When You Were 7

Dear Miki,

You turned 7 years old in 2015. On the same year, your brother Rafa is 3, I am 33 and your Daddy turned 39. We lived in a nice cozy house in a quiet neighborhood in BK ( that I believe we still live in by the time you read this) and it was also your first year in primary school.

You were so lucky to be schooling a good school just 3 minutes away by car. There are 4 classes for Standard 1 in your school and you are in the best class, which was awesome, but you got into drama a couple of times in the first couple of  months of school, enough to trigger severe migrain on me.

First, your new pencil box was taken by another boy who claimed that it was his. When you went to see a teacher about it, she handed it over to the other boy, simply because he was wailing. That got you so heartbroken, you came home crying. You felt so betrayed when the teacher didn’t take your side.

Now,crying never happened before. Miki never cried! This was bad but what do we do?

We could easily buy you a new one, the exact same model if you want but that don’t do justice to you and neither to the other boy. So your Daddy and I actually went to your class and by the time we were there, apparently that boy had already returned it to you. I believed his parents saw him having something that was not his and ordered it to be returned.

You instantly felt better and I did spoke to the teacher about listening to both sides of the story before making conclusions.

And the lesson that we learned from this incident, Miki, was the importance of communicating clearly and confidently. Should you able to look at the teacher in the eyes and told her that you just bought the box the night before and you didn’t have a chance to label your name on it before you came to school. She wouldn’t have easily given it away.

Remember Miki! Speak loud and clear. Be confident! Stand up for your self!

These pictures were taken when we went out to dinner to celebrate Miki’s 7th Birthday. 

 

The second incident happened when Daddy was away for work in Europe. Mom of your classmate texted me saying that you were crying in class because AH hit you hard. When I came back from work, you had marks on your arm.

This time I was the one who were extremely brokenhearted. I hate to see you got hurt. I was furious at the fact that your cried for so long in the class but the teachers had done nothing. But mostly I was upset with myself because your tried talking to me and Daddy about this before.

For the couple of weeks before that day, you often told us about how AH pulled your ears, AH kicked you, pushed you… But we thought you kids were just being the boys you are. And boys play rough. That’s normal, no? Then you said you were afraid of AH and his friends, you hid under the table during recess time and you hated that. Again, your Daddy and I just brushed it off…

Until the day when our brave child cried at school, only we realize that you weren’t just telling stories but really were seeking out for support. We are sorry Miki. We felt so bad! We should have gotten the message but we took it way too lightly.

Apparently you became the target of AH and his friends’ bullying after they asked you to join their gang of which you refused.  When I heard this I was almost seeing stars myself. 7 years old in gangs? Really? Mana  budak AH ni? Mari sini gang dengan Auntie mariiiii…

The next day again I went to school to report to the teacher and to see this boy AH.

I spoke to the Headmaster, and expressed how I feel about teachers being more sensitive to what’s going on in the class. And after that I went to the classroom to see AH but you would not believe it, AH’s dad just left the place after talking to the class teacher. He was there to inform that AH would not be attending school for sometime because his mother was seriously ill.

Now tell me, Miki… How do I scold a child for being naughty and abusive in school when his mother is sick? The poor AH was clearly KKS – kurang kasih sayang! Oh dear…

 

A week after the bully case, I received a note in your message book from your BM teacher. She informed that you had changed so much. You became very hardworking, you finished all your work quickly and over all you have improved so much!

That made me very proud, Miki! And Mummy and Daddy learnt our lessons this time!

One – always pay attention to what your child is trying to tell you!
Two –  a child performs academically better when they feel supported  by their parents
Three – a child who feels unloved could possibly become abusive towards others

We had classic western food on your birthday

Anyway, as I am writing this, you are in the midst of getting the exam results for your first every examination at school. You have done so well! You are excellent! You were tested in BM, English, Maths, Science, Pendidikan Kesihatan, Arts, Pendidikan Islam, Jawi and Arabic.

I don’t know why they need to separate Arab and Jawi from Pendidikan Islam. Seems like you are spending 6 credit hours on those 3 but you are performing well, so all I’d say is keep it up, kid! Mummy and Daddy is so super duper proud of you!

 

Anyway on your birthday this year, Miki, we didn’t have a party but we had a nice dinner. Mummy and Daddy didn’t know what to give to you, you have way too many toys (there are a couple of boxes in the storeroom yet be opened) and more books from Big Bad Wolf yet to be read. Then Daddy got a genius idea, the simplest idea but the best! He bought a token passcard worth Rm100 for you to play at the arcade in Jusco Molly Fantasy. Haha!

One game costs about RM1-RM2 per play so technically you can play any games at all 50 times! haha! Main sampai muntah!In fact now in May, you still have balance of RM38 in that card.  When you read this someday, you would probably say that’s the silliest birthday present ever, but bless you my child, you were so happy, just as happy as you were in Disneyland and Legoland…

And no! You didn’t get just that LOL

You got more toys! Haishhh! you got a Transformer and these amazing set of Toy Story figurines. hehe! Daddy couldn’t resist!

Now when you are 7! You are starting to talk about another Adik. You want a girl Adik sebab tak naughty sangat macam Rafa. But her name must be Fara! Sebab terbalik nama Rafa. Hehehe!

I love you kid, you are so smart and such a good son that a parent could have. now keep that up! Be nice as in baik, baik suka tolong orang… Jangan menyakiti orang… InsyaAllah you will do fine!

love you!

Mummy