Delivered!
And threw in a movie too. She loved the monstrous aliens in John Carter.
: )
Showing posts with label plans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label plans. Show all posts
Wednesday, 14 March 2012
Thursday, 8 March 2012
Inspirations
The daughter finds it hard to get up early in the morning, and drags her feet when preparing herself for school. Not a surprise. She is only following in the footsteps of both her parents. Usually, the missus and I have to poke and prod and crack the whip over her head to get her moving. This morning, however, I tried a different tack.
"You're not going to school tomorrow, are you? And the school hols start next week, right? Aren't you eager to have this day over with?"
For some strange reason, those questions worked! She was actually able to get her stuff together faster than I did. As I had pointed out before, children can surprise adults when they are suitably inspired. The last time that she did that, we climbed all the way up the side of Cradle Mountain for a good two and a half hours to reach Crater Lake. And then trudged all the way back down again. While this morning was not on the same scale, it was a good surprise.
Moreso because the missus is not around.
As usual, work has called the wife to exotic, faraway lands. In this case, the Great Southern one. And she'll be away for another two weeks. Which means that she'll be missing the school hols altogether.
Which puts the pressure on me.
Well, I've never been the sort of parent who drives his daughter to achieve goals, or to fill her life with all sorts of activities. Besides, I am well-aware of my own preferences, and would rather not drag her through what she would consider a 'boring' visit to a museum or such. Taking the most direct approach, I simply asked her what she would like to do next week.
Swimming, was her reply. And the Botanic Gardens.
That was easily done, and I promised her that we'll do them both. Hopefully, I can deliver : )
"You're not going to school tomorrow, are you? And the school hols start next week, right? Aren't you eager to have this day over with?"
For some strange reason, those questions worked! She was actually able to get her stuff together faster than I did. As I had pointed out before, children can surprise adults when they are suitably inspired. The last time that she did that, we climbed all the way up the side of Cradle Mountain for a good two and a half hours to reach Crater Lake. And then trudged all the way back down again. While this morning was not on the same scale, it was a good surprise.
Moreso because the missus is not around.
As usual, work has called the wife to exotic, faraway lands. In this case, the Great Southern one. And she'll be away for another two weeks. Which means that she'll be missing the school hols altogether.
Which puts the pressure on me.
Well, I've never been the sort of parent who drives his daughter to achieve goals, or to fill her life with all sorts of activities. Besides, I am well-aware of my own preferences, and would rather not drag her through what she would consider a 'boring' visit to a museum or such. Taking the most direct approach, I simply asked her what she would like to do next week.
Swimming, was her reply. And the Botanic Gardens.
That was easily done, and I promised her that we'll do them both. Hopefully, I can deliver : )
Wednesday, 5 October 2011
iPad 2 White
I have just purchased an iPad 2 for the daughter.
It was a promise that I made to her, to encourage her to put in more effort with regards to her Mandarin tests. Three full-marks on her weekly assessments would gain her a white iPad 2, I told her. And after a few fumbles (we made the deal in March after all), she finally succeeded. So an iPad I got her.
Now some folk will say that I'm spoiling her rotten. That she's going to grow anti-social by immersing herself into the game-world and ignoring everything else. Doubtless all the tiger-mothers out there will condemn my move as a piss-poor parent.
Yet...
Imagine her howls when she discovered that there were no game apps included in the machine. Nevertheless, she was happy enough with her new toy, and promptly made a new deal with me:
Full marks at any test/assessment (including spelling tests) will mean I load up one more game for her.
With the year-end assessment tests (I don't like to call them exams this young) coming up, it's no skin off my chin. More pressure on the sprog. Besides, when all the results are tabulated and released to us parents, it will in the midst of the holidays. Time enough for her to play to her heart's content, and get bored with her games when school starts again next year.
To quote Hannibal: I love it when a plan comes together.
Heh heh.
It was a promise that I made to her, to encourage her to put in more effort with regards to her Mandarin tests. Three full-marks on her weekly assessments would gain her a white iPad 2, I told her. And after a few fumbles (we made the deal in March after all), she finally succeeded. So an iPad I got her.
Now some folk will say that I'm spoiling her rotten. That she's going to grow anti-social by immersing herself into the game-world and ignoring everything else. Doubtless all the tiger-mothers out there will condemn my move as a piss-poor parent.
Yet...
Imagine her howls when she discovered that there were no game apps included in the machine. Nevertheless, she was happy enough with her new toy, and promptly made a new deal with me:
Full marks at any test/assessment (including spelling tests) will mean I load up one more game for her.
With the year-end assessment tests (I don't like to call them exams this young) coming up, it's no skin off my chin. More pressure on the sprog. Besides, when all the results are tabulated and released to us parents, it will in the midst of the holidays. Time enough for her to play to her heart's content, and get bored with her games when school starts again next year.
To quote Hannibal: I love it when a plan comes together.
Heh heh.
Wednesday, 1 July 2009
No Holidays
Given the situation at the moment, planning for a holiday overseas happens to be an extremely vexing matter. We had intended to visit the Azure Mountains in the Land of the Southern Cross originally, and were making preparations to do so sometime next month. The recent outbreak of disease, which appears to have spread through most of the world, has prevented us from making concrete plans.
Normally, the missus would be most put out by the circumstances. She is fond of travel and she is doubly eager to show our daughter the World. Given the way that our offspring had embraced her vacation last year, I was also loathed to deny her. However, there was naught to be done, and the wife appeared to be be resigned to this disappointing development. With more grace that I had expected, truth be told.
I have, however, begun enquiries as to a short rest in one of our many beach-side inns as a substitute. While it does not offer as many opportunities as a trip overseas, there might be sufficient excitement and distraction to keep both my wife and my daughter entertained.
We shall see how it goes.
Normally, the missus would be most put out by the circumstances. She is fond of travel and she is doubly eager to show our daughter the World. Given the way that our offspring had embraced her vacation last year, I was also loathed to deny her. However, there was naught to be done, and the wife appeared to be be resigned to this disappointing development. With more grace that I had expected, truth be told.
I have, however, begun enquiries as to a short rest in one of our many beach-side inns as a substitute. While it does not offer as many opportunities as a trip overseas, there might be sufficient excitement and distraction to keep both my wife and my daughter entertained.
We shall see how it goes.
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