1000 proud moments

I was missing for three long days. Did you notice?

The thing was there was an emergency and I was asked to become a sub teacher at Gooly's school....

..in Gooly's class.

*gasp*

Anyways, I survived that three days. It was a crazy and nerve wrecking 3 days. But I just won't tell you how crazy, nerve wrecking the 3 days were even though they were crazy and nerve wrecking. Instead I will just note the cute little moments with the pigtailed girls and snotty boys. And many many proud moments of being a mom to an obedient and smart Gooly.

To begin with, I was apprehensive with the idea as I wasn't sure how Gooly would react. Will he be clingy? Will he be obnoxious? Because there were 15 more other students to attend to who may be as clingy and obnoxious, I was just.. say, a lil ballistic with the idea of teaching in that class.

Lo and behold, Gooly was superb! Being in school the whole day had given me the opportunity to observe his behavior in my class and also during other teachers' supervisions. While I taught English and Science which were his strongest subjects, he didn't show any 'I-already-knew-that' attitude. He paid attention in class- never had a blank expression moment (unlike me in school last time).

He was obedient and followed the school rules of lining up, being quiet at times, and putting away cups and saucers after meals. Only 2 out of 10 kids do that. (I wanted to say 1 out of 10, but it sounded too extreme :P)


There were twice that he was complained by his peers:

1. Ticher, ticher, Gooly* push me.

2. Ticher, ticher, Gooly* take my toys.

And both incidents, I was an eye-witness. The first one, Gooly was standing in attention, waiting to recite a Mandarin poem, and a girl came next to him and ticked him. He told her to stop it and pay attention. She didn't stop. She continued tickling him and shoved him to the wall. Gooly flung his arms and walked to the other side. And that's when I heard, "Ticher, ticher, Gooly push me."

The latter incident, they were at the toys section waiting for parents to come to bring them home. TJ's parents came and announced to Tj that they should go. And Gooly took the toys away to be kept in the shelf, announcing, "Time to go home, TJ." (It wasn't a snatching motion. It was a good intention of his albeit, very kaypo.) And what did we hear? Yep. "Ticher, ticher, he take my toys."

Sigh! With 16 students (or more) children under your care, sometimes it's really hard to decide what really happened, unless you were an eye witness. Actually, with 2 it's hard enough, because it takes only 2 seconds to make one cry. And ngam ngam during that time, you were busy digging your nose. Sigh!

There were times he was reluctant to attend Mandarin class because the songs and tonal practice were too loud for him. I told him NO. He went into classroom (tau tap tap) but once inside, he was back to his same-self (the same one in my class)- participating in activities, raising his hands to answer questions, and singing with movements (though they were too loud.) And whenever he completed a task, he looked out for me, smiling as if telling me, "This is for you, Mama."

Thank you. Thank you, Gooly. I appreciate your effort and positive attitude towards learning. I am proud of your knowledge and your ability to relate to an array of topics, giving very relevant information, while your peers are still struggling with the idea of speaking in sentences. I am proud that you try HARD when subjects like Mandarin and Thai give you (and me ) a headache. You don't stomp your feet or bawl your eyes out.

I am proud that you are caring, loving and sensitive.

- When they other kids want my hugs, you waited and asked shyly if you could have one too. (Of course you can, my dear dear.)

- When Joel fell, you picked him up.

- You share your cookies though they were your favourite.

- You told me, "Bus (a local boy who doesn't speak a word of English) is very very lonely. He is alone during exercise (PE lesson). I think I will stand with him tomorrow." Just repeating your words here make my eyes teary. You have a golden heart.

While walking out of the school, the school accountant came to me and said," I heard that your child is very clever. Reading and writing and have such good manners. How do you do it? I have a 6 months old baby. Please teach me how."

Wow! I really don't have an answer. I don't even know if the credit goes to me.

On top of that, my assistant also told me, "When I have a child, I want one like Gooly."

Wow!

That's a really nice thing to say.

And that made me grin like a mad mad joker. Still grinning now. From ear to ear. From east to west.

During that three days, when we walked out of school, hand in hand, my heart was puffy with pride. And I told myself,

"In future, when you don't bring him As, I won't mind. I really don't care. Your attitude matters. And you have already scored full points in my record."

Gooly, you are such a wonderful child. I am proud to be your mahmee. I can love you 100% and then some more, because loving you is such an easy thing to do.

Every day, you make me proud. Almost unbelievable that I can be so lucky to have a son like you. On second thoughts, being lucky is not enough.

..I think I am blessed.

(Oei? I am supposed to write anecdotes about pigtailed girls and snotty boys but I was too engrossed on the topic of how clever, well-behaved Gooly is. Hahahhaha! Oei.... Somebody slap me already..)