, but no more pressure from now on. Go and play now.. You have done great so far. Let me know when you feel like playing scribbling and coloring…